What type of install did you do for Win X?

Upgraded from Win 7. This is the first MS OS update I have ever done as an upgrade. All other prior moves were clean installs all the way back to Windows 3.1. This has actually gone fairly well. Just a few little things but most seem related to the graphics drivers. I do see some folder permission issues that some apps have given that the OS forced me into using my LIVE account as the user on my PC.

him said:

Great! I didn't google enough, so I just did a fresh install of Win 10. Now my Win is not-activated. I hope that Win servers recognize my hardware keys and activate me. Used to have Win 7 Ultimate. Too lazy now to re-install Win 7 and then upgrade to Win 10

I have a tip for you then: if you have a spare harddisk lying around I would:
- create a Windows 10 installation USB stick or burn it to DVD
- disconnect all your harddisk in the PC
- only connect the spare harddisk
- clean install your Windows 7 on this disk with the key you own
- no need to install any updates ! (takes so much time)
- run the setup.exe from the Windows 10 USB stick / DVD you made
- When this clean Windows 10 is running use Produkey to find your Windows 10 key and write down this key.
- Disconnect the spare harddisk
- reconnect all your normal harddisks
- activate with the key you just got
This procedure works for me

Preview build previous to upgrade
Upgraded from 8.1
Clean install
In-place Upgrade (to repair issues with the clean install from July 29th)

FakeMoustache said:

I have a tip for you then:
...
This procedure works for me

Thank you. I will try this in my free time definitely. Currently, the PC is being used on a daily purpose and for long duration. Cannot risk another failure, as I have only one PC.

I upgraded from 8.1 on day one and everything has been fine so I see no need to do a clean install.

him said:

Agreed! But I am too lazy to do a Win 7 install and then a Win 10 upgrade and then download/configure/install all the software and apps. It's just too much work. And the PC is at home, which means it is used by more people than just me alone. So can't keep it in broken/semi-baked state for a long time. I will wait for a few days more and see if Win 10 activates me. Else, I will go with Win 7 + Win 10 upgrade if and only if I face issues with current installation.

Make room for another partition. Leave your current Win10 alone. Install Win 7 and Upgrade to Win 10 on the new partition. Once that is activated, just wipe it out - your original Win 10 clean install should then activate.

BTW: the key that fakemoustache mentioned for Windows 10 is the exact same key that millions of people have gotten when they upgraded. It's useless. Windows 10 will activate either when a purchased retail key is entered - or when it finds your hardware ID previously activated from an upgrade on the Microsoft activation servers.

I'm a non savvy senior and Must have done something wrong. My Windows 7 Pro desktop had two HDD's. One was formatted the other boot drive. I received the free upgrade invitation and when ready I installed it. Windows 10 got properly installed, but three observations. (1) The apps do not work (2) Both HDD's boot to Windows 10 (Is it because the Bios designate the 2 HDD's as Raid 0 and Raid 1?) (3) I am being asked to activate Windows 10. Confused. I have a Windows 8.1 mini media center PC and it upgraded without asking me to activate.

What sort of mess am I in? or is there something I can do short of paying for a retail license? I ran an app that tells me the Product numbers for my Apps. It came up with a product number for my Windows 10 Pro. Can I use this for activating my Windows 10 OS?
Any guidance on recovering in a timely way, as I assume there is an activation deadline. Thanks

I did 4 ea. desktops, W7 -> W10 home,
1ea notebook, W7 Pro -> W10 Pro.

No problems/troubles/show stoppers overall. On 1 pc, I stripped out a video card & reverted to the mb Intel graphics. I did have images of all the hd's, just in case.