Windows Asking for Product Key I Don't Have

I completely cleared a old PC and installed Windows 10. I had downloaded the ISO and burned it on a disk. I installed it on the PC, and during the installation it asked for a key. I clicked the "Skip" button. Now after I shut it off and back on, in the bottom right corner is says to activate windows in the settings. I go to the settings, and I says I have a bad key. I click on "get new key" and it asks for my current key. I don't know what my current key is. It said that since I installed with a disk (it thinks this is a purchases verison of 10) I should have a key on the package. I don't have any Activation Keys! Help ASAP!

Hello, Kamel. Welcome to the forum.

Windows 10 is only free as an upgrade. What OS did you wipe?

HippsieGypsie said:

Hello, Kamel. Welcome to the forum.

Windows 10 is only free as an upgrade. What OS did you wipe?

I had Windows 7, but it was broken and didn't let me install anything.

Kamel said:

I had Windows 7, but it was broken and didn't let me install anything.

Oh? Broken so far as how?

HippsieGypsie said:

Oh? Broken so far as how?

I cleared the PC when I installed windows 10 with the cd. Windows 7 being broken isn't the problem. Can you help me with the problem?

Kamel said:

I cleared the PC when I installed windows 10 with the cd. Windows 7 being broken isn't the problem. Can you help me with the problem?

Windows 7 being broken is a problem. Wiping it caused a bigger problem.

As Satchmo just stated; You can only get an activated 10 by upgrading from 7 SP1 first. Once that's achieved, then you can fresh install ad infinitum.

HippsieGypsie said:

Windows 7 being broken is a problem. Wiping it caused a bigger problem.

As Satchmo just stated; You can only get an activated 10 by upgrading from 7 SP1 first. Once that's achieved, then you can fresh install ad infinitum.

1. How do I get back to windows 7?
2. Am I still able to use Windows 10 w/o having the activation key?

Kamel said:

1. How do I get back to windows 7?
2. Am I still able to use Windows 10 w/o having the activation key?

Does your laptop have a recovery partition or recovery disks that came with it or that you made upon very first boot?

Windows 10 will never activate and personalization is blocked in it by fresh installing.

HippsieGypsie said:

Does your laptop have a recovery partition or recovery disks that came with it or that you made upon very first boot?

You may install 10, but it'll never activate and personalization is blocked in it.

It wouldn't install if I had the partitions still there. I had to delete both partitions and chose the now empty drive. It wouldn't let me just chose the empty drive w/o deleting.

So 10 w/o activation is still usable? Will it be usable after the 1 year of free upgrade?