How to find the key after the upgrade for a clean installation later?

Wrymn said:

So if I understand it right, If I do clean install from USB (I downloaded win10 from website since I didnt want to wait for upgrade notification), my key will not work? I have legal windows 7 HP edition, thats from what I have clean installed windows 10 from.

Or do I need to contact support for windows activation?

How clean was the install?

If you launched the upgrade from within Windows 7, I believe that counts as an upgrade, even if you choose to keep nothing from the Windows 7 installation.

If you created a bootable installation medium (DVD, USB thumb drive), started the PC from that, and did a really clean install, I believe that will not activate unless you previously had Windows 10 installed as an update.

My guess as to what MS support would say in the latter case would be to restore Windows 7 and upgrade to 10 in the approved manner. I'm curious as to what their advice would be if told that you hadn't kept any means of doing that. Maybe they'd help if they could be convinced it was an honest error. (In my rare dealings with them in the past, they have been accommodating. I feel that activation exists to prevent large scale casual piracy, not to try to pry a few more dollars out of individuals.)

bobkn said:

How clean was the install?

If you launched the upgrade from within Windows 7, I believe that counts as an upgrade, even if you choose to keep nothing from the Windows 7 installation.

If you created a bootable installation medium (DVD, USB thumb drive), started the PC from that, and did a really clean install, I believe that will not activate unless you previously had Windows 10 installed as an update.

My guess as to what MS support would say in the latter case would be to restore Windows 7 and upgrade to 10 in the approved manner. I'm curious as to what their advice would be if told that you hadn't kept any means of doing that. Maybe they'd help if they could be convinced it was an honest error. (In my rare dealings with them in the past, they have been accommodating. I feel that activation exists to prevent large scale casual piracy, not to try to pry a few more dollars out of individuals.)

Well, I have photo of product key label taken, so its proof error was not on my side and I am eliglible for win10 upgrade.

Well, I used MediaCreationTool to put win10 into USB, booted into bios and made clean install, formating all drives. So I guess it did not have any means to remember I had windows 7.

So, the only way is to again, clean install win7 back, and then do simple upgrade with MediaCreationTool on that clean windows? :) lol, if thats the only way, okay but its kinda silly

So if I'm working on building a new tower now, I need to install 7/8/8.1 first, then upgrade to Windows 10. Once completed, I can then do a clean install on the same computer with Windows 10 from that point on? My wife and I are also looking at two new small 2-in-1 laptops. I'm assuming, if they come with 8.1, that we'll need to repeat the process on those as well?

DeaconFrost said:

So if I'm working on building a new tower now, I need to install 7/8/8.1 first, then upgrade to Windows 10. Once completed, I can then do a clean install on the same computer with Windows 10 from that point on? My wife and I are also looking at two new small 2-in-1 laptops. I'm assuming, if they come with 8.1, that we'll need to repeat the process on those as well?

It seems to me the word "upgrade" is important. If you do clean install (boot from usb, format drives etc.), the windows wont remember your previous key and wont activate.

My install shows that it is not activated. It says it is waiting for internet connection which the machine already has.

Also I have a retail version of 8.1 on my mac using Parallels but I can't seem to get it to want to upgrade. How or when can I get an iso?