Upgrade to Windows 10 asking for Product Key

kaelton07 · 25 Aug 2015

I was going to install Windows 10 via the Media Creation Tool but I chose the second option, 'Create installation media for another PC' thinking it could be helpful in the future. I was able to successfully download it then tried installing it right after that.

There came the part where it was requesting for the Product Key, after searching how to skip this part, I learned that I first need to upgrade to windows 10 before I could perform a clean install. I went back clicking the Media Creation Tool then chose the first option, 'Upgrade this PC now'. I clicked the 'Get Windows 10' icon then it showed that download was already in progress. Here is what I did. I copied the folders: boot, efi, sources, support. I went to the $WindowsBT folder and pasted all of these replacing the first 3 folders on that location.

I am thinking if there is anyway I would no longer need to download again and just use the files that I have downloaded in my USB to upgrade my PC.

Rudy Mas · 25 Aug 2015

kaelton07 said:

I was going to install Windows 10 via the Media Creation Tool but I chose the second option, 'Create installation media for another PC' thinking it could be helpful in the future. I was able to successfully download it then tried installing it right after that.

There came the part where it was requesting for the Product Key, after searching how to skip this part, I learned that I first need to upgrade to windows 10 before I could perform a clean install. I went back clicking the Media Creation Tool then chose the first option, 'Upgrade this PC now'. I clicked the 'Get Windows 10' icon then it showed that download was already in progress. Here is what I did. I copied the folders: boot, efi, sources, support. I went to the $WindowsBT folder and pasted all of these replacing the first 3 folders on that location.

I am thinking if there is anyway I would no longer need to download again and just use the files that I have downloaded in my USB to upgrade my PC.

You can just run the Setup on the USB from within your Windows version. This will do an upgrade install and activate your Windows 10. (Did it like this on all my systems, because downloading took too long through the Windows Upgrade Program. :))

Kyhi · 25 Aug 2015

since you have already created media for another PC
just run setup.exe from that media to upgrade your current PC

bobkn · 25 Aug 2015

If you were performing an upgrade, you should not have been asked for a product key.

That's assuming that you go the correct version of Windows 10. If you have Win 8.1 Home but downloaded 10 Pro, you'd be asked for a key. (Which you don't have.)

For the free upgrade, home must go to home.

99taws6 · 25 Aug 2015

bobkn said:

If you were performing an upgrade, you should not have been asked for a product key.

That's assuming that you go the correct version of Windows 10. If you have Win 8.1 Home but downloaded 10 Pro, you'd be asked for a key. (Which you don't have.)

For the free upgrade, home must go to home.

I would assume that is the problem as well. You have selected the wrong install media

kaelton07 · 26 Aug 2015

This is stated in Microsoft's software download page. Did any of you do this while upgrading via created media?
'IMPORTANT: To upgrade for free, select Upgrade this PC now in the tool. You should NOT be asked for a product key during the upgrade process. If you create a USB and use it to install, make sure to remove the USB as soon as setup begins. If you don't, you may be prompted for a product key. If this happens, remove the USB and restart your PC to continue with setup.'

I did remove the USB after the setup loads up to 100%. Still unsuccessful though. After removing the USB and choosing the 'Download and Install updates' option, it will say 'Checking your PC'. Then it would say that I need to restart my PC. After restarting, nothing continues.

Btw, I am pretty sure I downloaded the correct Windows 10 for my PC.

NavyLCDR · 26 Aug 2015

kaelton07 said:

This is stated in Microsoft's software download page. Did any of you do this while upgrading via created media?

Nope. I just stuck the USB stick in and ran setup.exe and let it do it's thing until I was all started up in Windows 10. Then after checking activation I booted from the USB stick and wiped out everything for a clean install.

Night Hawk · 27 Aug 2015

kaelton07 said:

I was going to install Windows 10 via the Media Creation Tool but I chose the second option, 'Create installation media for another PC' thinking it could be helpful in the future. I was able to successfully download it then tried installing it right after that.

There came the part where it was requesting for the Product Key, after searching how to skip this part, I learned that I first need to upgrade to windows 10 before I could perform a clean install. I went back clicking the Media Creation Tool then chose the first option, 'Upgrade this PC now'. I clicked the 'Get Windows 10' icon then it showed that download was already in progress. Here is what I did. I copied the folders: boot, efi, sources, support. I went to the $WindowsBT folder and pasted all of these replacing the first 3 folders on that location.

I am thinking if there is anyway I would no longer need to download again and just use the files that I have downloaded in my USB to upgrade my PC.

Here I looked for the option to download the "Windows.iso" for 10 Pro in both flavors as well as the combination 32bit/64bit downloads where the combo needs to go onto an 8 or 16gb size flash drive not able to be burned to a blank dvd. Since the first I went back and forth not only seeing the flash drive Installation key made for the complete setup to insure all files were present but also grabbed the two flavors for the Home edition which were used to upgrade a 7 Home Premium laptop by dvd there however not having a boot device menu option.

NavyLCDR said:

Nope. I just stuck the USB stick in and ran setup.exe and let it do it's thing until I was all started up in Windows 10. Then after checking activation I booted from the USB stick and wiped out everything for a clean install.

And you found that 10 was activated once again upon arriving at the desktop I assume! :) Some haven't been as fortunate from what I have been hearing lately. But at least you were able to dump the upgrade immediately and haven't run into any big problems?

I simply left the flash drive plugged in on the second as well as first desktop clicking on the "skip" link when the enter product key now screen came up and continued on. But two out of the three upgrades saw problems one being I left additional storage drives plugged in on the original multiple failed attempts to upgrade over a temp install of 7 on a second OS drive for the dual boot now in good working order as well as on the laptop while things went good for the second custom case.

This is where some problems can come up fast! Due to the failed attempts and once the storage drives were unplugged and later even removed entirely the first upgrade was a mess while it still saw activation while the upgrade over the upgrade repair install failed to activate afterwards but ran smooth during the first full week. The clean install that followed activated on the spot! That solved the inability plus need for newer versions of softwares to be able to go on properly.

The 3rd being the laptop ran into a missing Start button and blank screen when entering Start>Settings as well as not being able to get into the Apps. Since the 32bit was being replaced by the 64bit there the 32bit clean install to follow was immediately replaced by the 64bit clean install. The 32bit dvd was simply swapped out for the 64bit disk in between the two clean installs. What was the interesting part seen on the first system was running the installer from the "$Windows~WS" not BT folder seen with the 64bit 10 Pro. The BT was simply packed with language packs while the "C:\WS\Sources\Windows\sources" sub folder had all the goods including the "install.esd" which can turned into a bootable iso file. ESD to ISO - Create Bootable ISO from Windows 10 ESD File - Windows 10 Forums