TH2 pulled, what is the best method to upgrade to 10?

NavyLCDR said:

This is what I would do:

1. Use this Media Creation Tool:
http://download.microsoft.com/downlo...eationTool.exe

to create a Windows 10 build 10586 USB.

2. Use Showkey Plus from this forum to detect installed Windows 7 product key and write it down.

3. Copy gatherosstate.exe from the sources folder of the USB to the desktop running Windows 7 on the HDD. Run it as administrator. Copy the resulting genuineticket.xml to a safe place - the same Windows 10 USB should be OK.

3. Install the SSD, remove the HDD, boot from the USB, clean install Windows 10 Pro to the USB. Skip entering the product key during install.

4. Attempt to activate Windows 10 with the Windows 7 Product Key.

5. If step #4 fails - copy the saved genuineticket.xml file to the proper folder on the SSD and reboot. That should activate Windows 10.

See here:
Clean Install Windows 10 Directly without having to Upgrade First - Windows 10 Forums

Thanks for the links. Although when I downloaded the media creation tool, I received an error message stating that this is not a valid Win32 application. Is this something Microsoft has done already in their removal process? Thanks for the links.

Fafhrd said:

Instead of:

3. Install the SSD, remove the HDD, boot from the USB, clean install Windows 10 Pro to the USB. Skip entering the product key during install.

If you have a retail key, or one from the COA sticker on the machine, you can try:

3. Install the SSD, remove the HDD, boot from the USB, clean install Windows 10 Pro to the USB. Enter the Windows 7 product key during install the first time when asked for a product key.

If the installation proceeds, the key has been accepted, and activation should be automatic. If not, skip, and try the other routes suggessted.

Yes, I have the Windows 7 Pro sticker on the bottom of the laptop. OK, I guess then I will make a bootable USB .ISO of W10 PRO and remove the HDD and install the SSD and see if it will accept my W7 PRO key during install. If the key doesn't take I will skip and try to activate it after W10 installs and see if it will take the key then. Thanks.

AntiMalware said:

About a week ago, I downloaded the ISO before it was pulled. I uploaded it to Google Drive. Here it is: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bwt...BoX2Q3RzA/view. You can download it, mount it, then run setup.exe

Appreciate the download link.

M4v3r1ck said:

Just asked what the install screen was about. But if I offended you I apologize, this was never the intention at my side!

Cheers

Do not fret, it is a real iso.

heyyahblah said:

Thanks for the links. Although when I downloaded the media creation tool, I received an error message stating that this is not a valid Win32 application. Is this something Microsoft has done already in their removal process? Thanks for the links.



Yes, I have the Windows 7 Pro sticker on the bottom of the laptop. OK, I guess then I will make a bootable USB .ISO of W10 PRO and remove the HDD and install the SSD and see if it will accept my W7 PRO key during install. If the key doesn't take I will skip and try to activate it after W10 installs and see if it will take the key then. Thanks.



Appreciate the download link.

You are gladly welcome :). I hope the install went great.

Haha, haven't had the chance to install. Super busy next couple of days. I would like to have at least 3h to myself to install SSD and Windows and play around and customize. Not sure if I will get the time, hectic here for me lately. Have some car & home troubles that need to be dealt with asap before I can play around with software, unfortunately for me