Valid Win7 Product Key not accepted by Win 10 upgrade

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  1. Posts : 18,428
    Windows 11 Pro
       #11

    I think there is probably something going wrong with the upgrade that won't allow Windows 10 to activate once it is upgraded if it is even asking for a key... but, you can try this:
    Install Windows 8.1 without a Product Key | PCsteps.com

    It would be a very interesting survey to know how many people who have activation problems after upgrade were asked for a key during the upgrade and how many weren't. I've upgraded 7 computers via all the options available and have not had a single one even ask for a key to be entered and all of mine have activated with no problems. I am willing to bet that if the upgrade is even asking for a key there will be activation problems after the upgrade - if the upgrade was started from within the old operating system and not from a DVD or USB that was used to boot with.
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 15,035
    Windows 10 IoT
       #12

    I did all my upgrades via the Media Creation Tool's "Upgrade this PC now" option. Wasn't prompted for a key. One was windows 7 OEM and the others 8.1 Retail.
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 373
    Linux/W10
       #13

    alphanumeric said:
    I did all my upgrades via the Media Creation Tool's "Upgrade this PC now" option. Wasn't prompted for a key. One was windows 7 OEM and the others 8.1 Retail.
    Me too. Worked flawlessly. Both 8.1
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 12
    Windows 10
    Thread Starter
       #14

    ram1220 said:
    I am having the same problem upgrading a friend's Win 7 PC. He has the same Win 7 version that I had. I used the same thumb drive on my computer to upgrade my PC to Win 10. No problems there. My friend's upgrade gets to the same screen asking for a activation number. There is no skip option available. I posted this to let the OP know he is not alone with this problem. If anyone has a fix please let us know.
    Thanks, nice to know it is not just my friend's pc that has the issue!
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 12
    Windows 10
    Thread Starter
       #15

    Mystere said:
    Are you booting from the media? Or are you running setup.exe from the mounted ISO?

    Can you tell us what you are doing in EXACT detail? Don't be vague, describe each step you take exactly.
    Hi,

    I did not realise I had been at all vague, my apologies.

    Unfortunately my neighbour now has his laptop back as I got nowhere. I have suggested he wait until the windows 10 upgrade system makes it available through windows update (it is in the queue).

    As stated, I have tried running from the media created by the media creation tool to a USB (this is what I used to successfully upgrade my laptop and surface Pro). I have also run the media creation tool and opted for it to upgrade directly rather than save the files.

    The operating system is Win7 Home premium OEM version. The key is valid and I re-validated it to be sure with the MS online actvation system. The laptop is 64-bit.

    On each occasion it goes through the initial install steps and then gets to the screen where it asks for the product key.

    On this screen there is no skip option and as the product key is not accepted, the only option is to cancel the install.

    For some reason the upgrade seems to be taking a different path on this machine and does not give the skip option.

    Regards
    Mike
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 12
    Windows 10
    Thread Starter
       #16

    Torquemada said:
    Me too. Worked flawlessly. Both 8.1
    Worked flawlessly on both my 8.1 systems, but not my friends win7 system.
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 12
    Windows 10
    Thread Starter
       #17

    NavyLCDR said:
    I think there is probably something going wrong with the upgrade that won't allow Windows 10 to activate once it is upgraded if it is even asking for a key... but, you can try this:
    Install Windows 8.1 without a Product Key | PCsteps.com

    It would be a very interesting survey to know how many people who have activation problems after upgrade were asked for a key during the upgrade and how many weren't. I've upgraded 7 computers via all the options available and have not had a single one even ask for a key to be entered and all of mine have activated with no problems. I am willing to bet that if the upgrade is even asking for a key there will be activation problems after the upgrade - if the upgrade was started from within the old operating system and not from a DVD or USB that was used to boot with.
    Thanks, It is not getting that far. It asks for the product key very early on, before it attempts the install.

    Cheers,
    Mike
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 12
    Windows 10
    Thread Starter
       #18

    paulsalter said:
    this is a bit more fiddly, but I did this on one of my machines, it was 8.1 so not sure if 7 is exactly the same

    I copied the install.esd file from the windows.~bt folder that the update creates
    then followed these steps to create the ISO
    ESD to ISO - Create Bootable ISO from Windows 10 ESD File

    once that was created I ran the setup in it from inside windows
    it didn't prompt me for any key, not even a box for one, it just upgraded my machine to 10
    Thanks, I will try this when I next have the laptop.
    Cheers
    Mike
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 12
    Windows 10
    Thread Starter
       #19

    me75006 said:
    recheck to see what version of windows your neighbor is running, and make sure that you only use the correct Win 10 version.
    no 32 bit on a 64 bit machine
    no Home version on a Win7 Pro version
    etc.
    Thanks, This was correct.

    Regards
    Mike
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 15,035
    Windows 10 IoT
       #20

    As me75006 pointed out. If it's Windows 7 Home Premium, you don't want to be trying to upgrade to 10 Pro. Which is what it sounds like you might have ended up doing. You need the 10 Home ISO. If I read what you posted correctly, you upgraded your PC's to 10 Pro, and then tried to use the same install media on your neighbors PC. & Home premium, I believe, only qualifies for 10 Home via the free upgrade. The Upgrade this PC now option of the Media Creation Tool should have figured that out automatically so I'm not sure why that didn't work?
      My Computer


 

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