Steps for free Win10

Yesterday I was tasked to get a Win7 Upgraded to Win10, will not properly take Win11. The computer had come from an office where it was on an internal Network. After trying the Win10 Upgrade from the downloaded MCT I got 3 days ago it ran into a major Registry error due to invalid file paths, a diagnostic showed 6 different printers installed but not properly uninstalled. Rather than clean the Registry, which may have had other problems and would consume major time, I opted to use an OEM disc [name-branded and OEM Activated], not connected to the Internet, and got Win7 installed and was activated then installed SP1 which is required for getting Win10. Then using a USB with Win10 on it created by the MCT I installed and when finished it was Activated [no Product Key needed, no money spent], had Win10 Version 21H2 Build 19044.1288. It is now doing more updating, should get to Build 19044.2075. And it was done with a Local Account with Admin rights.

Berton said:

Yesterday I was tasked to get a Win7 Upgraded to Win10, will not properly take Win11. The computer had come from an office where it was on an internal Network. After trying the Win10 Upgrade from the downloaded MCT I got 3 days ago it ran into a major Registry error due to invalid file paths, a diagnostic showed 6 different printers installed but not properly uninstalled. Rather than clean the Registry which may have had other problems and would consume major time I opted to use an OEM disc [name-branded and OEM Activated] and got Win7 installed and was activated then installed SP1 which is required for getting Win10. Then using a USB with Win10 on it created by the MCT I installed and when finished it was Activated [no Product Key needed, no money spent] had Win10 Version 21H2 Build 19044.1288. It is now doing more updating, should get to Build 19044.2075. And it was done with a Local Account with Admin rights.

Yep - using iso/usb to upgrade Windows 7 still works even from an oem installation. With workarounds, you can even get to W11 if device is not W11 compatible.

RickC said:

Or just export the Windows 7 activation and import it into a clean Windows 10 install.

See Brink's Clean Install Windows 10 Directly without having to Upgrade First tutorial. I've used this loads of times and it has always worked perfectly.

Hope this helps...

I would have done that if it weren't for having been on a secure network and not properly disconnected from it.

RickC said:

Or just export the Windows 7 activation and import it into a clean Windows 10 install.

That's also the way I would have done it using GatherOSState.

• This technique ONLY works if the OS that you are currently running is ACTIVATED, otherwise the GenuineTicket.xml file will NOT be generated.
• This technique ONLY works on the SAME PC that the GenuineTicket.xml file was created on.
• You will need to Copy the GenuineTicket.xml file to an EXTERNAL HDD/USB in order to be able to use it later on to Re-Activate the OS after a Clean Install.
• AFTER the Clean Install, Copy the GenuineTicket.xml file to . . .
  
  > %ProgramData%/Microsoft/Windows/ClipSVC/GenuineTicket/.

I hope this helps.