Hi All
I own a new, never activated, Windows Home Premium 7, SP1 64bit, OEM System builder pack CD from 2012.
I plan to clean install Windows 10 Home on a new build using the product key from this CD.
Will the product key still work being 10 years old? Can I install Windows 10 directly from the USB, or do I need to first install Windows 7 from the CD, then upgrade to Windows 10?
Thanks
its wish washy free upgrades are no longer supported but there is mixed response some people say that its still possible you can only try i guess there is nothing stopping you and at worst you will just have to buy a key which can be sourced pretty cheap.
outside of this not sure really as its probably touch and go idk i haven't tried installed windows for free for 10 years or more and i am on the same install since back then but i got mine when the free upgrade was still active.
All other installs on other computers i have just bought a key because they are cheap anyway like price of lunch cheap.
An unused Windows 7 key will still activate Windows 10. Yes, you should install Windows 10 directly.
You will probably find that if you use your Win7 Home Premium key during setup it will be rejected. When asked for a key click 'I don't have one', then choose to install Windows 10 Home. This will install Windows with the generic Home key, but a generic key does not activate Windows.
10 Home will insist on you using a Microsoft account as your first account during the initial 'Out of Box Experience' (OoBE) on the first boot up after installing Windows. If you want to use a local account you must disconnect from the internet before running OoBE.
Windows 10 will have installed but not be activated. Now change the installed key to your W7 one (you need to be online for this). This time the W7 key will be accepted and Windows will be activated with a digital licence.
The one potential problem that I foresee is that this is an OEM key, not a retail key. I'll be honest and say that I don't know what effect this will have, but it's certainly worth a shot.
See here:
Windows 10 Activation Issue
Quote
