Re-Installing W10

Hi,

HP desktop.
I upgraded from W7 Pro to W10 Pro.
I do not have W7 product key.
I would like to fresh install W10 Pro because my PC has so much junk.
I will use a W10 ISO file downloaded from the web.

Will I be asked for a key when re-installing W10.....?

Thank you,
-BBDS

boyboyds said:

Will I be asked for a key when re-installing W10.....?

Thank you,
-BBDS

EdTittel said:

If you don't have this, you'll need to grab a utility like ShowKeyPlus (a sterling effort from our own SuperFly) and use it to record your original Windows 7 product key. You should still be able to activate (sinceyou've done so already) but may need to talk it through with Microsoft Support if subsequent automated activation efforts fail.
HTH,
--Ed--

While it is a good idea to record the Windows 7 Product Key, it should not be needed for the Windows 10 re-install of the same version onto the same computer (motherboard). All upgrades from Windows 7/8 had the digital license stored on Microsoft activation servers based upon the unique ID of the hardware (motherboard). Linking the digital license to a Microsoft account was a feature added later by Microsoft.

The new install will ask for a product key. The OP can skip it, regardless of if the digital license is linked to a Microsoft account or not. When connected to the internet, Windows 10 will send the unique ID of the computer to Microsoft and their server should match it to the digital license stored and activate Windows 10 automatically.

The only time the digital license is required to be retrieved from the Microsoft account is if the hardware has been significantly changed (motherboard replaced) such that the unique hardware ID of the computer changes.

I assume ShowKeyPlus is free.
If so, it is probably a good idea to record W7 key first, just in case.

This PC was originally built with Vista installed and I have Vista key attached to the box.
But when I turned it on it had W7 Pro installed.
This PC has a decent spec (HP Slimline s3650f) and the original owners probably decided to upgrade it to W7.

Do you see any additional challenges here for re-installing W10 ......?

Thanks,
-BBDS

If your desktop came with Vista and was upgraded to Windows 7, you will not be able to retrieve your Windows 7 key. I'm afraid that key is gone. Computers that came with Windows 7 and before do not store the key in the BIOS.

As EdTittel and NavyLCDR said, you will still be able to clean instill. It will automatically activate one you go on the internet

EdTittel said:

If you've got a digital entitlement and have registered same online with a Microsoft account, you'll see something like this in the Activation windows from Settings:

If that's the case, you can perform a clean install on Windows 10 on your PC and it should automatically activate upon completion

If you have not registered the digital entitlement with a Microsoft account it should just say 'Windows is activated with a digital Licence'. In this case the licence is tied to the hardware of your PC. Again, you can do a clean install and it will activate automatically. For the purposes of activation, 'hardware' does not include the hard drive, so you can change this and still get activated.

W10 fresh installation worked without any issues, no key were required.


Thank you for your help,
-BBDS