A query regarding Win7 upgrade to Win10


  1. Posts : 120
    Win 10 Pro 64 bit
       #1

    A query regarding Win7 upgrade to Win10


    Thanks to reading the various messages on this excellent forum I've cleared up some initial queries. I'm one of those folk who availed of the free upgrade to Win10 Pro from Win7 Pro. Reassuredly I've read on here that doing a clean install of Win10 from a downloaded ISO (I'll be making a Win10 bootable USB) on the same machine won't be a problem because of the digital license which contains a digital footprint of my hardware (MB I presume). Hence no product key will be required.

    But I still have these questions

    1. Is the original Win7 Pro installation (I upgraded from) product key now still usable for an install on another device?

    2. If I sell my computer I assume the digital license travels with the computer since its' not tied to the owner or their microsoft account?

    Thanks
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 848
    Windows 10 LTSC
       #2

    1. Yes it is.

    2. The product key will travel together with the system if not linked with the email or microsoft account
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 13,895
    Win10 Version 22H2 Pro and Home, Win11 Pro and Home
       #3

    1. Probably not if it is the OEM version of Win7, tied to the computer it came with. The Retail/Upgrade version can be installed on a Replacement computer but not both at the same time.
      My Computers


  4. Posts : 120
    Win 10 Pro 64 bit
    Thread Starter
       #4

    Berton said:
    1. Probably not if it is the OEM version of Win7, tied to the computer it came with. The Retail/Upgrade version can be installed on a Replacement computer but not both at the same time.
    Oh it probably is.
    RoasterMen said:
    1. Yes it is.

    2. The product key will travel together with the system if not linked with the email or microsoft account
    I will certainly give it a try!

    How would I be able to check this?
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 18,424
    Windows 11 Pro
       #5

    RoasterMen said:
    1. Yes it is.
    Not legally unless it is a retail product key and the Windows is removed from the previous computer(s) it was installed on.
    @Gusgf,
    Nothing changes regarding the Windows 7 product key just because it was used to upgrade to Windows 10. All of the legal terms and conditions applying to that product key still apply. Unless you have a special license, one license (product key) for Windows = 1 legal installation of Windows at a time. You started with 1 license for Windows so that is what you are legally entitled to - 1 installed and activated copy of Windows. That can be Windows 7 or Windows 10 - not both (but you can switch between the two as much as you want). It can be moved from computer to computer, if it was a retail product key, but cannot be on two computers at the same time.

    In the case of selling the computer you have two choices:
    1. You can sell it with Windows installed on it. In that situation the buyer also buys your license for Windows with the computer and you cannot legally reuse that license after you sell it. If the Windows on that computer was from an OEM license, you MUST sell the license to Windows with the computer.

    2. If the Windows on that computer was from a retail license, then you can uninstall Windows and sell just the computer itself without a Windows license and you can retain your license for Windows to reuse on your own compute.

    Now, in situation #2 there will be a digital license for that computer stored on Microsoft activation servers. That is not your problem and there is nothing you can do about it. Once you physically remove the Windows installation from that computer you have met all of your obligations to reuse the retail license for Windows on a different computer.

    You can use showkey plus from this forum to find out what version a product key is for and if it is OEM or Retail.
    ShowKeyPlus
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 120
    Win 10 Pro 64 bit
    Thread Starter
       #6

    NavyLCDR said:
    Nothing changes regarding the Windows 7 product key just because it was used to upgrade to Windows 10. All of the legal terms and conditions applying to that product key still apply. Unless you have a special license, one license (product key) for Windows = 1 legal installation of Windows at a time. You started with 1 license for Windows so that is what you are legally entitled to - 1 installed and activated copy of Windows. That can be Windows 7 or Windows 10 - not both (but you can switch between the two as much as you want). It can be moved from computer to computer, if it was a retail product key, but cannot be on two computers at the same time.
    Okay so legally the Win7 product which was upgraded to Win10 is regarded as a single Windows license and can only exist on one machine at a time in the guise of Win7 or Win10.

    NavyLCDR said:
    In the case of selling the computer you have two choices:
    1. You can sell it with Windows installed on it. In that situation the buyer also buys your license for Windows with the computer and you cannot legally reuse that license after you sell it. If the Windows on that computer was from an OEM license, you MUST sell the license to Windows with the computer.
    Okay wasn't aware of this legality or hadn't considered it.
    NavyLCDR said:
    You can use showkey plus from this forum to find out what version a product key is for and if it is OEM or Retail.
    ShowKeyPlus
    Great, will give that a try :)

    Thanks for the knowledge.
      My Computer


 

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