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#250
Glad it could help JazzSus. :)
I understand the process using genuineticket.xml to do a clean install of W10 on a system that has an activated W7 or W8. My question deals with a new system and using a W7 or W8 key that HAS NOT been activated
on any system and using it to activate W10.
From what it looks like on my new system I would have to install and activate W7 or W8 first and then use that key to clean install W10.
Am I reading this correctly?
Jim
The latest download of Windows 10 - build 10586 - will allow you to manually enter a Windows 7/8/8.1 key to activate it, presuming that you have a matching Windows 10 version (Pro, Home, N, Single Language, etc.) for the Windows 7/8/8.1 product key you are using.
In the event that the product key has been blocked from online activation by Microsoft - then you will have to install Windows 7/8/8.1 first, activate over the phone, then you can activate Windows 10 either by entering the product key manually, or with the genuineticket.xml file method. The latest build 10586 will also read Windows 8 product keys in the computer bios and use that for activation.
On a brand new system you buy retail and not a custom build the key is already in a soft of pre-activated status awaiting the intial setup to the serial number. make and model board, etc. stored on an eprom chip on the board itself. The OEM key should see activation on the spot for the previous version and then 10 on the spot simply from being run on the exact same hardwares.
If you had to swap failed hardwares out or simply went to upgrade the hardwares on a custom build that was running 7, 8, or 8.1 and put 10 on fresh you would then need to call into MS to get the key transferred over to the new hardware. From then 10 can see endless reinstalls if needed over time. Yet for swapping out 4gb of Mushkin Enhanced for 8gb of Kingston Hyper-X "Fury" memory that went without a hitch on the now nearly 3yr. old 7 Pro case that saw 10 go and ended up as a dual boot between Insider Preview builds and 7 there. Yet 5yrs. back when the main was new and the memory had to be swapped out that change was too soon.
The hardware change in each example would be considered a new pc and why the call has to be made. With the OEM hardwares unchanged however the key is valid for 10 once you have the original preinstalled copy of Windows up and running long enough for that to complete it's own cycle which connects to the manufacturer initially to check for updates and likely the MS servers at the same time. You will want to see a full system image backup of the OEM copy of Windows and original software packages however while that is still under warranty to restored if possible in the event it has to be shipped back for repair or replacement.
Someone else was asking about using a 7 OEM for System Builders type key that was never activated on any system where I pointed him this way. I had to explain that he would first need to see 7 activated as that was just put on before he could use the key on 10 for a clean install. He was worried that if he upgraded first and then went to install a fresh of 10 the key would no longer be any good.
Well, first or all, thanks @Brink for this always useful tutorials, more than one of them saved my life (Like using audit mode, exporting power plans, using diskpart, and many, maaaany others).
For extra information, and based on my experience, some OEM systems may experiment issues while trying the gaterosstate.exe method (mainly, that the key is invalid), so here some points to consider if you try this method:
- Never, NEVER try this if you are using the OS in Audit Mode (for example, if you install Windows 7, go to audit mode to recover an old activation or, if you are an OEM and use Audit Mode to install a certificate and your OEM:SLP key). If you try this in Audit Mode, the genuineticket.xml file will not get correct information, therefore, Windows 10 won't activate.
- If you happen to try to activate Windows 10 in Audit Mode using this method, you have a 50% chance it won't activate, giving an error about not baing able to call because the origin is incorrect or something like that. If you get a similar error, do whatever you need to do in Audit Mode, exit and start OOBE install, in your "final" user, try this method.
- If you have just installed your "upgradable OS" (EX: Windows 7), make sure you remove ALL instalation media (USB, DVD) before atempting this, if you don't, gaterosstate.exe will fail and the generated xml file won't help on activating Windows 10 afterwards.
- If any of those recomendations result on Windows 10 not activating, probably is because you are either dual booting or your OEM has some sort of issues regarding the OEM:SLP key your system was instaled with. If this is your case, you will have to do a full upgrade from your current OS, gaterosstate.exe seems to fail outside the upgrade enviornment in this kind of situations.
- In this last, I would recomend backing up all your documents and stuff on an external drive or media, and then, upgrade to 10, but select that you don't want to preserve anything, this one, in my experience is the best choice since it keeps your windows.old folder, but at the same time, acts almost like a clean install, avoiding many issues you normaly face when you upgrade an OS.
Ah... one more thing, this covers real systems... funny enough, gatherosstate method works almost instantly on Virtual Machine enviornments, even if you do dual boots on them... I suspect that this is because Windows 10 can determine if it being run in a VM, therefore, none of this situations aply for it (I'm not an expert, though).
Again, thanks @Brink for this tutorial, fortunately, it worked wonders in a machine I upgraded today (mine was a bit... tricky, LOL Acer...)
Shawn I love you man
Hear's why
I have more than 10 win 7 machine to upgrade (I may have more} you saved me at least 2 days of work
regards