Can I activate after clean install when using W10 upgrade ISO?

I am in the process of updating my desktop to W10 from W7. I have installed W10, but it will not activate.

Here are the steps I have taken.

I downloaded the W10 ISO using the Media Creation Tool after entering my W7 license key. I did this about a year ago after seeing the CNET article. I burned the ISO to a DVD. It is version 1909.
I added new drives to my system for new installs. My old W7 drive is currently disconnected.
I did a clean install of W7, then a clean install of W10 in separate partitions, using a local account only. I have not activated either install.

From what I am reading, I should have a digital license, but Windows says it can not find one. I just went through a dialog where I entered my MS One Drive account logon info, and it said there is no digital license. I can't recall using this MS account when downloading the W10 ISO, I don't normally use it. It sounds the the digital license would normally be stored on a Microsoft server associated to my MS account.

I know that some hidden folders were created on my old W7 partition when I did the ISO download. Would they contain the digital license?
If I had installed W10 with my MS account, would that have made a difference.

Before submitting this post (I am posting from a Mac), I went back to my desktop to check a few things.
- I woke up my W10, and it wanted me to log on to my MS account and forced me to create a PIN. I hate it when they do that. I was able to switch back to my local account.
- I activated my new W7 install. (I just realized that might cause me grief if I now need to go back to my old W7 on my old drive)
- I rebooted back to W10, and retried the activation, this time noting the error code. It is 0xC004F213.
- I went back to W7, and tried the Media Creation Tool to download. I notice this time it does NOT have an option to upgrade using a W7 product key.

Should I have a valid license key somewhere, and how can I find it?
Any insights are appreciated.
Thanks.

A license is generated on Microsoft servers when Windows 7, 8 or 8.1 are upgraded to Windows 10.
Once a license is on the servers you can clean install Windows 10.

There are additional methods that can be used to upgrade to Windows 10:

Clean Install Windows 10 Directly without having to Upgrade First
Upgrade to Windows 10
Windows 10 - Test & Try with No Risk, No Install - Windows 7 Help Forums
Upgrade to Windows 10 from Windows 7 for Free

An additional option may be to use Belarc advisor on Windows 7 Products: Belarc Advisor > enter the product ID when clean installing Windows 10

Thanks!

I used the first option you listed, Clean Install Windows 10 Directly without having to Upgrade First

I got the gatherosstate.exe from the install CD that I burned, and ran it from my old W7 desktop.
I copied the genuineticket.xml into the Windows 10 folder while running W7.
After booting Windows 10, my old activation error was still showing on the Activation page under settings. I clicked on the troubleshooter, and it activated Windows for me.

Thanks again, I will mark this thread solved.

That's great news.

You're welcome