win7 to Windows 10 from USB. How do i get the product Key.

bjorch · 30 Oct 2015

Hello ten-forum.

After i installed my windows 10 from my USB, it ask about the product key.. i tried the product key under my laptop but that didn't work maybe because its a win7 key.
i tried a lot of those program/notepads vbs. things but those keys which came up didn't work.

When i type the key code under my laptop it makes the 0xc004f050 error..

And the "back to windows 7" doesn't show up in the recovery settings.

What should i do to get my windows 10 work without buying new license.

Lord Snow · 30 Oct 2015

You need to upgrade from windows 7 to windows 10 in order to make your key fit for Windows 10. You can reinstall windows 7 and then upgrade to Windows 10.
or you can join the insider program.

bjorch · 31 Oct 2015

Lord Snow said:

You need to upgrade from windows 7 to windows 10 in order to make your key fit for Windows 10. You can reinstall windows 7 and then upgrade to Windows 10.
or you can join the insider program.

Can i still use my Windows 7 key ? and how do i reinstall windows 7.

Night Hawk · 31 Oct 2015

Hello bjorch Welcome to the Ten Forums!

If you wiped the preinstalled 7 out entirely with a clean install of 10 you are in Hot Water for sure! If this was only an upgrade you may be able to revert back to 7 long enough to use the guide you would have been better off knowing about ahead of time. That can save on a lot of headaches like the one you are now seeing. How to Directly Clean Install Windows 10 without having to Upgrade First

As the guide there instructs you first would need to extract the "gatherosstate.exe" file from the 10 ISO you download and save to the drive first and then copy or drag that to the desktop once extracted to a folder if not to the desktop first for additional use. Once run as administator you paste the new xml file created from the OEM 7 pre-install into the correct folder location once 10 is on with a fresh clean install and then simply restart the laptop to have seen 10 activate. No Product Key required as you would simply click the "skip" option and proceed on when running into the enter product key screen!

Without the original 7 install inplace or having directly upgraded from 7 to 10 and seen the upgrade activated automatically having skipped the enter product key stage you would then be able to slap on a clean install of 10 and not have any worries! If you are upgrading at the moment simply DO NOT WORRY about any product key since this would be a direct upgrade where 10 will activate itself during the last stages of the upgrade install.

bjorch · 31 Oct 2015

Night Hawk said:

Hello bjorch Welcome to the Ten Forums!

If you wiped the preinstalled 7 out entirely with a clean install of 10 you are in Hot Water for sure! If this was only an upgrade you may be able to revert back to 7 long enough to use the guide you would have been better off knowing about ahead of time. That can save on a lot of headaches like the one you are now seeing. How to Directly Clean Install Windows 10 without having to Upgrade First

As the guide there instructs you first would need to extract the "gatherosstate.exe" file from the 10 ISO you download and save to the drive first and then copy or drag that to the desktop once extracted to a folder if not to the desktop first for additional use. Once run as administator you paste the new xml file created from the OEM 7 pre-install into the correct folder location once 10 is on with a fresh clean install and then simply restart the laptop to have seen 10 activate. No Product Key required as you would simply click the "skip" option and proceed on when running into the enter product key screen!

Without the original 7 install inplace or having directly upgraded from 7 to 10 and seen the upgrade activated automatically having skipped the enter product key stage you would then be able to slap on a clean install of 10 and not have any worries! If you are upgrading at the moment simply DO NOT WORRY about any product key since this would be a direct upgrade where 10 will activate itself during the last stages of the upgrade install.

Okay, is there a video that shows me how to do that. i don't understand English that good to follow a guide.

Night Hawk · 31 Oct 2015

The question is did you see an upgrade to 10 or simply dump the 7 install to see a fresh clean install of 10 go on? As for seeing 7 put back on as long as you can find out the OEM product key from either the attached sticker on the back or bottom of the machine or retrieve by way of a Product Key Recovery tool you can borrow any 7 media for the same edition and simply enter the key to see the fresh 7 install activated. From there you will need to see SP1 downloaded and installed unless the media used includes the service pack since 7 witn SP1 is a requirement.

Once 7 is back on fresh you then run the gatherosstate.exe while either extracted directly or copied to the desktop and right click first to select the "run as administrator" option. The tool will then scan the 7 installation and activation logs and produce the "GenuineTicket.xml" file you need. You put that in a safe place until 10 is back on clean again and then you will need to follow the steps which are easy to locate the correct place to put the xml file and then simply restart the machine. That will see 10 activate without any need to enter any key since it takes the previous 7 install's activation information and feeds that to the MS activation servers.

You can also opt to upgrade a clean install of 7 with SP1 directly until the upgrade is activated automatically and then put another clean install on usually to clean up a mess! when and if the upgrade comes out with new headaches! This is why the guide now seen makes things much easier if you happen to see it first. The other option of course is to buy 10 outright where you either download 10 or see a flash drive media shipped where you get the new product key with either option for the price however over simply getting the free upgrade.