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bbarry
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 Posted: Sun Jun 14, 2020 9:20 pm |
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Joined: Fri Nov 30, 2012 12:47 am
Posts: 2431
Location: North Central Arkansas
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I have an older computer currently running Win 7 Ultimate. This version of Windows was actually an upgrade from XP which was an upgrade from Vista, as best I recall. So I am not sure when was the last time I purchased a full retail version of the OS versus an OS upgrade.
The DVD installation disk for my upgrade to Win 7 Ultimate is clearly marked 'Upgrade'. So my question is.....can I use the product key for this Win 7 Ultimate Upgrade to do a clean install of Win 10?
Thanks in advance.......
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jaylach
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Posted: Sun Jun 14, 2020 9:44 pm |
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| Resident Geekazoid Administrator |
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Joined: Wed Mar 21, 2012 5:09 am
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Location: The state of confusion; I just use Wyoming for mail.
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Possibly...
I have pretty recently experimented with this in a virtual machine by doing a clean install of Windows 10 refusing to enter a key code during the install. After the install I went to activate and entered a Windows 7 key code and it worked well.
In my case I entered a full retail Windows key code. I don't know if it will work the same with an upgrade to Windows 7 key code but would be a bit surprised if it did not.
Considering that you are talking about an XP system upgraded to Vista to 7 (the actual correct order) I have serious doubts that the system hardware would be compatible with Windows 10. Please do a search and see if there are Windows 10 device drivers available. Even if Windows 10 device drivers are available I would strongly suggest doing a current image backup and bootable recovery media first to be able to restore if needed.
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sboots
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Posted: Sun Jun 14, 2020 9:47 pm |
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Joined: Tue Apr 10, 2012 9:48 pm
Posts: 2957
Location: New Jersey
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_________________ stephen boots Microsoft MVP 2004 - 2020 "Life's always an adventure with computers!"
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jaylach
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Posted: Sun Jun 14, 2020 9:51 pm |
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Joined: Wed Mar 21, 2012 5:09 am
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Location: The state of confusion; I just use Wyoming for mail.
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sboots wrote: I agree Steve. I just don't know for sure if an upgrade Windows 7 key code will work the same as a full retail code. I would suspect that it will. Let's face it. Microsoft wants all systems on Windows 10. If that were not the case even a full retail code would not work.
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bbarry
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Posted: Sun Jun 14, 2020 9:56 pm |
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Joined: Fri Nov 30, 2012 12:47 am
Posts: 2431
Location: North Central Arkansas
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@ Jay & Steve - Thanks for your prompt replies.
Jay - It is old hardware and may not be worth the effort to try and install Win 10.
Steve - My perceived problem is that I don't really have a retail version product key....everything has been an upgrade from the previous OS.
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sboots
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Posted: Mon Jun 15, 2020 11:09 am |
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Joined: Tue Apr 10, 2012 9:48 pm
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Location: New Jersey
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Yes, I understood that you only have the upgrade key, but I agree with Jay that since Microsoft wants everyone on Windows 10 a clean install with an upgrade key should work. However, the caveat is that we don't know for sure. If you decide to take the plunge, I would recommend doing a complete image backup of the system before starting so you can recover if it fails and you want to keep the machine...
_________________ stephen boots Microsoft MVP 2004 - 2020 "Life's always an adventure with computers!"
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bbarry
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Posted: Mon Jun 15, 2020 11:27 am |
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Joined: Fri Nov 30, 2012 12:47 am
Posts: 2431
Location: North Central Arkansas
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I have decided instead to upgrade the Dell computer running Win 7 that my sister recently gave me. It is only 4 years old, whereas my other 'old' computer is 14-15 years old. I'm thinking the Smithsonian may be interested in my old computer...it is so old that it has a Pentium processor, lol.
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jaylach
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Posted: Mon Jun 15, 2020 1:48 pm |
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Joined: Wed Mar 21, 2012 5:09 am
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Location: The state of confusion; I just use Wyoming for mail.
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I'm pretty certain that the Pentium system would have failed. While the 4 year old system will most likely work I'd still do an image.
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bbarry
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Posted: Mon Jun 15, 2020 2:15 pm |
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Joined: Fri Nov 30, 2012 12:47 am
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Location: North Central Arkansas
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jaylach
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Posted: Mon Jun 15, 2020 5:03 pm |
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Joined: Wed Mar 21, 2012 5:09 am
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Location: The state of confusion; I just use Wyoming for mail.
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bbarry
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Posted: Mon Jun 15, 2020 5:23 pm |
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Joined: Fri Nov 30, 2012 12:47 am
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Location: North Central Arkansas
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jay, as I just stated in a related posting, I did create an install DVD years ago (probably with your help). But don't I want to do that again now so that I am installing a current version of Windows 10?
I think I can again use the Media Creation Tool....if not, I know where to go to for help, lol.
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jaylach
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Posted: Mon Jun 15, 2020 6:17 pm |
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Joined: Wed Mar 21, 2012 5:09 am
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bbarry wrote: jay, as I just stated in a related posting, I did create an install DVD years ago (probably with your help). But don't I want to do that again now so that I am installing a current version of Windows 10?
I think I can again use the Media Creation Tool....if not, I know where to go to for help, lol. Yes, you would use the current media creation tool to build the most recent version build, 2004, but remember that there are some issues with 2004 on some systems. If there are issues I can put an ISO of version 1903 on my hosting that you could then download and burn. I don't know how much you have worked with ISO files so here is how. You don't just directly burn the ISO to a DVD. You right click the ISO file in File Explorer and select to 'burn disk image'. An ISO file is sort like a ZIP file but for a whole disk. It has to be processed to extract individual files/folders. Actually we have a good utility called Microburner 4 on our download page for building and burning ISO files at: https://computerhaven.com/downloads.htmlIt is ancient but still excellent. Still, if just needing to burn an ISO, not build, the 'burn disk image' function in File Explorer is just fine. Sorry if this is all aready known but figured I'd throw it in.
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bbarry
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Posted: Mon Jun 15, 2020 7:50 pm |
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Joined: Fri Nov 30, 2012 12:47 am
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Location: North Central Arkansas
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Jay, at my age it never hurts for you to throw stuff in that I might have forgotten how to do. So thanks.....
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jaylach
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Posted: Mon Jun 15, 2020 8:00 pm |
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Joined: Wed Mar 21, 2012 5:09 am
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YW 
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bbarry
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Posted: Wed Jun 17, 2020 9:08 pm |
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Joined: Fri Nov 30, 2012 12:47 am
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Location: North Central Arkansas
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Well shucks! And darn shucks!  I used use the Media Creation Tool to generate the ISO file for Win 10, version 2004. Then I used File Explorer (right click) to burn this ISO to a DVD. Everything went well. My first problem is that I can't boot from the DVD drive. My second problem is that I can't get into the bios to modify the boot sequence. Nor can I even get into the boot menu. Supposedly, F2 gets me into the bios, and F12 gets me to the boot menu. But neither works. The computer is a Dell Inspiron 3847, and their community help site suggests that my problem may be caused by the fact that Fast Boot is enabled. The site suggested that I disable Fast Boot using the power button menu method (hold power button for 3 seconds and then press the F3 key). But I can't seem to get that to work either....the system just keeps booting into the old Win 7. Any suggestions for getting into bios? I assume I must boot from the DVD I just created, or is there another way to use this DVD to do a clean install? Thanks in advance.......
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bbarry
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Posted: Wed Jun 17, 2020 9:28 pm |
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Joined: Fri Nov 30, 2012 12:47 am
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Location: North Central Arkansas
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Life is good! I figured out my boot problem. Operator error. I wasn't accustomed to this keyboard, and I wasn't actually invoking the Function keys properly. Sorry for the alarm. Now hopefully I can do my clean install.
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bbarry
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Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2020 6:10 pm |
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Joined: Fri Nov 30, 2012 12:47 am
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Location: North Central Arkansas
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Jay, thanks to you and your excellent directions, the clean install went very well after I learned how to use my old Microsoft keyboard. And thus far I did not need a product key....I guess it accepted the one associated with the Win 7 that I was replacing.
However, two strange things happened:
(1) I was forced to enter a PIN.....there was just no other way to advance in the installation. Thankfully I do know how to bypass a PIN or any password logon.
(2) I was suddenly presented with a background slideshow......the VERY ONE that I use on my primary Win 10 computer. And I'm not sure why that happened....I didn't signup for One Drive or any Cloud storage, and I didn't do any syncing between devices. I did connect to my home network that all my computers and cameras utilize, so maybe that's why. But it's never happened before. Strange, since none of the 110 photos in my slideshow reside on this new computer.
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jaylach
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Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2020 6:31 pm |
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Joined: Wed Mar 21, 2012 5:09 am
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Location: The state of confusion; I just use Wyoming for mail.
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As to the slide show you probably installed with a Microsoft account instead of a local account. This would automatically sync such settings as the slide show background. Don't really know about the mandatory pin entry as I have never used such a log-on. Nor have I done a clean install of Windows 10 version 2004. My guess would be that the pin input is the default. There was probably a link on the install screen to use a different method but Microsoft has gotten in the habit of making such options very small links while the wanted default stands out. This makes other options often hard to notice unless you really look. Good job on getting it going. I would suggest that you go to Settings->Updates & Security->Activation and make sure that the system is actually activated. If the above path I gave to activation status shows as activated via a digital license then I would have to assume that the system was, at one time, upgraded to Windows 10 and then reverted back to Windows 7. Also remember that Microsoft has a trial period before getting persistent about activation. Actually, from what I've read, you never have to actually activate Windows 10 for it to continue to operate properly. Supposedly there are just some appearance settings that won't work without using a trick or two.
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bbarry
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Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2020 9:18 pm |
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Joined: Fri Nov 30, 2012 12:47 am
Posts: 2431
Location: North Central Arkansas
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jaylach wrote: As to the slide show you probably installed with a Microsoft account instead of a local account. This would automatically sync such settings as the slide show background. OK, I didn't know that. And sure enough the installation was via my Microsoft account, as I never saw that I had a choice. But now I will switch to a local account.Don't really know about the mandatory pin entry as I have never used such a log-on. Nor have I done a clean install of Windows 10 version 2004. My guess would be that the pin input is the default. There was probably a link on the install screen to use a different method but Microsoft has gotten in the habit of making such options very small links while the wanted default stands out. This makes other options often hard to notice unless you really look. I reached a screen requesting a PIN, and there was no way going forward (that I could see) without entering a PIN. But now I will be deleting the PIN.Good job on getting it going. TYVM. And thank you for all your help and advice.I would suggest that you go to Settings->Updates & Security->Activation and make sure that the system is actually activated. If the above path I gave to activation status shows as activated via a digital license then I would have to assume that the system was, at one time, upgraded to Windows 10 and then reverted back to Windows 7. Also remember that Microsoft has a trial period before getting persistent about activation. Actually, from what I've read, you never have to actually activate Windows 10 for it to continue to operate properly. Supposedly there are just some appearance settings that won't work without using a trick or two. Went there and it said "Windows is activated with a digital license linked to your Microsoft account". So it looks like I might be OK, but I will keep a watch out. When my sister bought this computer 4 years OK, she specifically requested a Win 7 installation. Now either Dell or Best Buy might have taken a Win 10 computer and reverted it to Win 7.....I just don't know.
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dvair
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Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2020 10:18 pm |
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Joined: Sun Apr 15, 2012 2:39 am
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Location: Johnstown, NY
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The only way to install using a local account instead of a Microsoft account is to have no Internet connection at the time of install.
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bbarry
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Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2020 11:00 pm |
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Joined: Fri Nov 30, 2012 12:47 am
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Location: North Central Arkansas
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Oh, I did not know that......thanks, David. I did know that I appeared to have no choice during my clean install.
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