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Monday, 17 August 2015 17:30

Free Upgrade to Windows 10 - The Rules

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Update

You can use the Windows Accessibility route. Search www.howtogeek.com for instructions

 

Computer Scenario 1

  • When you upgrade to win 10 over a  “daz” special Windows 7, you get a new win 10 key.
  • When I tried the same key on a completely new unit, it accepted it  , but would not activate.
  • When I did an upgrade  on a second laptop it activated ok and gave me the same key as the first .
  • When I wiped the second laptop completely and did a fresh install from the ground up  using the same key …the mofo activated fine…

Conclusion

So it would appear the key that is administered is the same across the board for the free upgrade (possible Win10 Pro and Win10 Home are different).

The license for the Free Upgrade is directly linked to the hardware, thus enabling you to activate throughout the lifespan of the PC ( assuming no major hardware changes take place) and it has been activated at least once throught the Free Upgrade process.

Computer Scenario 2

  • When you install win7 or win8 with no key, Win10 will ask for a key to be entered at the start of install. This was pretty much expected.
  • So your current version of windows must have a key and be activated to upgrade to Win10 with the Free Upgrade method.
  • When I upgraded 2 acer laptops that had daz loader installed I was given a Win10 pro key ending....3v66t.
  • I have just installed for a third time onto another completely different PC using a genuine Win7 Pro licence, It has also issued the same key ending ...3v66t.
  • Now I have wiped this 3rd PC and done a flat install of Win10 Pro using the same license issued on all 3 units. It installed and activated quite happily, so it would seem the same key is being used for everyone who upgrades ..
  • However if you try to use this key for a flat install on a system that has never been activated / upgraded.....It will not work.

Conclusion

The free license key will work for a flat install as long as the unit has been upgraded to Win10 at some point in its life, looking like the hardware Id is linked to the activation. This also assumes you are using the correcct key for Win10 Pro/Home.

Notes

  • The upgrade makes a windows.old folder upon upgrade and keeps it for 30 days just incase you want to roll back
  • Not all Windows 7 Machines will give you an activated Windows 10. I think it can depend on the source of the previous windows.

1511 version

  • you can now do a fresh install witout upgrading first to get a free winows license within the following rules
    • windows 10 will read the product key straight out of the bios and use that to install the relevant windows 10 version automatically. You are not prompted for the serial or which version you wnat to install. (this assumes you are using the x86/x64 combined disk)
    • you can now use any qualifying product key to do a fresh install without upgrading first
    • BIOS hacked windows 7 install now no longer will qualify for a free upgrade
    • you can use the Nirsoft utility (firmwaretablesview) to  read the serial out of a bios.

Windows 10 Default Product Keys for Free Upgrade

  • Windows 10 Home  --  YTMG3-N6DKC-DKB77-7M9GH-8HVX7
  • Windows 10 Pro  --  VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T

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Read 1419 times Last modified on Thursday, 19 January 2017 21:03
Published in Windows 10
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