Clean Win10 install after upgrade. Any activation issues?

gizmo1990

gizmo1990

gizmo1990

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I'm about ready to upgrade a win7 pc to 10 after backing up everything. Hopefully it will go smoothly and I'll get away with activation being free with my win7 serial.

Given that all goes well, I'll be reinstalling the os as a fresh install soon after. I would guess that the activation this time is handled by win10 going online and checking my activation status via update against any code generated via my pcs parts? So basically I don't need to do anything else?

Can anyone confirm if this is the case or if there are any gotchas I might be missing? Basically, I don't want to screw anything by doing a clean install (deleting my old version and any codes ms is using to validate the software) after the update.

Any advice much appreciated.
 
Once you have upgraded to windows 10 make sure that it’s activated before doing a clean install.

If your using a Microsoft account then the license is linked to your account.
 
All installed ok. I presume it activated ok, it says under Activation: Windows is activated with a digital license.

Do I have to link my Microsoft account? I'm not bothered with syncing etc. If I now do a clean install of 10, how will my license be saved?
 
Microsoft will now recognise your pc and it will auto activate...no need to link to your ms account

Though I did do and then when I built new PC and signed in with ms account it activated and says its with a license linked to my account...wasnt expecting that.
 
Thanks for the replies everyone. I upgraded first because I wasn't sure which of the 3 win7 keys I have was associated to the pc. Like an idiot I forgot to write down which was which.:rolleyes:

So just to be clear, if I wipe my system drive and clean install, I won't get asked to enter a win7 activation key? The digital license will be re-activated once the os is installed and connected to the net? And it'll do that by checking ms servers for some kind of code unique to my setup, which was generated by the initial upgrade?
 
Yes... Just tell it you don't have a code during installation when it gives you opertunity to enter one.

Obviously make sure you select the right version if w10 during install
 
As above, it will ask for a key but you can just press skip and the install will continue.

Once the PC is back on the internet it will activate again from either your Microsoft account or hardware ID if you don't use one.
 
gizmo1990 said:
That's great, thanks guys. Worked exactly as you all advised.:) Now the big reinstall starts!
Click to expand...
One more thing, make sure the only drive connected is the drive you want the os on. If you have any other drives make sure they are disconnected otherwise windows may decide to install part of it on to them drives.

had issues before where a install has two drives connected and when you disconnect the second drive it then refuses to boot because it stored certain files on that HDD.
 
Also remember if you do not want to link to your MS account DO NOT login to wifi :(
Just had to format the new disc as i stupidly entered wifi password earlier :(:o
 
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