Question about Windows 10 update?

Stinicker

I have decided to make a jump of faith to Windows 10, currently on Windows 7. I have purchased this 250GB SSD to run the OS on, I'm currently running a 120GB SSD but it has reached a point of 2GB free space and I really need to do a clear out of stuff so I decided to go for Windows 10 and upgrade to a 250GB SSD at the same time.

Ideally I'd like to just download a .iso and burn my own Windows 10 install disk and then presumably enter my genuine Windows 7 licence. My PC is from 2010 and was the very last of the Vista cycle but came with a free upgrade to Windows 7 which naturally I availed of. It has 4GB RAM and an Intel Core 2 Quad Core @ 2.5Ghz so was a fairly fast machine in its heyday and still works good with the SSD.

I'm not a gamer or anything and just really want to learn Windows 10 as I'm not even that hectic with Windows 8, I have Windows 8 running on a selfbuild HTPC but I never use that except for playing VLC and the occasional downloading using Remote Desktop from this PC.

I did the Upgrade thing but it is sticking on 5GB of free space as my 120GB SSD is currently almost full.

Any ideas on how to proceed to go down the traditional install route?

d31b0y

You'll have to do an in place upgrade first. Otherwise, you won't be able to activate Windows 10. What about cloning your 120GB SSD to the 250GB. Normally those SSDs come with all the tools necessary and actually make the job pretty easy.

Once you have activated Windows 10 with an in place upgrade, you are free to reinstall from scratch with an ISO. This is what I did and it activated the clean install automatically.

Stinicker

What is the situation then with the License Key when I'd be re-installing from scratch using the .iso? Would I just enter my Windows 7 Key? Also if I was not happy with Windows 10 can I just go back and reinstall Windows 7 after or would upgrading to Windows 10 nullify my genuine Windows 7 key?

d31b0y

No, once you have activated the first time, it will auto-magically activate your computer without any input going forward (unless you change some hardware).

Stinicker

d31b0y wrote: »

No, once you have activated the first time, it will auto-magically activate your computer without any input going forward (unless you change some hardware).

I was thinking of trying it out today on my 120GB SSD as the 250GB SSD I ordered did not arrive yet. Would this be enough of a hardware change to upset it?

d31b0y

Not sure if a harddrive would be enough but I think you can ring MS to activate it over the phone even if it is.

EDIT:
Actually just found this;

Q: What happens if I change the hardware configuration of my Windows 10 device?

A: If the hardware configuration of your Windows 10 device changes significantly (e.g. motherboard change) Windows may require re-activation on the device. This is the same experience as prior versions of Windows (e.g. Windows 7 and Windows 8.1). The free upgrade offer will not apply to activation of Windows 10 in such scenarios where hardware changes reset Activation.

Source

I'm not sure if a harddrive would be a significant change. If I was a betting man, I'd say you would be fine.

Riesen_Meal

d31b0y wrote: »

Not sure if a harddrive would be enough but I think you can ring MS to activate it over the phone even if it is.

EDIT:
Actually just found this;

Source

I'm not sure if a harddrive would be a significant change. If I was a betting man, I'd say you would be fine.

I genuinely didn't know this...

I wonder is a processor considered a change...

d31b0y

It was the same system in Windows 7. I can't guarantee the accuracy of the following but it sounds about right. I definitely had to reactivate by phone when I changed my motherboard. But then, I had a valid key for Windows 7 - I just had to confirm I wasn't using it in more than one place. Not sure how it will work for the Windows 10 free upgrade.

The actual algorithm that Microsoft uses is not disclosed, but we do know the weighting of components is as follows, from highest to lowest:

Motherboard (and CPU)
Hard drive
Network interface card (NIC)
Graphics card
RAM

If you just add a new hard disk or add new RAM, there is no issue. If you create an image of your Windows 7 installation on another hard disk and swap that hard disk into the system and boot from it, or if you replace all your RAM and reboot, WAT gets triggered and checks to see whether you must reactivate Windows 7.

Source

halkar

I did this on two laptops. Hard drive change did not affect activation. Cloned both hard drives to SSD after Windows 10 upgrade. They were still activated.

I think cpu change is also fine. I did few times with Windows 7 and did not require activation. MS probably just checking motherboards.

Wizard!

What I would do:
Upgrade to Win10 on your current SSD. This is a must, since you need that to properly tie your Win7 licence to Win10. However, the 2GB space is not enough for the process to take place. If this is the case, and you cannot free up some space, you need to clone that disk on the new one.

To do the upgrade, you need to download from inside the system to be upgraded the files and make a bootable USB/DVD. The "from inside" part has to do only with the 32/64bit version. You cannot create the a 64bit media from a 32bit OS, and vice versa.

Once you have the USB ready, you run the Setup.exe from within the OS and do the upgrade. There are some options there, you can perform an clean install if you want. This will erase ALL program data, but NOT personal folders in your SSD. After the update is finished, the activation process takes place in the background. An activation token is written in your motherboard's, where DMI pool data is stored. So, if you need to upgrade the BIOS at some time, you have to unselect the option "Clear DMI pool data" while flashing, or be prepared to make a manual activation later.

Same goes of course if you change your motherboard. Most of the times, except mobo, you need to change 3 components before it will ask you for activation again. It is a thing for all the pc enthusiasts who change components often, but what can we do...?

Now, once it is activated, you can install your new SSD (if you have not done this already) and boot from the USB/DVD, and perform the installation as usual. I always delete the partitions manually before installing, since if you do not, they are not formatted, it just deletes files/folders and leaves a Windows.OLD hidden folder there.

Try to make all the updates first before installing your own drivers. Some are older but tends to overwrite them.

If you are cautious about your privacy, get a tool to fix some things from here:
http://bgr.com/2015/08/14/windows-10-spying-prevention-privacy-tools/

If you want to take control of the updates, read this article on how to get asked before downloading:
http://www.howtogeek.com/224471/how-to-prevent-windows-10-from-automatically-downloading-updates/

halkar

I think what I would do in your case is to write your Windows 7 key somewhere and download Windows 7 iso from here if you do not have the installation media. Install the new SSD and install Windows 7. After windows 7 installed and activated you can upgrade the Windows 10 and choose "keep nothing option" when asked. That will be as good as clean installation.

You can copy the files from old ssd to new one using one of the cheap usb-sata cables.

d31b0y

S/He doesn't have a windows 7 key. It was a free upgrade from Vista to Win 7.

Wizard!

Yeah, so?
http://www.dailytech.com/Windows+XP+Vista+Users+Can+Get+Free+Windows+10+Upgrade+Thanks+to+Loophole/article37411.htm

Stinicker

d31b0y wrote: »

S/He doesn't have a windows 7 key. It was a free upgrade from Vista to Win 7.

No it was a upgrade but Medion sent me the Windows 7 disks and it has its own licence key. Basically it was a high spec fast PC sold with Vista preinstalled and they provided Windows 7 when it became available, the upgrade to Windows 7 cost me €29.99 at the time so not exactly free either. I have reinstalled seven from that licence once due to viruses so I don't think there is any relationship between its original Vista and the Win Seven I got. I will wait until I get the new SSD until I do anything.

I must move 2tb to other drives also as my 2TB drive has started giving chkdsk errors and I will reformat that as part of a day of maintenance on the PC when I get the new SSD

d31b0y

Wizard! wrote: »

Yeah, so?
http://www.dailytech.com/Windows+XP+Vista+Users+Can+Get+Free+Windows+10+Upgrade+Thanks+to+Loophole/article37411.htm

Not sure what you are trying to say by linking that. The information is outdated and no longer works, as far as I know.

Stinicker wrote: »

No it was a upgrade but Medion sent me the Windows 7 disks and it has its own licence key.

Ah, you are grand in that case. Just do what Wizard! recommended, though I would be inclined to clone the drive first in any case.

Wizard!

d31b0y wrote: »

Not sure what you are trying to say by linking that. The information is outdated and no longer works, as far as I know.

I am trying to say that even if the OP has a Vista S/N, he/she could still upgrade to 10.
Although, as already said, there is a Win7 key also