So... is it still possible to upgrade to Windows 10 from Windows 7?

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heelix

[H]ard|Gawd
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Finally got around to updating my main workstation with a threadripper. Got a few Windows 7 licenses still unused. Is it still possible to do the upgrade thing? (Figure I could always run it in a VM, but should probably set up a dual boot system.)

I totally miss the window, or is it still possible? (Creating a Windows 7 w/drivers image right now - but don't have it done yet.)
 
Yes, on a technicality that they aren't checking.

If you do a clean install, just use your Win7 key. Note the Win7 key has to equal whatever Win10, so like Win7 Pro and up get Win10 Pro, Home Premium gets Win10 "not Pro."

For actual in-place upgrades, they have an "Assistive Tech" clause that lets Win7's using these devices (they don't check) upgrade to Win10. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/accessibility/windows10upgrade

After December 31, no idea if any kind of upgrade will still work, but as MS reaaaaally wants people to upgrade, it's likely there will still be some sort of loophole way to do it.
 
Yes, the 7 keys still activate Windows 10, I just had to activate my nephews new machine a few minutes ago.
 
WCCF Tech had an article a few days ago that said the product key upgrade method is going to keep working even after December 31st.
 
Yep, still works. I have two laptops for my nephews' Christmas presents, and they both came with Windows 7. I was able to upgrade both, activate, and then wipe the drives for a clean install. Still activated.
 
There is absolutely no technicality, they are fully allowing the upgrade without restrictions, just that they are not pushing it anymore. Now, I have no idea whether they will allow it after December 31st of this year but, I hope so.
 
Windows 10 will work indefinitely without activation. You get a watermark on the desktop and desktop customization is disabled, but otherwise it works fine.

Why throw your Windows 7 license key away for an ad-supported product?
 
Yes it works and MS is willingly allowing any machine pursuing win10 to get win10. Just don't mistake generosity for desperation.
 
Oubadah said:
You're not throwing it away because it's not like the 7 license gets disabled or anything.
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You don't get to keep both licenses. Once you use that key to activate Windows 10 it becomes a Windows 10 key, you can't use it to go back and install Windows 7 once you've gone past the 40 day grace period.
 
just did a reload on my roommates system using a win7 key to fresh install win10fcu, no issues. when you use a legit key windows 10 installs then activates and converts to a generic "upgrade" key that is apparently used on every upgraded system.
 
Oubadah said:
Yes you can, and I have done so several times. The 40 day period is for the in-place roll-back mechanism. There's nothing stopping you from clean installing with the old key.

When you do the upgrade, you get a new Windows 10 digital license tied to that PC, but the old license remains intact. There's nothing to stop you from reinstalling the old version of Windows with the old license on that PC (if OEM) or on any PC (if retail). Presumably Windows Activation would deactivate one if you tried to use both of them simultaneously, but I've never actually seen or heard of a real-world example of this.

What do you think happens to the old key after 40 days? They disable it? Example: Last year I installed Windows 10 on a PC using a Windows 7 key and then installed Windows 7 with the same key on a different drive. I've been using them both (not at the same time) for all this time and Windows 7 never gets deactivated. I even clean-reinstalled them both 6 months ago. I can assure you that the Windows 7 license can still be used to activate Windows 7.
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Only on professional versions of Windows. From the Microsoft EULA:

7. Downgrade Rights. If you acquired a device from a manufacturer or installer with a Professional version of Windows preinstalled on it, you may use either a Windows 8.1 Pro or Windows 7 Professional version, but only for so long as Microsoft provides support for that earlier version as set forth in (aka.ms/windowslifecycle). This agreement applies to your use of the earlier versions. If the earlier version includes different components, any terms for those components in the agreement that comes with the earlier version apply to your use of such components. Neither the manufacturer or installer, nor Microsoft, is obligated to supply earlier versions to you. You must obtain the earlier version separately, for which you may be charged a fee. At any time, you may replace an earlier version with the version you originally acquired.
Click to expand...
 
Oubadah said:
There's probably a difference between what the EULA says can be done and what can actually be done. I'd be very surprised if Home licenses behaved any differently to Pro licenses in practice.

I mean, judging by that EULA, I shouldn't be able to do it with my Retail license (because that was never preinstalled on a device I acquired from a manufacturer) but obviously I can.
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If it's against the EULA it's illegal.

People don't seem to understand the concept that 'just because it activates doesn't make it legal.'
 
Oubadah said:
Clean installing an upgrade license is against EULA too, but even people like Paul Thurrott will write how-tos for that.

Using the assistive tech upgrade as a workaround when you don't use assistive tech will be against some EULA. I guess we're all criminals.
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No it's not. Provided you keep the OS with the machine it's licensed to you can clean install until the cows come home.

Activation does not = legal. Cheap Windows licenses off [H] are not legal.
 
^ true

for a single random home user nothing will probably ever come of it but its still not legal. but for a business owner/employee its a whole differnt story, could be life ruining...
 
pendragon1 said:
^ true

for a single random home user nothing will probably ever come of it but its still not legal. but for a business owner/employee its a whole differnt story, could be life ruining...
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As an example, if I end up with a clients old PC here and it has a retail Windows 7 license attached to it and I use that license to install Windows onto another PC for another client, that's against the EULA and illegal and I can be done for it if I charge the client for that Windows install (which I wouldn't do as it's morally questionable). But MS have spies out there that buy PC's off system builders and check the history of the license, there's quite a few retailers in my area that have been done for this very practice.

The OS will activate just fine, but what I'm doing is against the EULA.
 
Oubadah said:
I was referring to purchasable "upgrade" licenses of Windows (as opposed to OEM and standard Retail), not Windows 10 upgrades (I understand that was probably confusing in the context of this thread). The upgrade licenses that are supposed to be installed over an older version of Windows, but can still be clean installed by modifying an OOBE registry value. My point was that that practice is against the license agreement, but reasonable people won't argue that any terrible crime is being committed. That, like clean installing a Win7 Home license >40 days after it's been upgraded to Win10 seems like a petty thing to get upset over.

- Installing and using a single-machine retail license onto multiple machines? Sure, no question there's a big moral issue there.
- Ignoring an arbitrary "downgrade before" time limit intended to railroad users into staying on Windows 10? Seems like a non-issue, even if it's technically against the EULA.

That kind of illegal activity is in the same league as me keeping multiple archives of my ripped CDs (because I don't want weeks of painstaking ripping undone by a single HDD failure). Technically, that's against the law. I'm only allowed a single backup. But who in their right mind would kick up a stink about that?

And of course I'm not saying businesses should engage in any rule bending. We were talking about Win10 Home licenses after all.

EDIT: Another example is that technically if you buy OEM Windows you must install it using the OPK and then resell it with a PC. So every time an individual buys an OEM license and installs it directly onto their own system, they are breaking the law... You very quickly enter the realm of absurdity trying to follow the word of Microsoft's EULAs.
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You'll never get an argument out of me regarding the absurdity of Microsoft's EULA. ;)
 
That's probably the only kind of job I'd like to do on Microsoft. Hunt down Windows users and punish them on a technicality :D
 
So, I've got a few win7 OEM keys I'd like to use on clean installs of win10, and I'm hearing this works without issue and without having to install win7 first and doing the in-place upgrade.

That said, I'm having some trouble finding appropriate media. Can anyone link/PM me a spot to grab the .iso for win10 OEM?
 
lazz said:
So, I've got a few win7 OEM keys I'd like to use on clean installs of win10, and I'm hearing this works without issue and without having to install win7 first and doing the in-place upgrade.

That said, I'm having some trouble finding appropriate media. Can anyone link/PM me a spot to grab the .iso for win10 OEM?
Click to expand...
Microsoft website, media creation tool. Will let you download it as as .ISO or drop it right to a USB flash drive.
 
ir0nw0lf said:
According to ?. I use that install on a USB flash drive all the time with Dell/HP/etc. Win 7 OEM keys from the sides of machines.
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The Win7 ISO website requires typing in a retail key to get the ISO link. If you already have an ISO, ~disregard this conversation~
 
ir0nw0lf said:
According to ?. I use that install on a USB flash drive all the time with Dell/HP/etc. Win 7 OEM keys from the sides of machines.
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Well, there was no OEM version selectable from the tool. I mean, I guess you could pick Home or Pro? No idea if it would work with a win7 OEM key though.
 
lazz said:
Well, there was no OEM version selectable from the tool. I mean, I guess you could pick Home or Pro? No idea if it would work with a win7 OEM key though.
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What comes down is either a 32-bit or 64-bit or a combo (both) image that works with Home and Pro. If you install w/o a key you have to choose which flavor. If you enter a key during the install it should automatically choose which flavor, based on the key. Doesn't matter if the key was a HP/Dell/etc, OEM key. I have yet to have one not work. You don't install a "OEM" flavor.
 
lazz said:
Well, there was no OEM version selectable from the tool. I mean, I guess you could pick Home or Pro? No idea if it would work with a win7 OEM key though.
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If you want to upgrade your OEM install, just use the upgrade assistant to install and activate 10, then do a clean install and just skip the product key.
 
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