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How to perform Windows 10 Clean Install .... making use of the free upgrade offer?

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    How to perform Windows 10 Clean Install .... making use of the free upgrade offer?

    Hi All,

    I only just realised that tomorrow is the last day for free windows 10 upgrade.

    I have a Dell XPS laptop currently running on windows 7 pro 64bit. I thought it's best to make use of this free offer, create a full image backup of windows 10 for later use and then restore back my windows 7 image. I use Macrium & Acronis.....

    So I guess the question is how do I legitimately do a Clean install of Windows 10 for free ?

    was also planing to do the same for 3 other window vm's

    Cheers

    #2
    Apparently you just enter the W7 or W8 product key during the install of W10.

    Personally I upgraded W7 to W10 so could do the rollback, but have kept with W10 and now the product key for W7 is associated with W10 and the hardware of the PC so I can just do a clean install of W10 without even needing the product key, if I ever feel the need.
    Maybe tomorrow, I'll want to settle down. Until tomorrow, I'll just keep moving on.

    Comment


      #3
      Originally posted by Hobosapien View Post
      Apparently you just enter the W7 or W8 product key during the install of W10.

      Personally I upgraded W7 to W10 so could do the rollback, but have kept with W10 and now the product key for W7 is associated with W10 and the hardware of the PC so I can just do a clean install of W10 without even needing the product key, if I ever feel the need.
      Thanks so I guess all i need to do is use the product key on the bottom of the laptop

      Comment


        #4
        Product Key after clean install

        Clean Install Windows 10 - Microsoft Community

        Comment


          #5
          cheers.

          looks like a busy evening ahead for me. Dell refuses to create windows 10 drivers for my XPS

          Comment


            #6
            I was going to create a new image on a disk.

            I've got an old action pack win 8 key. The installs have been upgraded to win 10. Does that mean I can keep using the action pack key on fresh installs after tomorrow?

            Comment


              #7
              Originally posted by css_jay99 View Post
              Thanks so I guess all i need to do is use the product key on the bottom of the laptop
              That should work (it did for me on three PCs; and for one laptop the key was in the BIOS apparently; didn't need to enter anything). What I'm not sure about is switching back and forth between Windows versions from image. That might not work. Windows 10 phones home for licence checks.

              Also, make sure the licensed version you've got matches the clean install you're attempting, that is: Win 7/8 Pro -> Win 10 Pro, Win 7/8 Home -> Win 10 Home.

              Comment


                #8
                My understanding is that once a licence key has been registered with M$ as being used for W10 it can no longer be used for further installs of W7/W8 that the key was originally produced for.

                Not sure if M$ actively stop it or if it's just a wagging finger in the terms of use.

                Can then re-use key for W10 installs depending on type of key. i.e OEM is locked to hardware and retail is transferable, as before.

                I presume this also applies to the family pack transferable key so if used on any W10 upgrade/install it then cannot be used for other W7/W8 installs.

                I'm sure this will all be confirmed in due course.
                Maybe tomorrow, I'll want to settle down. Until tomorrow, I'll just keep moving on.

                Comment


                  #9
                  Any idea how to get the updated 10586 build of windows 10? I installed Win10 on new lappy and "winver.exe" says 10240 which is still the RTM from July 2015?

                  Looking here, there's been quite a few fixes since it was released, how come my windows update isn't picking these up?

                  qh
                  He had a negative bluety on a quackhandle and was quadraspazzed on a lifeglug.

                  I look forward to your all knowing and likely sarcastic and unhelpful reply.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by quackhandle View Post
                    Any idea how to get the updated 10586 build of windows 10? I installed Win10 on new lappy and "winver.exe" says 10240 which is still the RTM from July 2015?

                    Looking here, there's been quite a few fixes since it was released, how come my windows update isn't picking these up?

                    qh
                    https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/soft...load/windows10

                    The 1511 (November 2015) release is the latest one they have put a package together for when I last downloaded Windows 10 earlier this year. There is a new release (1607 - Anniversary Release) that is being released early next month so the ISOs will be updated again at some point in August.

                    As for your install not being up the updates it could be due to the update settings you have set as you can defer updates in the Pro and Enterprise versions of Windows 10.

                    Comment

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