Windows 7 product key to activate windows 10

Anonymous
2020-02-23T08:49:07+00:00

Hi, Hoping someone can help me? I have a dell pc which came with Windows 7 Home Prem OA MEA pre installed it has a product key on the computer box. Recently my original hard drive crashed and I cant even get it to boot, so I had to install a new hard drive and thought since windows 7 is no longer used I will install Windows 10 pro, Which I did but it wont let me use my windows 7 product key to activate it. How can I resolve this problem?

Thanks everyone.solved my problem by installing windows 10 pro and formatting hard drive installed Windows 10 home

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Licensing and activation

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Paul Chou 1,471 Reputation points
2020-02-23T08:56:41+00:00

hi there:

The free upgrade to Win. 10 from Win. 7 has ended years ago. But here is what I found.

As part of Windows 10’s November update, Microsoft changed the Windows 10 installer disc to also accept Windows 7 or 8.1 keys. This allowed users to perform a clean install Windows 10 and enter a valid Windows 7, 8, or 8.1 key during installation. Windows 10 would then report that key to Microsoft’s servers, and Windows 10’s activation servers would give your PC a “digital entitlement” (now a “digital license”) to continue using Windows 10 for free, just as if you had upgraded.

This also works from within Windows 10. Even if you don’t provide a key during the installation process, you can head to Settings > Update & Security > Activation and enter a Windows 7 or 8.1 key here instead of a Windows 10 key. Your PC will receive a digital entitlement.

hope that helps

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DaveM121 933.1K Reputation points Independent Advisor
2020-02-23T08:56:16+00:00

Hi Straatop

Officially, the free upgrade period from Windows 7 and 8 to Windows 10 ended 3 years ago and it is no longer possible to upgrade freely to Windows 10 . . .

That being said, a lot of users still find they can upgrade to Windows 10 with their Windows 7 product key, but there is no guarantees it will work . . .

Open the Settings App (gear icon on your Start Menu)

Go to System - About

On that page, is it the Home Edition of Windows 10 installed on your PC, because that must match the previous Windows 7 edition . . .

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Pauli O 16,380 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
2020-02-23T09:19:23+00:00

Maybe I must install windows 10 home?

Yes. As you wrote you have key for Win 7 Home you have to install Win 10 Home.

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  1. Anonymous
    2020-12-14T00:29:56+00:00

    Hi,

    It's December 2020. I have an old desktop PC with an original Windows 7 Pro  key glued to its case. I downloaded the original Windows 10 ISO form Microsoft's website and performed a clean install without inserting a license key. Later I connected the computer to the internet and selected Settings, Updates and Security, Activation. I typed the Windows 7 Pro product key and after a few seconds Windows 10 says it is activated. I have been using this PC for more than 90 days and it seems that Windows 10 is accepting the Windows 7 Pro key without any issue. If I try to use a key from Windows XP Pro, Windows Vista Business or Windows Vista Ultimate, I immediately receive an error message and cannot activate Windows 10. I have researched a lot in Microsoft's documents and could not find any clear mention about it. I did find some vague statements that you have to buy a new Windows 10 license for new installations, but I could not find anything explaining why the Windows 7 Pro key is accepted to activate a new Windows 10 Pro installation. My questions are: 1) am I doing something against the EULA by using a Windows 7 Pro key that is in a sticker attached to my computer to activate a new Windows 10 Pro installation? 2) If I cannot use a Windows 7 Pro key to activate a Windows 10 Pro installation, why the activation servers of Microsoft accept it and tell me that my new installation of Windows 10 Pro is activated?

    Hi there, I am here to help you out,

    1. it is not against EULA as if you want to upgrade your pc from windows 7 or 8.1 to Windows 10 you need the iso, when the iso upgrades your pc, thru the upgrade now button, it automatically activates the windows 10 with your old product key that is  Windows 7 or 8.1product key
    2. as I mentioned that it automatically activates your Windows 10, you can enter your windows 7 product key

    And the servers would accept it, if you have activated real quick,everything would be fine, it only allowed Windows 7 product key as Microsoft activation service would know which 'windows 7 product key' has upgraded, so , mostly, it would activate windows, if its not activated,  you can use old Windows 7 product key for a certain time, 

    I too have upgraded one of my windows 7 pro laptop to windows 10 pro, and everything is fine, btw my laptop automatically got activated, so sometimes the unactivated thing happens, but in most cases, it would automatically activate your Windows

    I hope that this helped you out

    If you still have any questions, feel  free to ask :)

    If this helped you out, make sure to click yes button to

     The "Was this really helpful?" Sentence below my reply

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  2. Anonymous
    2020-12-13T04:47:51+00:00

    Hi,

    It's December 2020. I have an old desktop PC with an original Windows 7 Pro  key glued to its case. I downloaded the original Windows 10 ISO form Microsoft's website and performed a clean install without inserting a license key. Later I connected the computer to the internet and selected Settings, Updates and Security, Activation. I typed the Windows 7 Pro product key and after a few seconds Windows 10 says it is activated. I have been using this PC for more than 90 days and it seems that Windows 10 is accepting the Windows 7 Pro key without any issue. If I try to use a key from Windows XP Pro, Windows Vista Business or Windows Vista Ultimate, I immediately receive an error message and cannot activate Windows 10. I have researched a lot in Microsoft's documents and could not find any clear mention about it. I did find some vague statements that you have to buy a new Windows 10 license for new installations, but I could not find anything explaining why the Windows 7 Pro key is accepted to activate a new Windows 10 Pro installation. My questions are: 1) am I doing something against the EULA by using a Windows 7 Pro key that is in a sticker attached to my computer to activate a new Windows 10 Pro installation? 2) If I cannot use a Windows 7 Pro key to activate a Windows 10 Pro installation, why the activation servers of Microsoft accept it and tell me that my new installation of Windows 10 Pro is activated?

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