Upgrading my old Core2 laptop now. Hope it runs better under Win10. If not I'll try a clean install. Don't forget, guys: WinAero Tweaker is very handy.

For more info go here: https://forums.guru3d.com/threads/windows-10-activation-methods-overview.421057/ To be really safe I would recommend to follow (3.) and prepare the file (genuineticket.xml), but then start with way (4.) by adding your Win7+ key to do a fresh install. So if anything goes wrong, you can safely continue without key to install and have all the required files (genuineticket.xml) necessary at hand. (If you change to way (4.) because your key doesn't work, remove the LAN cable and continue with Windows setup without key and cable. No reboot / 2nd try needed!) Good luck! 😉 EDIT: You may want to run "ShutUp10" from O&O Software afterwards. It's free. 🙂

Is it possible to use this just to get a key without installing immediately??? Because now it´s not a good time for me to install an OS.

H83:

Is it possible to use this just to get a key without installing immediately??? Because now it´s not a good time for me to install an OS.

Just install win 7 and activate on a separate partition/drive and upgrade that one that way it will be registered with your hardware. Though I wouldn't worry I've been doing this for a while now for friends/clients and I don't expect they will stop it any time soon they don't want the XP thing all over again.

you can also buy a key for around 12$, is almost free.

This triggered my curiosity. If I did the win 7 -> win 10 upgrade years ago, what happens if I need to reinstall it again? Would the win 7 activation key work or is there a way to "generate" the key for my current one?

scoter man1:

This triggered my curiosity. If I did the win 7 -> win 10 upgrade years ago, what happens if I need to reinstall it again? Would the win 7 activation key work or is there a way to "generate" the key for my current one?

your windows 7 key can be used to install 10 or if you haven't made any major hardware changes the digital license will be used.

I just got myself a whole new rig with Win 10 on, instead of upgrading my Win 7 one to it, incase of problems, but luckily, ive not had any so far, every updates been fine 🙂

Khronikos:

There is no way in hell I am upgrading my perfect Win 7 install with 30 processes running at minimum for trash Win 10 that will take me a week to set even close to straight. No thank you. Guaranteed all kinds of stuff would be messed up on my rig.

You really got no idea what your talking about, do you? Maybe time to look into the changes made that add a few more processes, like multiple svchost instead of just one, it might change your view, or maybe not. But at least do some freaking research instead of comming with the same old rant every single time, thank you.

Khronikos:

Exactly, and by the time I do upgrade it won't be a buggy junk fest probably not even win 10 anymore. To hell with that OS.

Win10 has been out for ~5 years now, it's quite fast now, and, particularly with Win10 Pro, if you're a power user, you can configure it just as much as you did Windows 7. As for basic telemetry, this is still the same as it has been since Windows Vista, Microsoft have just been upfront about what is being tracked (in addition to requesting additional tracking but that's a user choice). Please don't be so short sighted, you can still configure it to your liking and it's very ill advised to remain on an OS that no longer receives security updates (particularly if you're connected to the internet).

Khronikos:

There is no way in hell I am upgrading my perfect Win 7 install with 30 processes running at minimum for trash Win 10 that will take me a week to set even close to straight. No thank you. Guaranteed all kinds of stuff would be messed up on my rig.

I felt the same, a few years ago, but windows 10 is much better now, never really have any issues per se. if you are worried about telemetry then use https://www.getblackbird.net/ and lock down your system more via registry etc. you gotta move with the times, or else we'd all be using windows 3x still no doubt and wondering why we are left behind.

There is always an alternative. https://dot.kde.org/2020/01/08/plasma-safe-haven-windows-7-refugees

Khronikos:

Guaranteed all kinds of stuff would be messed up on my rig.

My old 2006ish PC which is used at my dads office at work was upgraded to Win 10 yesterday, while it boots a little slow now everything else seems to work fine.

H83:

Is it possible to use this just to get a key without installing immediately??? Because now it´s not a good time for me to install an OS.

Follow method (3.) from the thread I linked above and save the genuineticket.xml to some USB drive or 2nd hard disk. That's your "entitlement". Use this later when installing. I used a ticket once which was older than a week and it still worked. Download ISO, extract / copy ./sources/gatherosstate.exe to Desktop and run once, copy the XML to somewhere safe. Done! @Extraordinary : Do you know how long the ticket stays valid?

scoter man1:

This triggered my curiosity. If I did the win 7 -> win 10 upgrade years ago, what happens if I need to reinstall it again? Would the win 7 activation key work or is there a way to "generate" the key for my current one?

Your key works on a fresh install. Both 7 and 10. And if you wanna go back to 7 it still works. If you activated 10 once on this particular machine you don't need to enter a key, 10 will still activate afterwards. One thing just crossed my mind: it could be they put you on the Insider channel, if that was the last channel you were on when you used 10 the previous time. Probably ... I don't know ... EDIT: If you set your LAN connection (or the one you use to connect to the internet) to "metered", almost no Windows Update will be downloaded, only the really critical ones (security) but no additional like .NET or drivers. I use this for years from I think 1703 to current / 1909. Downside is Outlook shows you a bar about the meteres connection which you have to click away once per start. But that's all I noticed.

anticupidon:

There is always an alternative. https://dot.kde.org/2020/01/08/plasma-safe-haven-windows-7-refugees

I KNEW either you or someone else from the Linux community here would not be able to keep this to himself. YOU WON'T GET US ALIVE!!!! :-P

386SX:

Follow method (3.) from the thread I linked above and save the genuineticket.xml to some USB drive or 2nd hard disk. That's your "entitlement". Use this later when installing. I used a ticket once which was older than a week and it still worked. Download ISO, extract / copy ./sources/gatherosstate.exe to Desktop and run once, copy the XML to somewhere safe. Done! @Extraordinary : Do you know how long the ticket stays valid? Your key works on a fresh install. Both 7 and 10. And if you wanna go back to 7 it still works. If you activated 10 once on this particular machine you don't need to enter a key, 10 will still activate afterwards. One thing just crossed my mind: it could be they put you on the Insider channel, if that was the last channel you were on when you used 10 the previous time. Probably ... I don't know ... EDIT: If you set your LAN connection (or the one you use to connect to the internet) to "metered", almost no Windows Update will be downloaded, only the really critical ones (security) but no additional like .NET or drivers. I use this for years from I think 1703 to current / 1909. Downside is Outlook shows you a bar about the meteres connection which you have to click away once per start. But that's all I noticed.

No I don't know how long it stays valid for, I just use one of these which do the same thing automated with a UI jatd.gui.mk4 hwid.kms38.gen.mk6

@Khronikos LMAO. whining about non existing problems on an OS you dont even have.

I disagree that security concern are overblown, i do not want random computers of random people to change in spam box or bots doing other stuff. I also disagree that win 10 is faster than win 7. If it is then i m not able to configure it. At least the UI feels snappier on win7 minimal settings compared to win10 minimal settings. Maybe just browsers got heavier with time, and so everything feels heavier, but no one will remove from my head that windows 10 requires more CPU power than windows 7, factored in also the hardware improvements in the years.

Welcome to the Linux side, we have cookies. And yes m, you can run your Darknet drug empire from a Qubes machine running an ARM processor with all security layers you want

Khronikos:

Please don't shill me the idea that Microsoft is up front about anything lol. That's absolutely ludicrous. You mean when they implanted their customer experience crap on my Win 7 install to try and force me to install it? Or when they fudged the code for backing out of the install process to make you install it? LOL. Microsoft is just being more upfront now guys! Believe. At any rate some day in the future I will switch. When I need to. I don't need Win 10 for literally anything.

Erm... regarding the tracking and user data? They do have to be upfront... They have to be by law, particularly in Europe, data protection and GDPR... but yes I do appreciate that Microsoft are wanting users to accept the extended "features" but again, those you can deny. I have to ask though, why are you being so hostile and ignoring the fact that you can customise your install and remove the features you dislike? It only takes some knowledge of working with the registry and policy edits (I do accept during feature updates or during some key updates, it can be tedious requiring to check particular settings have been changed). The thing you should be taking note of is there are options for you, don't limit yourself and most of all keep your system secure. If you really insist on continuing to use Windows 7, just remember that it'll be your own responsibility to keep it secure, if there is a fault somewhere in the OS, you can't expect Microsoft to fix it.

Khronikos:

I jest somewhat saying security is overblown, but it is for people that know what they are doing in many respects. The most I could see would be some crazy email bug, or a bad download from the few sites I DL stuff that are not secure I guess, and outlook and what not are still patched at least through that specific software line. Still, it's a good idea to clean up email I guess now. I have one bad email address I will be switching out soon, and after that no more junk on anything else.

You might jest but you can't ignore security, even for someone knowing what they're doing. Yes the usual cause for a failure in security is often due to human error (browsing a dodgy website or rushing through an installation of an application inviting malware etc) but you can't ignore that 1% chance that there's an exploit in the wild or worse, someone actively attempting to penetrate a system to commit fraud etc. Imo, it's inappropriate to be so dismissive. Now this last point is "speculative" (a pun as well as an opinion) but we also have to remember about Intel architecture and the gift that keeps on giving with their speculative execution exploits - it may be that MS no longer provides a kernel level microcode update (assuming Intel provide that patch to MS) and so Win7 systems would be at risk of a breach without a user even being aware. Anyway, do try to be a little more... courteous, you don't have to agree with someone but you shouldn't use language that is rather, unpleasant.

anticupidon:

There is always an alternative. https://dot.kde.org/2020/01/08/plasma-safe-haven-windows-7-refugees

+1000 times for KDE, there's no better desktop IMO.