shockz Posted August 1, 2015 Share Posted August 1, 2015 My laptop came with Windows 7 home and has an OEM key. This laptop has been inactive due to a dead drive for several years. Today we purchased an SSD for it. Can I clean install Windows 10 home and use my OEM 7 product key, or do I need to install 7 first and upgrade? Please only definitive answers from members who know or have tried, I don't need the same ones saying an ISO wouldn't be available to even reply or speculate. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeston Veteran Posted August 1, 2015 Veteran Share Posted August 1, 2015 Windows 10 won't accept your old Windows product keys. You need to install Windows 7, then do the upgrade. Then you can clean install to your heart's content after the key has been associated with the Windows 10 upgrade. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shockz Posted August 2, 2015 Author Share Posted August 2, 2015 Thanks. Was able to clean install after upgrading and getting the key. Too bad they just don't have a utility online where you plug your 7/8.x key in and it gives you a 10. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noir Angel Posted August 2, 2015 Share Posted August 2, 2015 If you do an upgrade and select "keep nothing" it's as good as a clean install, and it still activates. That, I have found, offers a more trouble free way of doing an upgrade, you'll have to use disk cleanup to get rid of the left over data though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birdie Posted August 2, 2015 Share Posted August 2, 2015 Windows 10 won't accept your old Windows product keys. You need to install Windows 7, then do the upgrade. Then you can clean install to your heart's content after the key has been associated with the Windows 10 upgrade. This is lies plain and simple. Install Windows 7, activate it using your OEM key (if it's a standard OEM key and your BIOS contains a SLIC record Windows will activate automatically) and update to Windows 10 (though personally I would have stayed with Windows 7). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeston Veteran Posted August 2, 2015 Veteran Share Posted August 2, 2015 This is lies plain and simple. Install Windows 7, activate it using your OEM key (if it's a standard OEM key and your BIOS contains a SLIC record Windows will activate automatically) and update to Windows 10 (though personally I would have stayed with Windows 7). Uhh, that's what I said... He can't just go straight to Windows 10 and activate it using his current key. He needs to start back at Windows 7 then upgrade that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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