Hi Pontian,
We have done this several times; it's really quite easy to do once you understand the requirements.
First, you need to test the Hard Drive with the free
SEATOOLS drive diagnostic, free from Seagate.com. More details on hard drive testing are here:
Hard Drive Diagnostic Procedure. As the instructions say, make certain to run
BOTH the short and long tests. If
SEATOOLS returns any errors on either test your drive has failed and must be replaced!
Since your HP came with W7 pre-loaded, that computer is 6-7 years old. You should be aware that if you've never replaced the hard drive in that computer since you owned it, there is a
VERY HIGH likelihood that drive is failing or has failed. Hard drives are only designed to last 3 years in desktop PCs and only 2 years in laptops. You are well beyond that time limit.
Since you have old hardware, you should also take the further precaution of testing all your RAM memory sticks as here:
Memory Diagnostics.
Once you've completed testing your RAM sticks and the Hard Drive and they test Ok (even after replacing any failed components found) you are ready for the next step:
reloading the Windows OS. For this, it's probably easiest to perform a Clean Install of the W10 OS from bootable install media available from Microsoft for free from here:
Windows 10. You can use a DVD disc ($0.20 US) or an 8GB or larger USB stick ($5-$15 US) for the media. Since you've already completed the W7-->W10 upgrade, Microsoft stores this information along with a key that recognizes the Motherboard in your HP computer and keeps that on it's Activation Servers. When you are installing, try to use an Ethernet cable which is a hardline cable connection between your computer and your Broadband Modem which connects you to the Internet (Cable or DSL) or to your Wi-Fi router *which is connected to your Broadband Modem*, or if you have a Combo Box which is a Broadband Modem which has a built-in 4-port Wi-Fi router function. You can use wireless on your computer to connect you to the Internet, but if there are driver issues with your wireless adapter (either internal chip or usb external plug in adapter), you might not be able to connect your HP computer to the internet through your Wi-Fi
DURING THE W10 INSTALLATION PROCESS!! It's much safer and more likely to work if you can use a direct connection to your Internet device(s) with an Ethernet cable. I've done it both ways, but if you want the easiest way, use the cable! This may require you buying a really long cable at your local computer store or if you have a desktop PC you'll have to disconnect everything in the room where your computer is and haul that whole setup physically into the room in your house or apartment where the Internet device(s) are physically located so that you can use a short Ethernet cable, 6 ft. or 10 ft. for example.
When you get to the point in the W10 install program where it asks you for a product key,
YOU CAN JUST SKIP THAT STEP and click
NEXT, and the W10 install program will complete the install of the W10 onto that new hard drive, and it will
AUTOMATICALLY ACTIVATE YOUR W10 for you without you having to enter any product key or anything since Microsoft's Activation Servers will probe your hardware and match it up to the product key created when you first upgraded your W7 to W10 back in 2015!!
Usually, the first thing I do once all the reboots are done and you get to the clean W10 desktop, is go to System and check your
"View basic information about your computer" screen. Looking at that page, go down to the bottom of that window and look under
"Windows Activation". If it says
"Windows is activated", you did everything right and are ready to reinstall all your programs and restore your data which hopefully you have backed up to external media prior to starting all of this!
Most home users are not aware of all these facts, and spend days or weeks trying to find a non-existing W10 product key, which is not needed for this process. Microsoft is aware that you've already upgraded to a legitimate version of W10 from last year and they store that information on their servers as I mentioned, so you don't have to worry about it. They have never done this in the past, so that's why most Home Users are unaware of this unless they take their computer into a local repair shop or pay a Tech to come out to their home and watch what they are doing when they install the new hard drive and load the W10!
That's all there is to it. If you run into problems, just post back if you get stuck. We are here 24x7x365 and we attempt to answer all posts within 24 hrs. if possible unlike many other tech forums out there.
*If you find this solution helpful, please come back to this thread and put a LIKE on my Post to let other forum users with a similar question that my solution helped you! Thanks-- Best of luck,
<<<BIGBEARJEDI>>> 
