Windows 10 Win 10 upgrade

[Peterr]

Hello
When the free upgrade is available, for people who are not techy like me, could you correct some misconceptions I have.
I think I will click on the installation file to begin,
I don't know if I will need a product key,
I hope to choose 'custom' for a clean install and not upgrade,
I do not know if I should click 'new' to create a reserve partition,
I will likely lose the WMC I bought,
I am unsure about activation,
Because there is no backup media for future reinstallations, I will download macrium as soon as Windows is installed and updated and create a baseline image I will keep in lieu of an OS disc.

I am not techy enough to use VMs and partitions but will wait for the free update.
Thank you

 

[Jimbo22]

I don't know if I will need a product key,

No, as it's an upgrade, it will use the previous version of windows product key.

I hope to choose 'custom' for a clean install and not upgrade,

No, as it's an upgrade version, it uses the key of previous version of installed windows. In order to do the clean install route you will need a 10 product key which means you will have to buy the OS.

I will likely lose the WMC I bought,

Best guess is yes but just a guess as there is no talk about this at this time. We'll just have to wait and see.

I am unsure about activation,

If doing the upgrade, activation will be automatic. For a clean install the procedure should be the same as any other windows OS install. It should give you the choice to activate during the install if connected to internet or activate after the install, which with 8/8.1 is 3 days. Not sure how they (MS) plans to handle that when it releases 10, but I imagine it should follow suit with 8/8.1

 

[Peterr]

I burned the Win 10TP to dvd but likely will not use it. I will sit back now and see what develops.
Likely I will either keep 8.1 which I love or do the upgrade from an 8.1 clean image with all Windows updates done and hoping for an option to clean install, but not counting on it.

 

[Jimbo22]

hoping for an option to clean install

Like I said, you can't clean install with and upgrade version, you will need the full version, either an OEM copy or a Retail copy to do a clean install.

 

[Peterr]

Yes, what I meant was I'm may use a clean image of 8.1 then update Windows.
Then I would do an upgrade hoping not to bring too much clutter with me, if possible.
By the way if you use an oem copy where would you get the product key? It seems to do a clean install you must buy windows 10?

 

[Jimbo22]

what I meant was I'm may use a clean image of 8.1 then update Windows.

An image of a clean install of 8.1, then go the upgrade route to 10 would definitely mitigate the clutter.

By the way if you use an oem copy where would you get the product key?

You can buy an OEM software....OEM just means it's permanently tied to the mobo when that OS is installed and a whole lot cheaper. The retail version of the OS allows you to install the OS on any mobo as long as it's removed from the previous mobo. It can't be used at the same time...which is why is more expensive to purchase.

It seems to do a clean install you must buy windows 10?

That's the same with any OS....unless you all ready have purchased the retail version and have a valid product key. Then you can re-clean install as you like.

 

[MikeHawthorne]

Hi

If people want to start fresh, why it wouldn't be possible to do the upgrade and then immediately do a Reset which would remove all of the software, apps and settings putting you back at clean install condition?

Link Removed

It seems like this should work.
I was assuming that there would be an ISO file available as there has been with Windows 10 TP, but if not I may give this a try, after making a System Image of the upgrade.

Or would this cause it to try and return to Windows 8?
I thought that this would just do a clean install of Windows 10.

http://www.qoncious.com/questions/how-restore-windows-10-factory-settings

Mike

 

[MFPTech]

can i upgrade from 7 to 10 please

 

[Peterr]

I finally did install oracle with Win 10TP and did not like it. But that is a side note.

However, is it true that doing a clean install of 8.1 and imaging it to reduce the clutter when upgrading to 10 is not a good idea because once I upgrade for free to 2010 I can do a reset and start from there?

In other words there likely will be choices with the free upgrade that will eventually give me a clean OS?

 

[Peterr]

can i upgrade from 7 to 10 please

Yes

 

[wesa]

Yes

I did an upgrade from Win7-Pro 64-bit to Win10 a few days ago and the process worked flawlessly. I chose to just install the OS and leave all programs intact. Every program runs perfectly. I am actually amazed. The Win10 OS seems to be very stable and I like the interface. The 4-yr old Dell laptop I upgraded has been running full-time since the upgrade and no glitches have been observed. So far I do not see any problems. I think Microsoft has come up with a good combination of keeping some tiles (which I will probably never use) and making the rest of the interface work well with a lot of improvements.

 

[davehc]

Hi. Welcome to the forums. I am so pleased it worked well for you!

 

[Peterr]

@MFP -Happy to hear you like the new OS.
I tried it out in a VM and although it all ran well I did not think it was a good as 8.1 which I like a lot. To me, 8.1 did what it was supposed to, quickly and I have never had an issue with it. Most of all, it is user friendly.
I felt 10 was a combo of 8.1 and 7 in an attempt to appease the 8.1 naysayers and to develop a cross all platform OS.
Nothing wrong with the latter.