Installing Windows 10 using a Windows 7 key

ChapyYxx

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Feb 26, 2014
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I'm going to upgrade my system with an SSD, and I already have a 1tb HDD installed in it. I'm going to do a clean install of windows on that SSD and I have a windows 7 disc/key. I've been told that I can put the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool (https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10/) on a flash drive, disconnect my current drive, and boot using the flashdrive and install windows from there onto the SSD with my windows 7 key, since it is digitally licensed. I have a few questions about this process.

1.) I haven't installed Windows since I built this rig about two years ago. If I boot from the flashdrive, I will have the option to install to the SSD, right?

2.) After I install Windows on that SSD, can I just reconnect my hard drive and use it for storage without modifying it? Will the Windows installation on that cause any confusion? It shouldn't, since it's not the boot drive, right?

3.) Once I do reconnect that drive, will its programs and files will still be accessible? And if I want a program to actually benefit from the SSD, I just have to move it over from the HDD to the SSD, right?


Here is a link to the article I read detailing how to install windows 10 using a windows 7 key: http://www.howtogeek.com/266072/you-can-still-get-windows-10-for-free-with-a-windows-7-8-or-8.1-key/

Thank you for reading this block of text.
 
Solution
When you get to part of install where it asks for a licence, click I don't have a key and win 10 will auto activate once install is finished based on fact you already had win 10 on PC before.

2. If hdd has win 10 on it now, did it originally have win 7 on it or was it always win 10? If your PC is fairly new, Win 10 will use UEFI boot method and depending on if hdd was win 7 or 10 originally, it may boot from it randomly. Best idea would be to show us a screen shot of the disk management screen once ssd & hdd in place and we see what it shows.

3) No. All the programs installed on the old install need to be reinstalled for the ssd to see them. If you have Steam or Origin game libraries, those can be reused without the need to...


This, just use the media creation tool and boot from the USB stick you'll make. If you have not installed Win10 during the free period which ended in the fall some time I believe you must now pay for the upgrade.
 

ChapyYxx

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Feb 26, 2014
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I did upgrade while it was free, so it should install pretty easily. After it's installed do I just reconnect my hard drive and I'm good to go?
 

Colif

Win 11 Master
Moderator
When you get to part of install where it asks for a licence, click I don't have a key and win 10 will auto activate once install is finished based on fact you already had win 10 on PC before.

2. If hdd has win 10 on it now, did it originally have win 7 on it or was it always win 10? If your PC is fairly new, Win 10 will use UEFI boot method and depending on if hdd was win 7 or 10 originally, it may boot from it randomly. Best idea would be to show us a screen shot of the disk management screen once ssd & hdd in place and we see what it shows.

3) No. All the programs installed on the old install need to be reinstalled for the ssd to see them. If you have Steam or Origin game libraries, those can be reused without the need to download all the games again, but almost all other programs need to be reinstalled on ssd for them to work.
 
Solution