Have you lost your Windows 10 Product Key? Here is how you can get it back with just a few easy steps. Anyone can do this. Better still: you can even retrieve the serial numbers you lost track of. How to Find Serial Number of PC or laptop in Windows 10 Last Updated April 1, 2017 By Subhash D Leave a Comment The serial number is a unique identifier number consisting of the character string, numeric digits or/and typographic symbols assigned to PC or laptops by original equipment manufacturer.
Active4 years ago
I have a laptop running Ubuntu and also have a retail copy of Windows 7 x64 and x32 Professional. Considering that Windows 10 is a free upgrade, I'm contemplating wiping Ubuntu and putting Windows 10 on it. What I do have is my Windows 7 proof of license certificate with the product key printed on it.
Get My Windows 10 Key
I think I can install Windows 7 => upgrade to Windows 10 but I'd rather do a clean install of Windows 10. However, I'm guessing for that to happen, I'd need a Windows 10 serial.
Is there any quick way for me to enter that serial key on a legit site and get back a Windows 10 serial key?
DeepSpace101DeepSpace1014,1309 gold badges37 silver badges46 bronze badges
2 Answers
I don't think there are any shortcuts, though it would be very handy.
The only way to really do a clean Windows 10 install when you also need to upgrade your Windows 7 license is:
- Install Windows 7 with the key you have and make sure it is activated.
- Do an in-place upgrade to Windows 10, ensuring that Windows is activated afterwards.
- You're now free to do a fresh install of Windows 10. I believe they do something to tie the activation to the hardware, so I'm not sure about moving the license to another computer any more. This means Windows 10 is auto activates on the hardware without supplying a key, or at least that has been my experience so far.
Note that once your license has been upgraded, it's no longer valid for a Windows 7 install. This may have changed or been clarified, but was the case last time I looked at it.
Edit:
Here's two FAQs that various Microsoft threads lead me to on the topic:
The relevant q's and a's are:
Q: Can I use Windows 10 media to upgrade to Windows 10 and still take advantage of the free upgrade offer?
A: Yes. You will be able to download Windows 10 installation media to upgrade qualified Windows 7, Windows 8 or Windows 8.1 devices to Windows 10 and still take advantage of the free upgrade offer. Your device will automatically activate online after upgrading to Windows 10 while the free upgrade offer is valid.
Q: Can I clean install (i.e. boot from media and install) Windows 10 on my Windows 7 or Windows 8.x device and still take advantage of the free upgrade offer?
A: No. Clean installs of Windows 10 on a Windows 7 or Windows 8.x device via booting from media are not considered “upgrades”, so the free upgrade offer will not apply. For your Windows 10 installation to be considered an upgrade, you must start installation of Windows 10 while booted in Windows 7 or Windows 8.x
If you attempt to clean install Windows 10 on a device that hasn’t taken advantage of the free upgrade offer and successfully activated Windows 10 online before, you will be prompted to enter a Windows 10 product key to continue installing Windows 10.
Q: After doing a free upgrade to Windows 10, how do I clean install Windows 10 subsequently?
How To Get Your Windows 10 Serial Number
Corel draw x 12 full version with serial key free download. A: Once your device upgrades to Windows 10 using the free upgrade offer and activates online automatically, you will be able to clean install (i.e. boot from media and install Windows 10) the same edition of Windows 10 that you upgraded to on the same device during and after the free upgrade offer.
..
The automatic online activation will occur seamlessly after clean installing Windows 10 if the device had previously upgraded and activated online the same Edition of Windows 10. No product keys are required.
WindosWindos9,8994 gold badges30 silver badges56 bronze badges
I didn't need a Windows 10 key at all. I was told the best way to do it was as such:
Install widows 10 via upgrade.
Leave on for about 2 hours to make sure windows recieves registration info.
Use Windows 10 media creation USB stick you can download to clean install Windows 10 on another or same drive, reformatting the old one.
This worked for me.
Ethan LanierEthan Lanier