Speccy is your friend as wellGreat info Overkill. The Google-ing of the hardware ID is a great tip for folks with unknown hardware.
I am happy to say that I have had my entire organization on Windows 10 months prior to the EOL.
Speccy is your friend as wellGreat info Overkill. The Google-ing of the hardware ID is a great tip for folks with unknown hardware.
I am happy to say that I have had my entire organization on Windows 10 months prior to the EOL.
You mean using a Windows 7 product key? No, it still works fine, which is noted at the end of that article, despite the statement from Microsoft. I did one a couple of days ago.So is it safe to say that the seven year-old loophole for 7/8 users has been closed? At least in theory, but in practice as well?
You mean using a Windows 7 product key? No, it still works fine, which is noted at the end of that article, despite the statement from Microsoft. I did one a couple of days ago.
Yeah, if the upgrade fails, you just stay on 7.Yeah. I just rescued an old HP from going to the scrap heap, to be my new "garage" computer, for electronic catalogs, factory manuals and such. Doesn't have to do much other than run that old factory software. It's an old business CTO model with an i3 and 6GB memory, so it should run Win 10, which I don't mind, ok.
At a former office, the owner was skimpy with the hardware budget, but about the time Win 10 was originally released, I updated it on a similar "unsupported" machine anyway and it ran fine. Snappy, even, considering the age of the hardware, and got even better after I scrounged up some more memory for it.
I'm willing to try the upgrade, but if it fails to activate, can I roll back/restore to 7? I'm more of a FruitCo guy, and don't keep up on the Windows admin stuff. Been trying to apply all the accumlated WIn 7 patches that were never applied to this machine, and it's been a comedy of errors at some points. Another reason why I wouldn't mind "freshening up" by just installing 10.
Yeah, if the upgrade fails, you just stay on 7.
No, you have 30 days.To be clear, what if the 10 update process is successfully completed, but results in a copy of Win 10 that MS won't activate as the news and "official" stance says?
Is it a hassle to roll back to 7 at that point?
... on a cheap SSD.Personally, I'd do a fresh USB install of Windows 10...
No, you have 30 days.
Personally, I'd do a fresh USB install of Windows 10 on the unit, you'll know during the install if it's going to activate or not.
Unfortunately, the HP OEM key that came with the machine would not activate 10.
Reverted to 7, which was very quick, but decided to nuke the previous installation and start with a clean slate. Or as clean as the bloatware-loaded recovery image allowed.
It will still do everything I need it to do, and unlike the machine it replaced (which lacked a wireless card), it can even get online, to search for repair solutions and YT videos if need be. Fx 115ESR has a ~year of support left. Woohoo.
I've entered them during installation, like a million times, always works.Did you try to enter in the Win7 key after installation? That's the only way win7 keys will work on Win10.
Well, that's surprising, I'll see what happens with the next one I do. I just did a Toshiba laptop and the OE Windows 7 key worked fine.Unfortunately, the HP OEM key that came with the machine would not activate 10.
Reverted to 7, which was very quick, but decided to nuke the previous installation and start with a clean slate. Or as clean as the bloatware-loaded recovery image allowed.
It will still do everything I need it to do, and unlike the machine it replaced (which lacked a wireless card), it can even get online, to search for repair solutions and YT videos if need be. Fx 115ESR has a ~year of support left. Woohoo.
I've entered them during installation, like a million times, always works.
What brand are the computers? I'm wondering if that's a factor here.Interesting, I've never been able to get them to work during installation for any of the work computers, only after.
What brand are the computers? I'm wondering if that's a factor here.
That's been my experience too. I just skip the product key entry part of Windows setup and don't even bother to try to activate it until it's fully installed since doing it that way always works.Interesting, I've never been able to get them to work during installation for any of the work computers, only after.
Hmmm, I have a lot of HP's.... but the majority are Windows 8 units with the embedded COA. That said, I've done quite a few Windows 7 era Probook 450's and the COA's all worked for a fresh install.All HPs. I haven't reimaged Lenovos and Dells in sufficient quantity to determine if those are the same. On a side note, the very few Lenovos Thinkpads I've reimaged didn't automatically activate windows upon install but oddly was able to once I went into system settings - but I've only done like 2 Lenovos in 5 years.
Did you try to enter in the Win7 key after installation? That's the only way win7 keys will work on Win10.