Free update to Windows 10 - activation Windows 7 or 8/8.1 key
If you have a valid license for Windows 7 or Windows 8.1, which can go free until July 29, 2016 to Windows 10 - so far, so familiar. With the big fall update» 1511 «Microsoft however significantly simplifies this process, so we start a self test and review four months after the release of Windows 10 how smoothly the operating system install and activate can product keys of older operating systems.»
For our tests, we use a Windows 7 Home key that belongs to an approximately three-year-old notebook. We have it already made the free exchange to Windows 10 to release by we started the upgrade process from Windows 7 out. Worked smoothly including activation, but how it looks, if we want to enable Windows 10 with same key on different, totally other desktop PCs? And what happens if we then replace hardware components?
We give you the answer to that on the one hand in text form in the following paragraphs, on the other hand find a video where we show the exact installation and activation process on the various test systems at the beginning of the article.
The initial situation
If you wanted to take the free upgrade to Windows 10 claim, it was not possible to windows 10 product key completely reinstall the operating system and to enable to the release. The reason: When installing only keys were accepted by Windows 10, while entitled to upgrade operating systems Windows 7, and Windows product key not recognized 8/8.1.
It was possible to skip the key input, then Windows 10 could not be activated afterward however, lack the necessary link between the hardware ID of your PC and the old Windows license. One, however, carries out buy windows 10 professional producty key the upgrade process from an older Windows version out, this link automatically. The hardware ID of the respective PC receives a digital permission to use this Windows 10.
So far, the upgrade process was the only way to get such a digital permission. When purchasing a new PC had to be so again until the older version of Windows installed on it and then performed the upgrade to Windows 10, instead of just installing the new operating system.
With the autumn update 1511 that changes, because now accepted during the installation of and keys of Windows 7 or Windows 8/8.1. The hardware ID of your PC can be linked by installation problems with the old
to obtain a digital permission to use Windows 10.
This digital permission to replace the product key according to Microsoft, which makes many on a possible hardware binding Windows 10 skeptical however. A hardware ID in the game, which is valid only for the respective PC comes always to get permission. At the same time, the license agreement Windows 10 unique state that the windows 10 activation key operating system not on a specific hardware is bound, as long as it is used only on a single device.
We have therefore not only checks whether keys of older versions of Windows now actually without installing the Windows 10 accepted, but also tried the same Windows 7 Home-key to use within a short time on multiple systems for the installation and activation of Windows 10.
