SOLVED Lost my free windows 10 download

[Kraw14]

After i registered and downloaded windows 10 my windows 7 had bad problems. I decided to reinstall windows 7 before installing windows 10 upgrade. Bad mistake i guess because now the windows10 icon won't come back.

 

[Trouble]

I decided to reinstall windows 7 before installing windows 10 upgrade

You have approximate 208 Windows Updates to catch up on, post Windows 7 re-install even after SP1.
Sometime late in the process, you'll likely see the return of your GWX.exe icon down in the system tray / notification area.

 

[Kraw14]

Ive done a lot of updating. The last time i ran windows update it said there was nothing to update. Do you think i should just be patient or is there a problem. It has been about 24 hrs. since i reinstalled.

 

[Trouble]

Unfortunately sometimes now it seems that those updates come in stages.
Check your shut down button, does it have a shield on it, indicating "install updates and shutdown". A real pain but the last time I did an install of Windows 7 (with a SP1 disk) that's what I had to do to actually get the doggone things to install. In stages, multiple times, very annoying.

 

[Kraw14]

ok ill just be patient and keep looking for updates. Thanks

 

[Trouble]

You can always look at your update history with the link on the left in Windows Updates, or.....
Look at your installed updates using Control Panel, Programs and Features, link on left show installed updates

 

[Roddie]

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/install-windows-7-service-pack-1

Then do update check. Then go to
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

Have fun.

 

[davidhk129]

Bad mistake i guess because now the windows10 icon won't come back.

Just adding to what has already been mentioned........
1. That icon is called Get Windows 10.
2. It appears only if update KB3035583 is installed.
3. The Get Windows 10 icon is used to make reservation for a free upgrade. You will have to wait for Windows Update to download the Win 10 to your computer and then it will notify you to install.
4. The "reservation" is just a marketing ploy. All computers running genuine Win 7 SP1 or Win 8.1 Update 1 are entitled to a free upgrade, regardless of whether users have made the "reservation" or not.

Only about a week ago, I had my Win 7 Home Premium returned to me after repair. It was reset back to factory state.
I had to install all the updates, then install SP1, then I saw the Get Windows 10 icon.
I did not bother to wait for Windows Update.
I used the Media Creation Tool, downloaded Win 10 ISO file, and use the ISO to do an "in-place" upgrade install.
All went smoothly and activation was automatic.
If you eventually decide to use the Media Creation Tool, make sure you choose the Create installation media for another PC option. That will create the ISO file and you can use it to do an in-place upgrade install. If you need to know how to do in-place upgrade install, please post back.
Meanwhile make a big pot of coffee and start installing Windows updates..... kidding. Set your Windows Update to automatic. Let the machine do the updating.

 

[Highway]

I used the ISO off the MS download tool few days ago to upgrade from a vanilla fresh install of 7 x64 with no updates, not even sp1, all i did was run the iso off a bootable USB pendrive from the windows 7 desktop, selected the upgrade and keep stuff options, bingo activated his Win10 install within 15mins of starting that off.

 

[Trouble]

I used the ISO off the MS download tool few days ago to upgrade from a vanilla fresh install of 7 x64 with no updates, not even sp1

Did that installation activate without any problems?

I was under the impression after reading in about a million articles, blogs and adverts that, the only path to a free upgrade to Windows 10 from Windows 7, required SP1.
Could it be..... and I hate to even think it..... Microsoft may have mislead us..... even perhaps lied?

Say it isn't so.

 

[Highway]

I believe it was accomplished that way because he reserved it month ago prior to wiping his Win7 install (with updates). I updated from a fresh wipe of Win 7, as I said, before allowing any windows updates.

 

[Trouble]

I updated from a fresh wipe of Win 7, as I said, before allowing any windows updates.

So Microsoft did lie? Service Pack 1 is not a requirement to install and activate (for free) Windows 10?
Hmmmm.
Makes me wonder about Windows 8?
If 8.1 is required?

 

[Kraw14]

I am downloading windows 10 with the media creation tool right now to a flash drive. Going to do an upgrade install i hope.

 

[Highway]

Well it may just be that in his case, because he was obviously had 7.1 with updates when registered for the update in advance, it would have tied that to his account, so technically didn't require all windows update to patch back up to 7.1 on the fresh wipe prior to upgrade.

As for 8.1, I can't verify that as my Windows was 8.1 Pro retail, so was already at the recommended point.