SOLVED Won't accept product key

[Arthur York]

I have an Hp desktop that has both Windows Vista and W7 installed. Currently I'm using W7.
I'm near the end of installing w10 and it asks me for my 20 digit product key. I have 2 stickers on the computer case, one for each OS. I tried the W7 one first, it would not accept it. Needless to say the key for Vista also would not work either. Suggestions please.

 

[Trouble]

Hello Arthur and welcome to the forum.
I'm not sure exactly what you are doing or how you are attempting to do it, but......
The upgrade from Windows 7 to Windows 10 should not be asking you for a product key.

 

[Arthur York]

Hello Arthur and welcome to the forum.
I'm not sure exactly what you are doing or how you are attempting to do it, but......
The upgrade from Windows 7 to Windows 10 should not be asking you for a product key.

Thanks for your interest. Got it solved!. what it was, the computer has a product key, but it was not enabled. With one mouse click, I registered the OS and got my seal of "Genuine Microsoft". I reran W10 install and it completed the installation without asking me for anything. And to think I was using that computer for 5 years without registering the OS. thanks again.

 

[bj33813]

I am planning on doing a clean install on a new ssd. Will my existing keys for win7 work ok?

 

[clifford_cooley]

I am planning on doing a clean install on a new ssd. Will my existing keys for win7 work ok?

If you install and activate Windows 7 on the SSD first, it will. You must do an upgrade install of Windows 10 and get it activated, before you can clean install Windows 10.

 

[bj33813]

so I would do a new install of win7 (SP1) on the new SSD ...do I need to get all the updates all over again including KB3035583??? Seems a bit of overkill.

 

[clifford_cooley]

Seems a bit of overkill.

This is how it works:

1. The in-place upgrade upgrades your current system and places a new Windows 10 key on the system.
2. The custom clean install needs the key that the upgrade placed on the system to activate.
3. Without first upgrading, Windows 10 can not activate because the upgrade process has not been done.
4. Windows 10 is a free upgrade, clean installs are a bonus to those who have already upgraded.

It is not overkill, it is the way of things and the cost of getting Windows 10 for free.

 

[bj33813]

got it, thanks