Windows 10 reinstall

I have a question I hope you guys can help me with.

I have a a retail copy of Windows 7 that I use to reinstall Windows whenever I repair or upgrade my pc, always at hand. I'm not installing Windows on a regular basis but would prefer the option.

When I have to reinstall Windows in the future after installing Windows 10 is there anyway to use the free download to create a Windows 10 "upgrade" disc as I presume I would have to reinstall Windows 7 first?

Thanks.

If your system has Win 10 installed then AFAIK you can just reinstall Win 10, no need to reinstall Win 7 first.

Edited by deleted (Sat 31-Oct-15 10:44:54)

Yep can confirm this is true. Just download the ISO from here. No product key is needed as Microsoft is able to determine your entitlement from the hardware it is installed on.

Agreed
I did that when I had to replace a failed hard drive on a Sony Vaio laptop which was extremely fortunate as the owner hadn't created a Win 7 backup

Once you have upgraded to Windows 10 AND it is activated, you can do a CLEAN INSTALL on that machine anytime using the ISO as Sark says above. No need to enter Product Key. During the clean install, SKIP each time you are asked for the Windows key. It is going to activate afterwards as soon as you connect that computer to the internet.

Also on a later update you will be able to use your Windows 7/8.1 product key, I do not remember what version, it is something I read on a tech site.

Not that I would recommend Windows 10 to be honest

Thanks to everyone for the help and link. I have saved the file.

My only concern is if I upgrade my PC in the future the digital footprint the software has been registered with will change and it perhaps wont let me reinstall the downloaded version.

Basically if I scrap this PC and build another one at a later date will I still be able to install windows10 and use my windows 7 key? {as windows 10 is the upgrade]

I prefer retail versions of windows rather than the OEM one time use discs as I've replaced and rebuilt this PC twice since win7 came out.

You'll be able to install Windows 7 on a newly built PC but not upgrade to Windows 10. The Windows 10 licence is linked to the device/PC and is not transferable. Then again the telephone/manual activation has always been pretty lenient so it might work anyway but don't count on it.

In reply to a post by Sark:

You'll be able to install Windows 7 on a newly built PC but not upgrade to Windows 10. The Windows 10 licence is linked to the device/PC and is not transferable. Then again the telephone/manual activation has always been pretty lenient so it might work anyway but don't count on it.

+1

I was expecting that albeit hopefully I could obviously carry the free upgrade offer everyone has received over for future rebuilds. It's looking not so free now

Thanks very much folks

I just had another look at your first post, and you put you have a retail version of Windows7, in that case you can use your free Windows 8 on any machine you buy or build as long as your windows 7 is not installed on another machine.

I got a retail of Windows 7 and updated to a retail version of Windows 8.1, so I can replace every component in my desktop and still be able to install the free version of Windows 10

You can not do it with OEM


have a look here, took me ages to find it mind you.

When I upgrade a preinstalled (OEM) version of Windows 7 or Windows 8/8.1 license to Windows 10, does that license remain OEM or become a retail license?
If you upgrade from a OEM version of Windows 7 or Windows 8/8.1 to the free Windows 10 upgrade this summer, the license is consumed into it. Because the free upgrade is derived from an OEM base qualifying license, Windows 10 will carry this type of licensing too.
If you upgrade from a retail version, it carries the rights of a retail version.