[Not working anymore] How to upgrade from W7/8.1 without going through the complete upgrade process

@Utharnl

Use same VM - alternative: copy uuid.bios string from vmx config file

 

Not looking forward to run the win7 vmware through the whole upgrade process.

I assume the alternative method allows me to use GenuineTicket.xml on a new win10 vmware? Do you have detailed steps for this alternative method?

 

@Utharnl
You get your GenuineTicket.xml from a activated Windows 7 as described in #1
Then you reinstall, not upgrade, your VM with Windows 10. (you can of course upgrade as well)
If you like to prepare a whole new VM then you need uuid.bios string from vmx config file of the VM you:
1. Generated your ticket or
2. VM activated with Digital License.
Loose the string and activation is gone.
Same goes if you copy a fully activated Windows 10 VM:
When you start this VM first time you normally(depends on your settings)get a question if you moved or copied the VM.
Always answer you moved it, once you answer you copied it, VMware will generate a new uuid.bios string and your digital license is gone as soon as your VM gets in contact with Microsoft´s license server.
I hope that made sense.

 

Thank you, going to give it a try this evening.
One question when reinstalling the VM with Win10. Do I need to change the vmware settings from win7 to win10 before reinstalling?

 

Nah, it should not be necessary. But it is no problem to change either. You find these settings in options

Just make a copy of your vmx file before you do any changes. Makes life a little easier

 

First time failed, vmware was still connected to the internet when installing Win10.
Second time worked like a charm, vmware win10 is activated and linked to an account.

Now I just need to transfer the license when I have the new pc up and running

 

@Utharnl
Just out of curiosity, could you describe in details first attempt that failed?
Or did you do exactly the same first and second time?
Thanks.

 

@Sajjo
Was only one difference, with the first attempt the vmware was connected to the internet.
For the second attempt I disabled internet for the vmware.
Only after win10 was installed and I copied the GenuineTicket.xml I enabled internet again and restarted the pc. After that is was immediately activated.

 

As of May 1st:
- installed Windows 8.1 Pro activated with MSToolkit (KMS) on a new board
- upgraded to Windows 10 Pro v1511 without internet connection (I needed the cable for another computer )
- connected to internet and it activated successfully
- clean install of Windows 10 Pro v1903, still activated

So:
For older computers = Win7 + Daz Loader, create GenuineTicket.xml, disconnect from internet, clean install of latest WIn10 build, restore GenuineTicket.xml, reboot and connect to internet
For newer computers (where Win7 can't see hdd/ssd) = Win8.1 + MSToolkit/KMS, disconnect from internet, upgrade with Win10 v1511, connect to internet and wait until it is activated, then clean install of latest Win10 build
For VMWare to any computer = do either of the above in VMWare (you can skip the clean install in the Win8.1 method), then transfer license to real PC running Windows 10 with same M$ account

 

VMWare license transfer did not work, got the following message:
"These devices were registered with a version of windows 10 that does not support this feature."

Any idea how to solve this?

 

If you upgraded Windows 10 from a Windows 7 OEM (Daz loader), I don't believe these can be transferred, only if Windows 7 was retail licensed. You can still use the Windows 8.1 + Windows 10 v1511 method, at least that is guaranteed to work.

 

@johnye_pt
Good to know, vmware is not an option for me then.
Got the new pc activated now.

 

Not true,I upgraded from win 7 activated with daz loader to win 10 successfully & many others have done the same.In fact all daz loader activations are oem only & daz loader is the only option for using win 7 ultimate version.

 

Can you describe here exactly what steps you took before getting the above error message?

 

As @johnye_pt mentioned. You can activate Windows 10 just fine using Daz + gatherosstate method but you can't use it to transfer a license to another Pc.

Below are the steps I remembered doing. Let me know if you need more details for some parts.

@whitestar_999
Sure, not a problem.
Part 1 - VMWare
-Install Win7 ultimate on VMWare
-Activate using Daz
-Use gatherosstate.exe for xml file
-Reinstall VMWare with Win10 Pro (with internet turned off)
-Place xml file in Win10
-Restart VMWare with internet enabled.
-Check activation. (VMWare with Win10 Pro successful activated at this point.)
Part 2 - Desktop Pc
-Log into microsoft account website and check if the newly activated VMWare is listed under devices. (VMWare was listed here)
-Go to the activation page on Pc
-Press troubleshoot, follow the steps to transfer license.
-At this point it fails and you get the above error message.

 

You misunderstood. Utharnl's problem was not activation, but transferring the activated Windows 10 license from a virtual vmware machine to a real machine, which won't work if you upgraded to Windows 10 from a Windows 7 OEM license. I personally never tried transferring a license from a Windows 8.1 KMS -> Windows 10 v1511 upgrade but I believe it works perfectly fine. Nevertheless I always prefer doing it all directly on the target machine.

 

@Enthousiast if it is possible for you can you please confirm the above because if it is true then it seems that the 1st post in this thread needs to be modified.

 

The first post is correct, the title of the topic is "How to upgrade from W7/8.1 without going through the complete upgrade process" and that's exactly what it describes. I did upgrade from Windows 8.1 KMS to Windows 10 v1511 but I didn't use the GenuineTicket.xml method, I might try that next time just to confirm if it also works. Maybe the 1st post could be updated to include the v1511 method, but not everyone has that version available to use.

EDIT: didn't noticed about the virtual machine suggestion in the 1st post LOL. I guess the Windows 7 OEM ugrade path and license transfer should really be confirmed if it does or does not work then, because it seems it doesn't.

 

That is necessary for certain cases.e.g.many latest laptops only have win 10 drivers.Anyway there should be no technical differences between a license obtained from upgrading a win 7 ultimate activated with daz loader or a "genuine retail win 7 ultimate"(which I am sure is a minority of users here or elsewhere).I will do a test & post my findings later.