Installed Windows 10 on top of legit Windows 8.1 - how to perform a clean install?

Discussion in 'Windows 10' started by MonarchX, Jul 24, 2015.

  1. MonarchX

    MonarchX MDL Expert

    May 5, 2007
    1,732
    313
    60
    #1 MonarchX, Jul 24, 2015
    I installed Windows 10 OEM Pro x64 on top of legit Windows 8.1 Pro x64. It now says "Windows is Activated" in Control Panel > System. How do I get a proper key for Windows 10 now to perform a clean install? There is so much info on this site, but I could not find the exact information I needed...
     
  2. joluboga

    joluboga MDL Member

    Dec 4, 2011
    238
    114
    10
    #2 joluboga, Jul 24, 2015

    You don't need any key. Just install Windows and when it asks for a key, just skip it. Both times.
     
  3. Kyhi

    Kyhi MDL Junior Member

    Jul 16, 2015
    66
    46
    0
    #3 Kyhi, Jul 24, 2015
    if you clean install you will lose activation - the best way to clean install windows now - is to use recovery / reset PC

    been testing provisioning packages .ppkg for the last several days.. Reset is a GREAT freature
     
  4. joluboga

    joluboga MDL Member

    Dec 4, 2011
    238
    114
    10
    #4 joluboga, Jul 24, 2015

    That's not true at all. If you clean install, Windows will reactivate itself, once it's connected to the internet.
     
  5. wiredfin

    wiredfin MDL Novice

    Mar 20, 2015
    42
    8
    0
    #5 wiredfin, Jul 24, 2015
    If you upgraded your Win 8.1 to 10 and then do a clean install SKIP the product key prompts. Boot up normally and you are activated. No need for product key!
     
  6. Mr.X

    Mr.X MDL Guru

    Jul 14, 2013
    8,575
    15,646
    270
    #6 Mr.X, Jul 24, 2015
    Last edited: Jul 24, 2015
    Yep. Once the clean Windows 10 installation retrieves HWID of your machine and from M$ activation servers. The edition is also tied to this HWID.

    HWID is calculated by a M$ algorithm using your onboard NIC MAC address and CPU id. hehe.
     
  7. Hans Moleman

    Hans Moleman MDL Novice

    Jul 23, 2015
    4
    0
    0
    #7 Hans Moleman, Jul 24, 2015
    Is this true? I have windows 10 10240 upgrade activate, but I want clean install. If I clean install can I activate with no key in BIOS and only Windows 7 Pro key?

    Thank you for helping Hans Moleman :eek:
     
  8. joluboga

    joluboga MDL Member

    Dec 4, 2011
    238
    114
    10
    #8 joluboga, Jul 24, 2015
    You don't need any key for a clean installation of Windows 10... AS LONG as you have upgraded first and got activated.

    When you do a clean install, just skip the two serial number requests and Windows 10 will activate itself when you connect to the internet.
     
  9. Mr.X

    Mr.X MDL Guru

    Jul 14, 2013
    8,575
    15,646
    270
    #9 Mr.X, Jul 24, 2015
    Forget the "hehe" part of my previous post... yes it is true.
     
  10. lunario

    lunario MDL Senior Member

    Aug 5, 2012
    379
    45
    10
    #10 lunario, Jul 24, 2015
    Last edited: Jul 24, 2015
    if its activated after you upgraded you don't need keys.. jus clean install and skip the key entering.. it will auto activate when online


    too many replies :D
     
  11. psichokillah

    psichokillah MDL Novice

    Jun 4, 2015
    4
    0
    0
    #11 psichokillah, Jul 24, 2015
    And if it's not legit? Activated with KMSPICO, will it behave the same? :confused::confused::confused::confused:
     
  12. Mr.X

    Mr.X MDL Guru

    Jul 14, 2013
    8,575
    15,646
    270
    #12 Mr.X, Jul 24, 2015
  13. andy.tay70

    andy.tay70 MDL Junior Member

    Dec 15, 2013
    76
    20
    0
    #13 andy.tay70, Jul 26, 2015
    you forgot thr hehe again hehe