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

Well that threw me... Went to post some new info about the AT upgrade and found myself here!

Using GenuineTicket from the AT upgrade and dropping it into fresh standard ISO install -> Activated.
A reminder : I could not get this to work using gatherosstate from the standard ISO install yesterday. (Worked last week)

Could have been a glitch? Maybe. But I know that AT upgrader generates valid a GenuineTicket at least. Would like to get this sped up a bit, but handy to know in case ISO method of gatherosstate gets shut off?

Edit:
Found another laptop to play with. Going to try stock ISO method to rule out glitch now...
Edit2:
Did the old method with 1511 ISO's gatherosstate/GenuineTicket. Machine is not activated and will not activate.

 

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I am not clear what you are saying.
Does that means xml created with gatherosstate from ISO v1511 will not activate on clean install using RS1 ISO?

 

Has anybody tried using the gatherosstate.exe from the 1607 ISO?
I know that a genuinecertificate.xml generated with gatherosstate.exe of 10240 would NOT activate in a 1511 10586 install.
Viceversa it was the same situation, it would not activate.

Inserting the .xml generated with the matching gatherosstate.exe to the windows installation would activate.
I will give it a try when I have a chance, but I was wondering if someone else had already tried it.

Alex

 

Hi,
I'm sorry if someone already mentioned this (really not able tyo read this all), maybe someone find it usefull.

Regarding the steps 2.4, 2.5 and 2.6 mentioned in the tutorial from the first post of this thread, I would like to say that I do it quite simpler and without the need for internet disconnect.

What I do:

Step 1 - NO, I don't do that, never did

Steps from 2 to 2.2. It's necessary for obvious reason .

Next steps in my version of the process involves the following:

• a) boot from install media (preferably the USB since it is not so convenient to save the GenuineTicket.xml to an optical medium like DVD or so
• b) Immediately after the language selection window appear (before running the main setup program for short) I press Shift+F10 which (as you surely know) runs the command line window. I run diskpart, select disk 0 and clean - since there is probably the previous Windows version where I generated the GenuineTicket.xml)
• c) while leaving the cmd window opened switching back to setup and do the usual steps. Skipping entering the key and optionaly chosing the Proper edition .
• d) immediately after the file copy process begins switching to the cmd window where diskpart is still running. If not, run it and type lis vol (aka list volume) which will help me to guess the letter of the installation media and the volume where the OS is unpacking right now.
  Since the unpacking (Copying files…) takes a while, I have the time to copy the GenuineTicket.xml now. I leave diskpart and simly type something like copy D:\GenuineTicket.xml E:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\ClipSVC\GenuineTicket\ - the Tab key is very helpful here so I do not need to exactly remember the whole path - I just type E:\ProgramD - press Tab (autocompletes to ProgramData) then \Mi + Tab .... etc...). I probably explain it so it looks more difficult but in the end it is actually very easy.
• e) after copying the GenuineTicket.xml I can close the cmd window completely and leave the setup do its job.

Copying the GenuineTicket in this stage utilizes the fact that the computer is not connected to the internet yet and doing it right after the copying starts is convenient in the way that you are already doing something (clicking the setup buttons and therefore you don't waste your time - in fact you're saving your time a bit .

 

Wouldn't it be simpler to mount the install.wim and pre-insert the ticket, unmount and install?

 

(still) Working just great on a new Windows 10 Anniversary installation. From my validated Windows 7 Ultimate, did the trick to get the genuineticket.xml, installed Windows 10 from scratch, and activated no problem.

Huge thanks for this easy way to still upgrade

 

quick question, i currently have a vl w10 installation on this pc, if i open up a vm unit and install w7 then upgrade to w10 to obtain the activation, and later do a clean windows install outside vm, will it activate?

 

No, because HWID (Hardware ID) will be different. Which VL version do you have installed? You can try entering the Win7 key and see if it still activates. If not, then you can consider installing Win7 as a dual boot (or to another hard drive) and upgrading using the assistive technologies upgrader. Or generate a GenuineTicket.xml in Win7 using gatherosstate.exe from the Win10 ISO, clean install Win10 and activate using the XML (just search the forum or net for details about this method).

 

pro vl and will move to retail. i already did a assistive technologies upgrade on another pc and i wanted to do on this one too but i really can't do a clean instalation these days and who know how long until microsoft will disable the upgrade method. i thought you can clone your hardware id to vm unit.

 

It depends on what you mean by simpler. Since the GenuineTicket is for one machine only, I think it would be quite uncomfortable for this one step to unpack all the image and the repack it again (which is mount and unmount with commit changes). For me it's simpler to copy the ticket to a USB drive and while the setup unpacks the files copy the ticket to the destination folder. It is much less time consuming.

 

Thanks for confirming!

 

I think I'm missing something, since a lot of this thread seems a bit complicated. Is this because the issue is to get Win10 activation without having access to an unused (for upgrade) Win7/8 license?

Anyway, even now a week after 7/29, I'm still able to clean install Win10 onto a bare drive and activate using Win7 keys without trouble. I hadn't expected it to work and am thinking MS might kill it soon... or maybe not. If they still want to reach a billion Win10 devices, they should leave this working...

Basically, I use a stock Win10 ISO (anything available from Nov 2015 to now is working). Skip entering a key during installation. Once in Windows, change the product key to the default one for OEM channel (home or pro). This fails to activate of course, but takes it out of retail channel. Then can change product key one more time to an actual Win7 OEM key. Then it activates just fine.

Sorry if I'm stating the obvious but I think a good number of people are on PCs that have Win7 keys on the box and don't really need to do anything very complex to get Win10 activated, even with a clean install.

 

Simply upgrading to get a Digital license for free still works. This thread is about avoiding the upgrade process entirely and directly clean install 10 after generating the genuineticket.xml on the activated 7SP1/8.1.

Inserting genuinekeys (7/8.x) for activating after installing 10 has worked from 10586.0 and up, i can't confirm it still works just as i can't confirm the gatherosstate/genuineticket route still works. I think it will work as long as the "upgrade to get a 10 Digital License for free" does.

They've made upgrading a bit difficult when you use a 14393.10 (current CU pre-integrated). The screens are a bit misleading, for example:

Win 7 SP1 Ultimate (Slic2.1 activated).
Insert a 10 Multiple Editions ISO, start setup.
It will ask for a key, but if you click on "Reinstall Win 10" (loosly translated from dutch), shown in small txt under the key bar, it will upgrade to 10 Pro without any hustle

Will try to reproduce in english incl screens asap (laptop is back to the owner).

 

i have GenuineTicket.xml i generated today.

Right now i am downloading windows 10 pro iso

After that i shall mount it on usb and do a fresh install.

Will this gatherostate xml generated today will work on my fresh install?

Or I have to use the assistive technology hack?

I am confused, please guide me?

Thank you

 

The normal (direct iso) upgrade to get a HWID still works (no need to use assistive hack anyway), the genuineticket.xml method should also still work.

 

Thank you mate and thanks OP

My windows 10 is activated