I tried to follow the Win10 upgrade process, first using the windows update method (which got stuck on “beginning download”), then using an .ISO (downloaded with the media creation tool) copied to an Easy2boot USB stick. A clean install was performed as soon as I selected the install partition with NO upgrade options being offered and no warning/prompt that my apps & data would be deleted (although it did say windows.old would be created). I then tried by runing setup from an expanded copy of the .ISO with identical results. All my files & apps were removed. A windows.old was created but the recovery option under settings did not list the option to roll back to Windows 7. Fortunately I was able to restrore from an image backup.
I wonder are there different versions of the .ISO available, some of which only perform clean installs, or could there be some other reason?
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Upgrade fails
Home » Forums » AskWoody support » Windows » Windows 10 » Questions: Win10 » Upgrade fails
- This topic has 9 replies, 6 voices, and was last updated 8 years, 10 months ago.
AuthorTopicWShenryvii
AskWoody LoungerJuly 13, 2016 at 7:41 am #506194Viewing 5 reply threadsAuthorReplies-
joep517
AskWoody MVPJuly 13, 2016 at 10:41 am #1570180 -
Rick Corbett
AskWoody MVPJuly 13, 2016 at 2:44 pm #1570204There are 3 ways to upgrade to Windows 10 from Windows 7.
1. By Windows Update.
2. By In-Place Upgrade Install.
3. By Clean Install.Just to clarify, methods 1 and 2 will automatically re-use the device’s current Windows activation status and, after upgrade and connection to the internet, will create/save the info – together with a unique hardware ID for the device – as a ‘Digital Entitlement’ on MS’ activation servers.
Method 3 – as ‘clean install’ implies – will not activate the device automatically unless you have a qualifying Windows Product Key (usually found on a Certificate Of Authenticity sticker attached to the device) so make sure you have this available before you start a ‘clean install’, especially if you have a laptop.
Can anyone make out the Product Key from this burned and faded COA sticker (from a laptop I was asked to upgrade to Win 10).
44981-laptop-coa
Click to enlargeAlternatively, save the device’s current activation status before the ‘clean install’ and restore it after the upgrade. See =Installation%20and%20Setup”]steps 4 to 6 inclusive and steps 8 to 11 inclusive in this article for more info.
Hope this helps…
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CADesertRat
AskWoody PlusJuly 13, 2016 at 6:05 pm #1570217Can anyone make out the Product Key from this burned and faded COA sticker (from a laptop I was asked to upgrade to Win 10)
Wow, that COA has been through the mill!!!! Since you took a pic, have you tried the magnifier?
Don't take yourself so seriously, no one else does
All W10 Pro at 22H2,(2 Desktops, 1 Laptop). -
Rick Corbett
AskWoody MVPJuly 13, 2016 at 6:30 pm #1570221Since you took a pic, have you tried the magnifier?
The pic itself was actually quite good quality seeing that it was taken using an 8 megapixel smartphone. I couldn’t make out the product key even after enlarging the pic but – by comparing it to other COA’s – worked out that, based on the green border at the bottom, it was most likely a version of Windows Vista, not Windows 7.
PS – “Can anyone make out the Product Key from this burned and faded COA sticker?” was rhetorical. The laptop did turn out to be pre-Windows 7, had a damaged screen and, given its age and cost of a replacement, was scrapped 2 days ago. I just took a photo of the COA to show the state of it.
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WSjwitalka
AskWoody LoungerJuly 13, 2016 at 6:14 pm #1570218Can anyone make out the Product Key from this burned and faded COA sticker (from a laptop I was asked to upgrade to Win 10)
Why not try running Magical Jellybean key finder on the laptop:
https://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder/Jerry
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WSSudo
AskWoody LoungerJuly 13, 2016 at 6:25 pm #1570220Why not try running Magical Jellybean key finder on the laptop:
https://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder/Jerry
If it’s an OEM machine then Magic Jellybean will only give the vendor’s generic key which will not be accepted.
If the Win 10 upgrade doesn’t come via Windows Updates which is unusual (I’m sick of hiding it), then use the Upgrade for free or Get started links in https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/windows-10-upgrade
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WSSudo
AskWoody Lounger -
CADesertRat
AskWoody Plus -
Rick Corbett
AskWoody MVPJuly 13, 2016 at 7:43 pm #1570249Sounds like good detective work though.
Not really. I have a couple of Windows 7 laptops and could see that their COAs looked different. I just did a search for images in Google for “Windows Vista COA” and within a few seconds found several pics of Vista Home Premium and Vista Pro that had the same green border on the bottom.
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