Activate Windows 10 with Windows 7 key after upgrade period?

I have a system that was running Windows 10. It was originally a DreamSpark Windows 7 Professional key that was installed as Windows 7 and then upgraded to Windows 10 back in March.

Recently, the hard drive died and I need to reinstall Windows. I want to get back on Windows 10, but I'm not sure which version to install. Also, the hard drive is 100% dead and I have no access to the data on it.

Can I install Windows 10 and use the original Windows 7 key to activate it outside of the upgrade period? Or should I install Windows 7 and redo the whole upgrade path with the assistive technologies "exploit"?

Charlie Laabs

Posted 2016-08-06T23:27:20.557

Reputation: 11

1Just install Windows 10, same version you had installed, when prompted for a key indcate "you don't have one" once Windows 10 is installed it will be activated – Ramhound – 2016-08-07T00:04:31.663

Answers

If you activated Windows 10 using an original Windows 7 key during the free period, then Microsoft will have that in their database, so if you install Windows 10 with the same key on the same computer it should recognize that as legitimate.

user576053

Posted 2016-08-06T23:27:20.557

Reputation:

Alright sounds good. I wasn't sure if upgrading to Windows 10 generated an alternate key that I lost when the hard drive died. – Charlie Laabs – 2016-08-06T23:34:59.400

Actually you don't need a key of it was activated previously. – Moab – 2016-08-07T00:21:37.050

I suspect in a future .ISO release it won't even accept those keys. The current .ISO installer accepts it because the Insider Preview build was released before the offer expired. – Ramhound – 2016-08-07T00:27:40.883