Windows 7 to Windows 10 upgrade license question

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oakland

19 posts

Geek

#223854 20-Oct-2017 13:15

This is for those who upgraded for free from Windows 7 to 10. During the upgrade process I was given an option of saving a license key file. I have the file without an extension but can't open it in any program.

I know the licenses for free upgrades are saved in Microsoft servers and are linked to the original device but does someone know where and how that key file is used?

Thanks.

yitz

2074 posts

Uber Geek

#1886951 20-Oct-2017 14:03

I don't recall anything relating to an option to save a 'license key file' in Windows 10 Setup or the operating system itself.

I'm aware of third party tools for Windows 7 and earlier and Windows 8 that save and restore the Windows activation state but not for Windows 10.

kiwicam

136 posts

Master Geek

#1886955 20-Oct-2017 14:08

The license should be hardware based now. If you're using the same hardware it should just activate automatically - no key required.

That's my understanding. I'm not sure about saving the license, I don't recall seeing that option.

xpd

Geek @ Coastguard NZ
13765 posts

Uber Geek

Retired Mod

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1886973 20-Oct-2017 14:34

Ive done multiple upgrades from 7 to 10, and never seen a prompt for saving a key.

How did you do the upgrade ? Was it an inline one or downloaded the ISO and ran that.... ?

Regardless, the key is based on the hardware in your system (primarily CPU, motherboard I think), so having a saved key is pointless.

If you're using some 3rd party way of doing the upgrade, Id stop and use the proper way.

Gavin / xpd / FastRaccoon / Geek of Coastguard New Zealand

LinkTree

oakland

19 posts

Geek

#1887006 20-Oct-2017 15:05

xpd:

Ive done multiple upgrades from 7 to 10, and never seen a prompt for saving a key.

How did you do the upgrade ? Was it an inline one or downloaded the ISO and ran that.... ?

Regardless, the key is based on the hardware in your system (primarily CPU, motherboard I think), so having a saved key is pointless.

If you're using some 3rd party way of doing the upgrade, Id stop and use the proper way.

Hi xpd, I did the upgrade sometime in 2016. It was an online upgrade that I started from Control Panel instead of the separate Windows 10 upgrade applet. No third party tool involved.

yitz

2074 posts

Uber Geek

#1887023 20-Oct-2017 15:27

Do you remember at which point in the upgrade process you were offered the option of saving a license key file?

oakland

19 posts

Geek

#1887027 20-Oct-2017 15:37

yitz: Do you remember at which point in the upgrade process you were offered the option of saving a license key file?

Don't remember as it was over a year ago. Not a big issue just trying to solve the mystery.

TLD

902 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1887079 20-Oct-2017 17:59

caminham:

The license should be hardware based now. If you're using the same hardware it should just activate automatically - no key required.

That's my understanding. I'm not sure about saving the license, I don't recall seeing that option.

This tells you how to reactivate after a hardware change

https://www.windowscentral.com/how-re-activate-windows-10-after-hardware-change

I don't know how far that goes though. If the Windows license is an OEM type of thing that came with a pre-built system, I wouldn't have thought you could transfer it to a new build.

Trevor Dennis
Rapaura (near Blenheim)