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Enter product key during Windows 10 clean install or not?

1K views 14 replies 5 participants last post by  Johnny b 
#1 ·
I'm having a friend nuke (DBAN) his hard drive. He has Windows 7 on the machine and he's written down the product key. Then we're going to do a clean install with the Media Creation Tool. If a screen comes up (somewhat similar to the attachment) like this, should he enter his product key or just continue on with the installation and enter it when the installation is complete? Thanks
 

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#3 ·
Thanks, Frank, but MCT has failed in the upgrade and clean install (via USB stick) on this guy's computer that's why I'm going with DBAN (in hopes of eluding the error that was stoppinig the upgrade and clean install).

And why should I wait before using the Windows 7 key to activate the Windows 10? If I get the product key activation window during the installation, I'll be nervous to pass it up.
 
#4 ·
When clean installing/reinstalling Windows there’s no need to enter the key as it should find the details once you log in to your Microsoft account & activate with the digital entitlement connected to the account.
 
#5 ·
When clean installing/reinstalling Windows there's no need to enter the key as it should find the details once you log in to your Microsoft account & activate with the digital entitlement connected to the account.
If you have a MS account.
I don't and needed to enter the Product Key (on the case sticker) upon activation.
I still don't have a MS account and don't intend to sign up for one.
 
#6 ·
#13 ·
I have recently (right around 01.10.20) upgraded two Windows 7 to Windows 10 computers and I did a clean install on a Windows 7 to Windows 10 computer and none of them asked for the product key. Who knows how long it will last, but all three have activated Windows 10 licenses. The clean install had a MS account (before the clean install), the two upgrades did not have MS accounts (and I did not create MS accounts on either--what I ran into was a screen that tried to trick me into creating MS accounts and I clicked on a little link in the lower left hand corner that said "Less experience."
 
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