Windows 10 license question

[VJ]

Hello,

Small question... I have a laptop which is 64 bit compatible; it ran Windows 7 32 bit (out of the box) and it got the free Windows 10 update. The update of course was also 32 bit. Now I want to reinstall Windows to get a clean installation. Can I install 64 bit with this license (will it activate)?

I seem to find that the windows 10 licenses don't really care about 32 or 64 bit, but wanted to double check here...

Thanks,

Jörg

[Jammrock]

The license should be bitness independent. But you likely have a different product key than the one you used for Windows 7. There are some tools and PowerShell scripts out there that will pull your Windows product key from the registry. I would back that up before you rebuild...because you have to completely rebuild from scratch to move from 32-bit to 64-bit.

function Get-WindowsKey {    ## function to retrieve the Windows Product Key from any PC
    ## by Jakob Bindslet (jakob@bindslet.dk)
    param ($targets = "$env:computername")
    $hklm = 2147483650
    $regPath = "Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion"
    $regValue = "DigitalProductId"
    Foreach ($target in $targets) {
        $productKey = $null
        $win32os = $null
        $wmi = [WMIClass]"\\$target\root\default:stdRegProv"
        $data = $wmi.GetBinaryValue($hklm,$regPath,$regValue)
        $binArray = ($data.uValue)[52..66]
        $charsArray = "B","C","D","F","G","H","J","K","M","P","Q","R","T","V","W","X","Y","2","3","4","6","7","8","9"
        ## decrypt base24 encoded binary data
        For ($i = 24; $i -ge 0; $i--) {
            $k = 0
            For ($j = 14; $j -ge 0; $j--) {
                $k = $k * 256 -bxor $binArray[$j]
                $binArray[$j] = [math]::truncate($k / 24)
                $k = $k % 24
            }
            $productKey = $charsArray[$k] + $productKey
            If (($i % 5 -eq 0) -and ($i -ne 0)) {
                $productKey = "-" + $productKey
            }
        }
        $win32os = Get-WmiObject Win32_OperatingSystem -computer $target
        $obj = New-Object Object
        $obj | Add-Member Noteproperty Computer -value $target
        $obj | Add-Member Noteproperty Caption -value $win32os.Caption
        $obj | Add-Member Noteproperty CSDVersion -value $win32os.CSDVersion
        $obj | Add-Member Noteproperty OSArch -value $win32os.OSArchitecture
        $obj | Add-Member Noteproperty BuildNumber -value $win32os.BuildNumber
        $obj | Add-Member Noteproperty RegisteredTo -value $win32os.RegisteredUser
        $obj | Add-Member Noteproperty ProductID -value $win32os.SerialNumber
        $obj | Add-Member Noteproperty ProductKey -value $productkey
        $obj
    }
}

Get-WindowsKey

[VJ]

Thanks!
How do you mean " I would back that up before you rebuild...because you have to completely rebuild from scratch to move from 32-bit to 64-bit."

I plan to boot from a usb pendrive and just do a completely new installation of the system: the system is 7 years old, upgraded from vista to 7 to 10 and never really thoroughly cleaned, so it is in dire need of a new installation. But I will wait for the creator's update, not to have to deal with a big update immediately. Euhm.... how do I execute that script?

O, is the license also language independent or not? I know it is possible to install language packs to change the interface language, but do I need to install the same language version as the one it has now as the first install?

I do not have the laptop yet, but my parents shipped it to me: it is their old laptop, and I need it as mine broke down. I'm expecting it some day next week.

[UtwigMU]

Just install from USB media you made using media creation tool (or extracted iso downloaded from microsoft using 7 zip to ntfs formated usb key drive with single primary active partition). Upon install windows will phone home and see your machine is in database. Windows will be already activated once you arrive at the desktop without you having to enter a key.

[UtwigMU]

If you have any older machines laying around you can install 7, use one of activators or SLIC to activate 7 and then upgrade to Windows 10. It will activate.

[Jammrock]

If you are reinstalling like you plan then you're fine. Just backup your product key (and data obviously) first. Just in case.

The Creator's Update launches on 11 April. You may also see it called Windows 10 1703 (yymm). The ISOs should be updated on the same day.

You can, and should, get the updated ISO directly from Microsoft.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

[cjolley]

There is no upgrade path from 32 to 64. It has to be a fresh install.
If it is w10-32 and activated then MS has already "registered" it. Make sure it's activated, then you can fresh install w10-64 without a key. (though, I would copy the key anyway.)
I actually did this two months ago on my daughter's desktop so I could put in a newer graphics card with 64 bit drivers. No problems. MS recognized it.

http://www.windowscentral.com/how-upgrade-32-bit-64-bit-version-windows-10

[Jammrock]

Looks like the Creator's Update ISO is already live.

http://wccftech.com/download-windows-10-creators-update-iso/

[VJ]

Just install from USB media you made using media creation tool (or extracted iso downloaded from microsoft using 7 zip to ntfs formated usb key drive with single primary active partition). Upon install windows will phone home and see your machine is in database. Windows will be already activated once you arrive at the desktop without you having to enter a key.

Yes, that is how it works with the other computers I have. Just wasn't sure about license regarding 32-bit and 64 bit.

If you are reinstalling like you plan then you're fine. Just backup your product key (and data obviously) first. Just in case.

How do I run the script in Powershell (not much powershell experience here)?

Currently it has a Dutch Windows 10, can I install an English one with the same license, or do I have to install a Dutch one and then install a language pack?


Jörg

[Delany]

How do I run the script in Powershell (not much powershell experience here)?


Jörg

Copy the code that Jammrock has posted above.
Start powershell (easiest way is to type powershell into the search section of your taskbar).
Paste the code into the window when it starts and hit enter.
You should then get the output in the powershell window as well

It will look something like:
Computer : XXXXXXX
Caption : Microsoft Windows 10 Pro
CSDVersion :
OSArch : 64-bit
BuildNumber : 14393
RegisteredTo : XXXXXXX
ProductID : XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX
ProductKey : XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX

[VJ]

The laptop arrived already!
The script worked fine, I have the key.

The only downside about the laptop arriving this early is that I would have to wait longer for the creators update. So I think I will just install the current latest, and perform the update as an update. Previous windows updates went quite fine, so there is no reason why this would be different.

It is a Dutch-language Windows 10 home, but I cannot find if the home license covers other languages. So just to be safe I will install the Dutch Windows x64 and add a language pack. First backing up everything (it should already be backed up, but better safe than sorry).

[UtwigMU]

Languages don't matter. I installed from USB (official MS downloaded) English Windows 10 over Italian Windows 8 on Surface 3. It will ask if you are sure that you want to install different language. Also after you install you can change languages without problems in settings. Install whatever language you like to use or you have downloaded iso. Add other languages.

For example I have English UI but use German, Japanese, Russian and Slovenian input languages.

[VJ]

Well, I installed the 64 bit Dutch Windows, and added the English language pack. It probably would have been faster to just install the English one, but I already had the Dutch one downloaded. There are a few details that do not get translated (e.g. the names of the groups in the start menu), but it really concerns small details that can be manually renamed.

Funny thing... it is the first time I have a big laptop (16.8" screen vs. the 8.9" of the previous laptop), and I will have to get used to it. I noticed one design flaw: the three usb ports are all next to each other on the right side, just in front of the dvd drive. And that is exactly the place where you'd use a mouse. But it will be fine. Now I can again continue working in the weekend...

[UtwigMU]

Just an observation on new PC. I ordered new HP desktop with Windows 10 Pro for company. Since my observation is that it takes forever to uninstall trial Slovenian, Serbian and Croatian Office 365 and other unneeded stuff such as Apple Bonjour etc... I decided to reinstall. Doing so also rids me of recovery partitions (Windows installs quickly from USB 3 to SSD).

I saved product key using Jammrock's script. Then I installed creator's update iso which I downloaded from Microsoft Insider preview site. I reinstalled by blowing away all partitions. After getting to desktop I checked the product key again. Windows is already activated and product key is the same.

[VJ]

I had a bit of fun un-installing Candy Crush, Minecraft, facebook, ... that always kept returning. While there are several solutions online to remove them, it seems to me that it is connected to Windows Store: as soon as I logged in to Windows Store, those apps stopped reinstalling themselves.

While I like Windows 10, I think MS went too far with installing those.