
The process is similar to previous versions of Windows, where you could do a clean installation on a formatted hard drive or partition, then enter your product key after you wrapped things up. Step 1: Install the Right Version of Windows 10įor now, this is only possible if you're installing Insider build 10565 or higher, but these changes will apply to future stable versions of Windows 10 as well. As a result, you can now use your old Windows 7, 8, or 8.1 product key to activate a fresh installation of Windows 10.

Luckily, it looks like these issues have finally been fixed with the latest Insider build of Windows 10, which should be merged into the stable release channel in the coming weeks. Don't Miss: Everything You Need to Disable in Windows 10.Don't Miss: How to Get Your Computer Ready for Windows 10.Upgrading from an existing installation is relatively easy, but when you start with a clean install of Windows 10, you run into some problems. It sounded great on the surface when Microsoft announced that existing Windows 7 or 8 users would be able to upgrade to Windows 10 for free, but the execution so far has left a lot to be desired.
