So hey guys, I finally manned up and upgraded to Windows 10 after over two years of delaying it. I’m using Windows 10 Pro(instead of Home). However, there’s a high chance I’ll have to go back to 7 (and it won’t be because I hate 10).
Let me explain.
Tulsi, I thought he had everything ready on his end in order to assist me if the need would arise. And I had the ISO on my USB Drive, all ready to go. And it made me feel confident enough to finally stop thinking about it and start the process of upgrading. After a few minor “issues” of forgetting how to get into BIOS (apparently it’s been long enough that the Delete key escaped my mind).
But finally I was in, and adjusted the boot order to the USB Drive. The installation went surprisingly well (no hanging) and I was in! And then it was time to find my Windows 7 OEM Product Key and activate Windows.
I typed it very carefully, reading back every letter and number. After the last number, Windows began checking if there would be no problems….and sadly there was (with it flat out telling me “it doesn’t work”.
Great. Just great. This is the same issue I had with reinstalling 7 (and had to get Microsoft’s phone support to help me). But this time, I don’t have that luxury. Tulsi is surprised and shocked that it didn’t work, but I wasn’t. It’s not a Windows 10 OEM Product key. 😛
He’s trying to find a clean Windows Toolkit for me..at least I thought he was until he stopped talking, and I can’t get a peep out of him.
Debating of going back to 7, knowing I’m going to have the issue with the key (again), and have to again get their phone support to help me. But with my luck, the key is probably expired (and I’ll be forced to go on and pay the $100, no matter what).
If I do manage to activate 7, I’m going to try the assistive technologies approach to get 10.
So this is just me, reporting in of what’s going on. This post will likely be edited as time goes by (hopefully with good edits).
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And indeed, I do have good edits! I got it! 😀 But did I go through some fun times in getting it.
So I restart, get back into BIOS and reconfigure the main boot device to be my CD-RW DVD-ROM Combo drive, put my Windows 7 OEM CD in and start installing. As it installs, a thought suddenly pops into my mind. Remembering what I read on Microsoft’s website of the assistive technologies thing, to pick the correct Windows install based on your current install.
And finally it hit me of why the key didn’t work! Tulsi must’ve had Windows 7 Pro, which is why he was able to have Windows 10 Pro. I cannot, because I have Windows 7 Home. Yet Tulsi still wasn’t responding to me, so I continued with the install.
When I reached the point where it asks me to create a local account for my computer, it’s like my keyboard just suddenly died. I’m seriously freaking out, knowing I don’t have a replacement. Did try a backup keyboard thinking “if this one works, it proves my keyboard’s dead”, but it too refuses to work! I tried to do a ‘restart’ (which was having to hit the switch on my PSU). When the thing about “Windows didn’t shut down properly” came up, I was able to use my keyboard there..proving it’s not dead.
I looked on my phone, desperate for answers (because this has never happened to me in my history of installing a Windows OS). Someone mentioned something about “Windows 7 doesn’t have USB 3.0 drivers when installing. Plug your keyboard into a USB 2.0 port”. At the time it confused me, as I was pretty sure I had it plugged correctly. As I was about to check, Tulsi finally responded again. He suggested I try reinstalling 10 by using the key (and just going from there), but I told him I had more pressing concerns at the time.
Then I tried to move one plug I saw in the USB 3.0 port to the 2.0.. and it worked! My keyboard’s working again! So all of that time, I had mistaken one plug as the keyboard (when the real plug was still in a USB 3.0 port).
Talked with Tulsi, telling him I haven’t completed the Windows 7 install yet. But then I had a thought of turning off my computer, going back in BIOS and tell it to use the USB Drive, maybe it would take over. And sure enough it did.
When the first popup came to asking for my key, I typed it in carefully, and prayed to the lord almighty that it worked. It had seemed to, as this time I wasn’t presented with a “what Windows 10 version do you want” popup.
And now I’m here, and Windows is now activated! Victory! Thank GOD the key still works!! And now I have access to all personalization features.
Yes.. either I’m missing something, but it’s like half the features I’ve seen from other videos, aren’t here. It almost feels like ‘punishment’ for not having Windows 10 Pro. It feels disturbing.
Plus I don’t see any trace of this “delay updates for 35 days” thing. I’ll try to get these Windows Updates, and see if it might add it. Maybe what I have now is out of date..at least, I hope so.