Win7 Key Code in Win11?
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nlinecomputers
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It’s not very likely that you will have a system running Windows 7 on the hardware needed to run 11. 8th gen CPUs shipped with 10.
britechguy
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@nlinecomputers
But that wasn't the question. Many have used Windows 7 Keys/Key Codes (whichever term you prefer) to do a fresh install of Windows 10. Microsoft encouraged that practice.
The question is does that still work if it's a fresh/new install of Windows 11? Given the development history of Win11, I'd be shocked if it did not.
But that wasn't the question. Many have used Windows 7 Keys/Key Codes (whichever term you prefer) to do a fresh install of Windows 10. Microsoft encouraged that practice.
The question is does that still work if it's a fresh/new install of Windows 11? Given the development history of Win11, I'd be shocked if it did not.
Markverhyden
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Just finished spinning up a clean install of W11 on a VM using a OEM W7 Home Prem key. It activated as W11 Home. For some reason I got an OOBE kb error but it did finish and works fine.
The 8th gen CPU is only a limit for automatically upgrading vis M$ Updates/App Store. When doing it fresh from a bootable media that is ignored. What will stop a clean install is not having TPM or not having 64 bit iron underneath. Even then the TPM is not completely fatal but I wouldn't do any production installs without TPM. The link below shows how to disable the TPM check during an install. It's worked fine for several W11 installs in ESXi.
Install Windows 11 as VM on VMware vSphere / Workstation without TPM 2.0
All about End User Computing, AVD, Windows 365 and Infrastructure as Code (IaC)
www.ivobeerens.nl
nlinecomputers
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Exactly. My point is that if you are doing a legal upgrade within the specs you'd be hard pressed to find a system that doesn’t already have 10. I don’t really think I’ll see legitimate jumps from 7 to 11. I’m not doing Windows 7 upgrades anymore.Just finished spinning up a clean install of W11 on a VM using a OEM W7 Home Prem key. It activated as W11 Home. For some reason I got an OOBE kb error but it did finish and works fine.
The 8th gen CPU is only a limit for automatically upgrading vis M$ Updates/App Store. When doing it fresh from a bootable media that is ignored. What will stop a clean install is not having TPM or not having 64 bit iron underneath. Even then the TPM is not completely fatal but I wouldn't do any production installs without TPM. The link below shows how to disable the TPM check during an install. It's worked fine for several W11 installs in ESXi.
Install Windows 11 as VM on VMware vSphere / Workstation without TPM 2.0
All about End User Computing, AVD, Windows 365 and Infrastructure as Code (IaC)
britechguy
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Again, not the point, even though true. There still exist quite a few unused Win7 license keys sitting about out there just waiting to be used for either Windows 10 or Windows 11 installs. And so long as they can be, that's a major cost savings for those that have them.
GTP
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Slightly off topic but...
I purchased a bulk lot of Windows Vista OEM keys from a supplier just before Win 7 came out.
I used those keys to update to 7, then 8/8.1 and now 10.
I'm wondering if after all the cloning to new PC's and more modern hardware over the years whether they'll update to 11?
I purchased a bulk lot of Windows Vista OEM keys from a supplier just before Win 7 came out.
I used those keys to update to 7, then 8/8.1 and now 10.
I'm wondering if after all the cloning to new PC's and more modern hardware over the years whether they'll update to 11?
nlinecomputers
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How? Microsoft has never offered any kind of free upgrade until Windows 10.
GTP
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Usually through Windows Update, and during N & P's by just feeding it the key when asked?
Oh, and also using the 1800 number to activate.
Oh, and also using the 1800 number to activate.
nlinecomputers
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You are saying that you activated Windows 7 using a windows Vista key?
Sky-Knight
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If you had a retail copy of Win7, and you upgraded it and moved it all along...
Since the upgrade from 10 to 11 is free, there is a path here to legally take 7 to 11. Even with a hardware swap.
Since the upgrade from 10 to 11 is free, there is a path here to legally take 7 to 11. Even with a hardware swap.
GTP
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It was a long time ago so memory is shaky but I think so. I think I used the 1800 number somewhere along the line too.
nlinecomputers
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With respect you are not recalling correctly. Until Windows 10 Microsoft has NEVER offered a free upgrade and only Windows 7 or 8 could be upgraded to it. Windows 7 had a paid upgrade version that was cheaper than the full retail.
The only exceptions were on some OEM machines that were introduced just as the new version of Windows came out. The OEMs offered coupons that allowed for a free upgrade but you had to get the disk from the OEM.
GTP
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Ahhh yes you are correct, thank you. I do remember the OEM upgrade disks now.
As I stated I purchased the bulk lot of Vista disks just before Windows 7 was released so the upgrades would have been done with the supplied OEM upgrade disks or coupon that allowed an upgrade.
Seems so long ago now.
NviGate Systems
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Not true. Microsoft offered a free mail in upgrade set of Windows 7 Upgrades to eligible customers who purchased systems or retail copies of Vista 6 months before the launch date.
GTP
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I think these were the coupons mentioned earlier.
You could use the coupon to redeem an "Upgrade key" for Win 7.
NviGate Systems
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Microsoft says Vista buyers to get free Windows 7
britechguy
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Microsoft says Vista buyers to get free Windows 7
abcnews.go.com
My memory is still that these were, for all practical intents and purposes, a typical license "sold cheap" rather than a truly separate class of license if you could supply proof of your purchase date that was within the window. I could be wrong, though.
I don't recall any process that allowed anything akin to the in-place upgrade keeping all files and apps like you can from Win7/8/8.1 to 10. It was a Nuke & Pave upgrade, if memory serves (and it very well may not. That is more than a lifetime ago in computing terms, and very little mental lint from that era remains).
nlinecomputers
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I covered that. I don’t recall seeing that offer with Retail boxes but maybe so. Vista was such a disaster that I could see M$ tossing that bone.
nlinecomputers
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Windows 7 quite easily upgraded from Vista. From Xp you had to do an N and P for Vista or 7. It was too radical a change under the hood for anything else.
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