New Mac: Reinstall Win10 with Win7 DVD

[AnTaR3s]

Hey

I have purchased Win7 quite a while ago and upgraded to Win10 a few months ago. Now that I am getting my new iMac tomorrow, I worry that I can't install Windows anymore. I only have the Windows 7 DVD + key which should be deactivated, right?

Can I install Win7 via Bootcamp and then upgrade again to Windows 10? I realise there could be activation problems with the hardware change, but if that is the case, I would buy another license. First, I want to install it.

What's the procedure here? Just go with the Win7 DVD?

thanks!

 

[campyguy]

I went through the install shenanigans a few weeks ago, it's a major PITA. Yes, you'd be able to start with the Win 7 install and upgrade to Win 10 and the randomized key that goes with it. But, if you can hold out until the first week of November, you'll be able to use your Win 7 key directly with a clean install of Win 10 - fast tracked Insiders already have access to this new feature.
http://www.express.co.uk/life-style...Windows-10-Microsoft-Free-Upgrade-Product-Key pretty much spells it out.

 

[AnTaR3s]

Hey

Thanks for your answer. So basically with the new Windows version I could enter the old Windows 7 license after clean installing Windows 10, right?

How did you manage to solve it?

 

[campyguy]

Right, but you'd need to wait until MS comes out with that pretty massive update that will be baked into Win 10. I've gotten off the Insider Track since I need to get some work done, but the dance of installing and updating Win installs is near an end IMHO.

My dance involved backing up my data, installing clean Win 7 or Win 8 with a key number, then upgrading to Win 10 with an ISO. All 64-bit Pro keys. Except for one 32-bit Win 8/8.1 - I DLed/installed a 64-bit Win 10 ISO and did not activate it (using the 30-day activation period to my advantage), downgraded to Win 8 64-bit, then used my 32-bit license to activate that install, updated to 8.1, then upgraded back to Win 10 64-bit - a real PITA! I also used Parallels Desktop to clone each install so I have relatively clean disk images if I ever need them!

The new activation process is stupid easy.

 

[AnTaR3s]

Hm. I obviously want to avoid spending a day or two with this, but I will install Win 10 tomorrow and if it does not work out in a manageable way, I will just do a clean install once they release the update.

I'll post how it goes...!

EDIT: In case anyone is reading this, I had to return my iMac and will only get a new machine in a few weeks!

 

[AnTaR3s]

Just in case anyone is reading this:
I finally got my replacement and installed Windows 10 with the Bootcamp Assistant. I simply used the Windows 10 1511 ISO, which is the first Win version that allows users to activate the Win 10 copy with an older license (I have mine from Win 7 which I bought a few years ago). Worked like a charm

I encountered two issues:
- The Win 10 installation is not retina optimized. You have to get close to the screen
- On the first run I could not install Win 10, because I had a USB Flash drive plugged in. So, just make sure nothing is plugged in when installing.

 

[Mike Boreham]

I encountered two issues:
- The Win 10 installation is not retina optimized. You have to get close to the screen

Windows 10 is absolutely fine with Retina. You need to change the display settings to 200%. Then logout and login.
Windows 8.1 is also fine but Windows 7 is not.

 

[AnTaR3s]

Windows 10 is absolutely fine with Retina. You need to change the display settings to 200%. Then logout and login.
Windows 8.1 is also fine but Windows 7 is not.

Sorry, I was not clear on that. Win 10 is fine, yes, but the installation procedure itself is not

 

[Mike Boreham]

Sorry, I was not clear on that. Win 10 is fine, yes, but the installation procedure itself is not

Ah yes ! that is true.