All my windows 10 problems in one place..

[jayblazer]

Alright I updated to technical preview 10041 back when it first came out and I haven't been able to update since.
now the full version is out and I cant quit figure out how to update still. first thing is I don't have my original Windows 8 product
key. I did try to find it but got the generic 10 T.P. key. That's problem 1. Number 2 is that I have finally got it to start installing after making a boo-table USB drive with another computer but I do not have enough disk space. Its a Stream 11 notebook so it only has like 4 GB available with everything removed that I can. I do have the option to "Format" a drive partition to make room for the install but I'm not sure if that would really mess things up. I kind of think it should be fine as long as I don't do it on the partition that Windows is installed on but I would like some expert input. Thanks in advance for any help you can offer..

 

[mj0]

The Stream 11 is rather new thus there is no printed product key for that device. It's embedded in the device's firmware and Windows will detect it automatically during setup. Thus, here's what you have to do in order to get your free Windows 10 upgrade:

1. Make a backup of your data
2. Erase everything and reinstall Windows 8 (or 8.1 depending on what OS your device initially came with) from scratch
3. Run Windows update until you get the Windows 10 upgrade offer (might, or most likely will, take a few hours)
4. Do an in-place upgrade to Windows 10
5. Run disk clean and select "Clean up system files" to make space on your internal harddrive again
6. Restore your personal files from backup
7. Enjoy.

 

[jayblazer]

I'm afraid I don't have a way to reinstall windows 8. My back up is gone and It didn't come with a disk. Also fyi it's a bad idea to share flash drives with your kids. They just reformat and delete at will.

 

[mj0]

You don't need a disk, the Windows 8 or 8.1 download is actually free. All you need to know is whether your Stream 11 originally came with Windows 8 or 8.1. Visit this website, follow the instructions, download the correct edition for your notebook and you'll be able to reinstall Windows 8 or 8.1 from scratch: Upgrade Windows with only a product key - Windows Help. There are tools to read the product key from your device's firmware, and there's also a Windows 8.1 media creation tool that doesn't require a product key at all. That one, however, will only work if your device originally came with 8.1 preinstalled.

Don't forget to create a new backup of all your files before you do anything crazy. Don't use Microsoft's builtin backup, it's terrible and you'll more likely lose everything than have an actual working backup.

 

[jayblazer]

I used a tool to extract my product key and it also gave me my product id. this is awesome. Thank you so much. I will put this into action tonight!!

 

[jayblazer]

Well when I click the 8.1 link it says this platform is not supported. Any other suggestions? I do know that the stream was originally running kind of a compact version of 8.1..

 

[mj0]

Did you select the 32-bit version thereof? And are you sure it was 8.1 not 8? The product keys are different and even though the update to 8.1 is free you need to install 8 first if you don't have a product key for 8.1

 

[AndyCalling]

The key for W8 and W8.1 is the same. I think the confusion comes from the insertion of the Media Centre key which replaces the W8.1/8 key. Many key retrieval programmes will show the Media Centre key under the W8/8.1 heading and the real W8/8.1 key under the 'IE' heading or some such. Check your original sales receipt if you want to confirm I am right (unless you have a built in code).

 

[Skamath]

I used a tool to extract my product key and it also gave me my product id. this is awesome. Thank you so much. I will put this into action tonight!!

But if you are on TP build 10166 your key exctracted would be from Win10 TP wouldn't it? What is the actual problem that happens in the current build that you are on? Does it not show you the final build or you get errors when updating to final build? There might be a solution out there already which may not even need you to go through the cumbersome process of rolling back and forwards.

 

[jayblazer]

I get different things trying to upgrade different ways. My fav is a box that says "something happened" across the top and then again in the box. The closest I can get is trying to install it off of a flash drive but then I don't have enough disk space to complete the install. that's why I was asking about deleting a partition for it to install to. The stream is 32gb but 7 goes towards the system almost 2 more gigs go to two other partitions and with nothing extra installed just hp bloatware is using up 18 gigs on my main drive. I have about 5 gigs available but need about 9.

 

[mj0]

Just so you know: you won't be able to activate Windows 10 if you don't perform an in-place upgrade from Windows 8/8.1 first. That way your Windows 8/8.1 key will be converted into a valid and legal Windows 10 key which will then again be tied to your Microsoft account and valid for that one device only. Thus, the easiest way would be to perform a backup of all your data first, then install 8.1 from a thumb drive erasing all partitions during setup, and then perform the in-place upgrade to Windows 10.

After that you will be able to perform clean installs of Windows 10 on said device without entering a product key, and Windows should activate as soon as you provide your Microsoft account credentials.