Clear my old PC

The sticker should have the 25 character Windows 7 product key. It's ok if the sticker say's HP. It's the 25 character product key that matters.

Windows 10 will install without a product key if you want. You'll get to a point in the install where you can enter the key, or choose "I don't have a product key" and enter it once the install is done. Windows will not activate automatically on W7 system that hasn't previously been upgraded to 8 or 10.


W10 will need to be saved to a usb stick that is 8GB or larger. If you have that, follow the previous instructions for downloading it, and it will save automatically to your usb stick.

 

I have the product key now thanks to ijac suggestion. I have the usb stick. Not sure what you refer to by previous instructions?

 

Oh sorry, I thought I already posted the instructions in this thread. Anyway...

Plug in the usb stick and go to this site:

https://www.microsoft.com/en-ca/software-download/windows10

Click on "Download Tool Now. When asked, choose the option to "Create media for another PC", and choose Windows 10 Home premium 64 bit.

When that's done, shut down the old hp and plug in the usb stick. As soon as you turn on the computer, start tapping away at the Esc key and then choose F9 for the boot options. Choose the usb and windows 10 will start to install.

You'll need a couple of more instructions, but let's go with this for now. Just ask if you have any questions along the way.

 

Are the initial instructions for the old PC ,the one I am selling or the one I use now

 

You can create the W10 usb stick on any pc.

 

Ok am starting...……….will let you know how it goes

 

Having clicked on f9 I get "select boot device" but the up & down arrows don't do anything so I cannot progress

forget that...………...can move the arrows now, so pressed enter against my usb & it just opened rather than start download

 

To clarify...……….after f9 I can find my usb amongst the options but when I go to it & click enter windows just opens as normal.
By the way my C drive is now almost full due to what the eraser did....will that be a problem in doiung this?

 

There was only 30 minutes between when you started the download and posted that it was finished. It should have taken about an hour to download and it and save it to a usb on most internet connections. Did it say it was downloading windows 10, then creating the usb media?.

Also, do as IJAC said and disconnect the internet cable for the install of W10.

...the drive being full is fine. W10 will delete it all.

 

Good call IJAC.

I forgot that the new W10 version will force you to create an MS account if the system is connected to the net. I'm more used to installing W10 on laptops so I don't run into that problem very often.

 

Oh dear what A mess I have got myself into!
Did the download to usb again, still only took about 30 mins. Put it in to the old PC & got a start. Then asked for key but it was rejected but allowed me to proceed anyway. Then I was asked do I want upgrade or custom. whichever I clicked I got message " not available remove installation media & restart " Tried to cancel so I could close pc but it just goes back to start of installation instead of shutting down. If I force shutdown it again takes me back to install page?

 

Don't choose upgrade. Choose custom.

You're doing fine. Keep at it and ask questions as you go.

 

To add to what IJAC said, after you delete all the partitions, you'll see one partition that says "unallocated". Click on that and then click the "New" button and it will create a new partition. Click on the new partition and click "Next", 10 will then start the install.

 

I've just done it so many times that it's second nature. Heck, I'm doing it now to a Dell laptop with a new ssd as I write this. lol

 

Once 10 is installed, the priority is to manually update until it shows "Up to date".

 

All done guys, thanks for your patience with me.