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This year I installed the Windows 10 upgrade for Windows 8.1 on my computer and now I have a little doubt. Supposing I want to format and reinstall this Windows 10, would I need to first install Windows 8.1 and only then upgrade to Windows 10?

My point here is: first of all, it would be much nicer to just install Windows 10 directly, without having the work of installing Windows 8.1, all the patches needed before the upgrade and only then upgrading. Second, I know the free Windows 10 upgrade is available for limited time. In that case, if I were to do it all over again, I believe this approach would not be valid after some time, since when I did the upgrade I didn't get a Windows 10 product key.

In that case, I'm really in doubt with this. If I want to format and reinstall Windows 10 that I acquired through the upgrade process will I need to first install Windows 8.1 and upgrade again, or is there a shorter path in which I can install Windows 10 directly? In the later the real problem is obviously not in installing Windows 10, but how would I activate Windows if I don't have one Windows 10 product key.

user1620696
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2 Answers2

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According to Microsoft, after you successfully upgraded to Windows 10, you can do a clean reinstall of Windows 10 at any time, and it will be ok.

Check this: http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/insider/wiki/insider_wintp-insider_install/how-to-do-a-clean-install-of-windows-10/aef0ae63-2117-41ee-a8ea-4a3181625b08

Aganju
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With the newest downloadable installs for Windows 10, no you don't need to put your earlier version of windows on first.

As long as you have your windows 8.1 CDKey, and the newest installer for Windows 10 on Disk or USB then you should be fine, just put your windows 8.1 key into the key box while installing windows 10

KeithN
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