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**imcanadian** · 10-04-2018, 06:38 PM

I have a question to ask before I go further to have clean install on my desktop. Yes I know that I should have a full back up copy of the main drive but what program will do to get all the files together something like Norton Ghost or other program. My question is that after the clean install of Windows 10 Pro do I have to activate the serial number or have to purchase one or already there in my previous version. So I can go over to Settings > System > About and see my Product ID for my desktop. IS that the one I should write down before go ahead to do clean install of Windows 10 Pro. Your help would be appreciated about this.

John

**smirk24** · (This post was last modified: 10-04-2018, 11:13 PM by smirk24.)

(10-04-2018, 06:38 PM)imcanadian Wrote: I have a question to ask before I go further to have clean install on my desktop. Yes I know that I should have a full back up copy of the main drive but what program will do to get all the files together something like Norton Ghost or other program. My question is that after the clean install of Windows 10 Pro do I have to activate the serial number or have to purchase one or already there in my previous version. So I can go over to Settings > System > About and see my Product ID for my desktop. IS that the one I should write down before go ahead to do clean install of Windows 10 Pro. Your help would be appreciated about this.

John

A good backup program would be acronis true image which can be found here

https://www.acronis.com/en-us/personal/computer-backup/

As long as your operating system has windows 10 pro installed and activated then your good to go product key wise. But it never hurts to have a backup of your product key in a safe spot though.

Windows 8 - 10 have the key embedded in the motherboard of your system so as long as you have the windows 10 pro disk to install windows and windows 10 pro was activated on the machine you wont have to type the product key in.

Note: you cant use a windows 10 home product key to activate windows 10 pro but if you have a windows 7 pro or windows 8 pro product key (unless its changed but i dont think it did) you can use the product key to activate windows 10 pro and yes its legit lol

**imcanadian** · 10-05-2018, 01:44 AM

OK let me explain a little more better than my first post about activation key. My desktop is Omen #870-119 which have the operating system of Windows 10 Home Edition. I decided to upgrade to Professional from Home Edition with the activation key come with Windows 10 Professional. So the best thing is for me to write down the activation key before do the clean install. Is that correct? I won't go to start with clean install till I know more about this.

Thank you again,

John

**Compton** · (This post was last modified: 10-05-2018, 03:16 AM by Compton.)

all you need to do is to reinstall windows 10 pro & it should be activated

I understand what you are worried about you are thinking that if you reinstall windows 10 pro

it will not be activated because it has windows 10 home

if you reinstall windows 10 pro on the system it will be activated

because Microsoft already taken a hardware ID with windows 10 pro activated on the system

**imcanadian** · 10-05-2018, 01:31 PM

Thanks for your reply and yes I was worried if the activation key will not work but with your explanation -- I got a relief and will do to install with windows 10 pro.

Thanks,

John

**Compton** · 10-05-2018, 01:41 PM

ok do keep us up to date on if it reactivated successfully which it should