Even if you wish to do a clean install afterwards, I would recommend first upgrading your W7 to W10. That will ensure that your PC gets a Digital License for Windows 10 recorded on Microsoft's activation servers. With a digital license you can clean install the same edition of W10 (Home or Pro) without needing to provide a key.
After
creating a bootable Windows 10 disc, this is what previously worked for me a number of times in a Windows 7 computer which never had Windows 10 previously installed in it.
1. Insert the bootable Windows 10 disc in its drive, then expose its contents.
2. Expose the contents of the
sources folder.
3. Copy the
gatherosstate.exe file to the desktop.
4. Right-click that file and then click "Run as Administrator".
5. A
GenuineTicket.xml file will appear on the desktop.
6. Copy that file to a USB thumb drive or burn it to a disc.
7. Do a clean install of Windows 10.
8. Skip the step to enter a product key.
9. After Windows 10 is installed, navigate to the
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\ClipSVC\GenuineTicket folder.
10. Use the media you have the
GenuineTicket.xml file saved in to copy it inside the
GenuineTicket folder.
11. Restart the computer.
Notes:
The above steps should work in a computer that already has a working activated copy of Windows 7 SP1.
The
GenuineTicket.xml file will only work in the same working computer that it was created in.
Before you complete step 9, navigate to File Explorer, then click "View - Options - Change folder and search options", then click "View - Show hidden files, folders and drives", then click Apply.
