Windows 10: Any Official Sources of Windows 10 Upgrade as ISO?

Just wanted to throw my experiences out there. I joined the insider program about 6 months ago and have been getting the updates regularly. When the 10240 version came out I updated one PC via the update route. I then used the ESD file from that installation to create an ISO to make a clean install on a second machine. The installation worked OK but the activation will not work no matter what you try. I had to revert back to the old version via an image and then do the in place upgrade to get a validated copy. It will be interesting to see how you end up with installation media that will activate properly.

 

Nothing yet on where, but from the same article:

I do know that certain devices require an ISO to upgrade, but I guess MS is keeping mum until after the launch to avoid users downloading the ISO when a device doesn't require it.

There are some discussions on creating a recovery drive, but I think that's unrelated - it might work as a general install media or it might be specific to the one machine the recovery drive was created on (Windows automatically activates from the qualifying OS key).

At a minimum, you can roll your own ISO from the ESD so you won't have to go through the WU download on each machine. That would not be well accepted by users, so ISO will be made available - they're just not telling us how or where yet *Wink

Keep your eye on TenForums - someone will post the information as soon as it is known.

 

Interesting post which got me thinking. I put another thread out in the general section abut your experiences (and shamelessly used your post to back my point). I betcha that MS will NOT VALIDATE any update that they do not push out themselves.

 

MS stated that the only way to activate 10240 was via upgrade not clean install.

 

I think the only method of getting Windows 10 that validates on a clean install is to buy a copy of it! Yes, we will have Win10 licenses after we upgrade and can then do a clean install. But this may have a catch: there are rumors abounding about how long the "free" upgrade will be supported with security patches and updates. Hopefully a purchased copy will be valid and updated forever.

 

I did an upgrade of 10240 over Win8.1 and it did activate(or stayed activated since WIn8.1 was activated).. so there is an easy way to get 10240 to activate.

 

what about license key ? windows 10 and 8.1 as one key ?

 

Just to clarify [as the OP] I don't want to do a clean install, just upgrade a number of PCs from the same download. One PC in particular is effectively offline.

 

So far, MS has made it clear that you must have a copy of Win7 or Win8.1 installed and you need to upgrade to Win10 only by having the MS servers pushing the update onto the computer. Once upgraded, you will then get a Win10 key for that particular computer and that computer only. No, you will not be able to do a clean install of Win10 and activate with the key from a previous version. I also have had a discussion about using one computer to get multiple copies of Win10 keys with my multiple licenses of previous Windows versions which again was a no as they too would be locked into the hardware that the Win10 was upgraded on.
I don't expect any quick, easy, or free ways to get Win10 keys. I also don't expect to see a link to a MS page that will let you get the upgrade when you want to unless you are part of the Insider Program. Instead, MS will be pushing the upgrade out to various people at various times according to their schedule. For most people, July 29th will come and go and there will be NO Win10 update for them to download or any place to get it from and have it activate.

 

Why would you say that? If they are staging it out. Of course nobody will get it in on the 29th except the insiders. Microsoft is going to slowly release it out to everyone, then eventually an iso will be made available to upgrade windows 7 or 8.1 from. This is the one you could use on multiple computers. Microsoft has said there is going to be other ways to get free windows 10 upgrades for people with limited connection or bandwidth. I am hoping for one that will be a free flash drive that will be mailed to you.

 

Why?? When you upgrade you should get either a new key or use the existing key.. why because you'll be able to get the ISO to do a clean install of Win10 later on and you'll need a key to do that.

 

The download site does not have the best rep per AVG.

http://www.avgthreatlabs.com/us-en/w...getintopc.com/

 

There are better sources...

*Smile

 

Keys. Plural. A key will be easy. One key, one machine. I have 12 Win7 and win 8.1 licenses but I will only be able to use three of them as I only have 3 discrete computers.

 

The problem is that I have a suspicion that until MS gives you the update on your non insider computer, you will have no way to activate the computer after doing a Win10 update. Worse, if you update BEFORE the update shows on the computer, you will HAVE TO reinstall Win7 or Win8.1 back on the computer, wait until the update shows on the computer, and then use a DVD, USB drive, or MS servers to update to Win10 all over again.