Windows 10: Can I downgrade to windows 8.1 and later upgrade again to windows 10?

That's fine. You can disagree with Microsoft if you want to. But it is them that wrote the software:
Activation in Windows 10 - Windows Help

How does it activate automatically online without entering a product key after a re-install? It retrieves the digital entitlement from the Microsoft activation servers stored there when it activated the first time during the upgrade.

I find it odd that you would disagree on this thread when you wrote on another thread:

Many people, including myself, have went back to Windows 7/8/8.1 on their computers, and then returned to Windows 10 via clean install, skipped entering the product key, and Windows 10 activates because the digital entitlement stored on Microsoft activation servers is not affected by returning to Windows 7/8/8.1. Just like the license for the Windows 7/8/8.1 does not get revoked after the upgrade to Windows 10 - otherwise a person would not be able to go back to Windows 7/8/8.1 after the 30 days, but we can.

 

.............I find it odd that you would disagree on this thread when you wrote on another thread:......................

That is because this OP is on Win 10 all the time. He did not say " I want to go back to Win 8.1 and then come back to Win 10 after July 29th ".

 

I am sorry if I have not been clear, but I had mentioned -
".......I am using HP 15-ab031tx notebook, and it came with windows 8.1 single language. I upgraded to windows 10 single language on 11th Feb, and though it's awesome, for now I would like to roll back to win 8.1. But I would like to upgrade again later....can I do that after July 29?......."

I actually want to go back to Win 8.1 and then come back to Win 10 after July 29th.

 

shivam,
NavyLCDR was quoting my reply in the other thread.
Windows 10 Pro upgrade from Windows 8.1 Pro

My last reply is NOT about your situation. It was about the other thread.
I sincerely apologize we have confused you with a quote that came from another thread. A thread that has nothing to do with your case.


Please rest assured that we know exactly what you are asking and we understand your situation.

 

Oh, fine.
But what confused me was NOT that quote from another thread, but this -
....."He did not say " I want to go back to Win 8.1 and then come back to Win 10 after July 29th " ......",
when that is precisely what I wanted to say!
And "....That is because this OP is on Win 10 all the time....", I don't think I understand

 

That was also about the OP who is in the other thread. Not about you.

Again, I apologize for the confusion.

 

I too apologize for the confusion, shivam. The fact is that your digital entitlement for Windows 10 is permanently stored on Microsoft activation servers and will still be there to activate Windows 10 on the same computer after July 29. It will not get erased if you reinstall Windows 8 nor if you roll back to Windows 8 (within 30 days) - just like the Windows 10 upgrade does not revoke your Windows 8 license. You can flip flop between the two as much as you want, now and after July 29.

 

Yes Microsoft changed the Microsoft activation in Windows 10 as instead of using a product key for activation, it saves a digital entitlement onto their servers, which will allow you to reactivate Windows on your computer for the lifetime of your device.

For those who did not take advantage of the free upgrade, or don't use it by July 29, 2016, they will need to use a Windows 10 Product key to activate Windows, plus any reinstalls will require the product key.

To confirm this, I installed a clean copy of Windows 10 version 1511 without entering a product key. I proceeded to get it set up, and connected it to the internet, and Windows then activated all on its own. Instead of having to use your product key for activation, the digital entitlement saves your system and hardware information, so when you go to reactivate, it will check to see if the system matches up with the one being activated, and it will activate it on its own.

As I keep track of the Windows 10 builds, it looks like MS is working on Windows 10 Codename Redstone. Not sure what changes there will be with that, but if MS hold true to their word and the rules of the free upgrade, then this should still apply.

I guess my question is why do you want to wait till after July 29, 2016? I would understand if you are wanting to wait till a bunch of the bugs are out of it, then reupgrade. I can understand that if that is the case.

If you want to reupgrade after July 29, you will need to create a Windows inatallation media with the media creation tool, as it won't be offered on Windows Update after that.

So the answer is, yes you can roll back, then upgrade back to 10 after the 29th, but hopefully MS keeps their promise on that for those who took advantage of the free upgrade. It's supposed to be free for the lifetime of your device. Let's just hope that they don't make any changes to that rule, because that will upset a lot of people, especially if a hardware failure occurs and they need replacement.

Now I understand the only way the activation won't work, is for example.

Someone buys a MSI board and has a good running system
Motherboard fails in August
Person buys a different brand of board.

Since the board is different, it won't work as the servers won't recognize the new hardware, and may require a call to MS, if you use the existing Windows 10 OS.

So yeah I guess this thing is all up in the air a bit. Just hope MS stays loyal to the customers that did take part of the free upgrade.

 

The rollback feature, is very dependent on the "Windows.old" folder. It also needs the other two folders , $Windows.~BT, and $Windows.~WS


These are automatically removed, at the end of the expiry period (one month)
As far as I can ascertain, whilst these folders exist, you are in business..
Reverting back, means that you start again with the upgrade, and your previous OS key is, once again, valid. On completion of the upgrade, those folders are, once again, in place and good for yet another, fresh, month.
So, until July, you can go through the procedure as often as you feel.

 

Yeah but he specifically asked if he could upgrade after July 29 of this year, not during the free upgrade period.

It would be terrible on Microsoft's end to just wipe clean all of the activations that happened during the upgrade. It would be horrible if someone had a failed hard drive and couldn't reactivate for getting a replacement.

It was stated for those who got the free upgrade, that updates, support, and activation would be free for the lifetime of the device.

Although like I said, that is still up in the air on what Microsoft is doing with it.
when the time comes, it would be curious to test that theory. But that is still 6 months away.
And as stated, you only have 30 days from the date of the upgrade to do the revert process