Windows 10: Definitive Answer: Is the free upgrade really expired?

@Kari, @simrick,

Ok. So there's this "rumor" floating around that the free upgrade has been "extended" by Microsoft. So I did a little experiment on my custom built computer that has never had Windows 10 Home on it before. Here's the results:

Clean install of Windows 10 Home build 14393 from an ISO file captured from a computer that did the insider upgrade - no activation:





Here's the product key to be tested:





Here's the change product key screen in progress of checking it:





And the result? - Exactly the same as would have occurred on July 28th:





Further proof, slmgr /dlv result:





So the definitive answer is that the Microsoft activation server is working on 8/1/2016 at 7:30PM 1.5 hours North of Microsoft in Stanwood, WA just exactly the same as it worked on July 28th.

:)

 

Is Windows 10 Upgrade really free?

Will there be a cost after accepting the free Windows 10 upgrade? I've heard that there's a cost after the first year.

 

Upgrade to Windows 10 is really free?

Your Windows 8 Product Key will become the Windows 10 Product Key.

"Microsoft’s Gabriel Aul, who’s been heading up the Windows Insiders program, said via Twitter that anyone can reinstall Windows 10 whenever they want, with no effect on their license whatsoever."

Users can perform a clean install of Windows 10 after the free upgrade

Users can perform a clean install of Windows 10 after the free upgrade

Nobody who "upgrades" to Windows 10 will have to pay anything ever as long as it is done within the 12 month limit. After that period you will have to purchase Windows 10.

"Windows 10 is automatically updated. Additional requirements may apply over time for updates. See the Windows 10 Upgrade page (Get Windows 10 OS | Shop & Buy Windows 10 Devices | Check for Windows Updates
) for details".

Specifications

Windows 10 System Requirements & Specifications | Microsoft

windows-10-faq

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-10-faq

 

Well, I guess the rumor is true! Thanks for sharing! *Smile

 

The key (*Smile) question is for how long but but we have no way of knowing.

Probably just a hidden grace period until RS1 is establishexd?

 

Interesting stuff - thanks for doing that test.
Now I'm wondering what would happen if someone ran an upgrade install from a computer running Windows 8.x or 7.

The GWX app reputedly works if you set the computer's date back (although I've not seen proof that it then activates) , but even without doing that, it might be possible that it activates when someone runs setup.exe from the ISO?

 

Microsoft to Block Free Windows 10 Upgrade “Assistive Tech” Trick

 

That is what I feared would happen - the people who are eligible for this offer will have to suffer delays and more issues due to greedy people Who decided that they didn't want to pay for windows 10, when they had already had a year to upgrade for free

 

I'm not sure about greedy.. Should call them careless or something. Bet, there is fair amount of those just checking if it really works.

 

Greedy was the mildest term I was prepared to use for an action is basically theft of the software - and the touted excuse that Microsoft should have done more is as bad as saying that if someone accidentally leaves their car or house unlocked you can simply take what you want

 

I wouldn't call this "definitive answer", especially when MS has done nothing to confirm this. On the contrary, they make it extremely clear in every possible way that the free upgrade has ended:



(Screenshot from https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/...10-upgrade-faq)


It might be as simple as MS getting systems down slowly or giving us a non-announced few days grace period. Anyway, any extensions to free upgrade are totally unannounced and not confirmed by MS.

That being said, I made three tests this morning using a never used Windows 8 PRO retail product key on a Hyper-V virtual machine:

• Installed Windows 8.1 PRO with generic key, did not activate it. Tried upgrade using Windows 10 PRO ISO, the product key was not accepted, upgrade not successful, Windows 10 was not activated
• Installed Windows 8.1 PRO with generic key, activated it with the above mentioned key. Tried upgrade using Windows 10 PRO ISO, upgrade asked for a valid key, upgrade not successful, Windows 10 was not activated
• Clean installed Windows 10 PRO skipping product key, when on desktop tried activation from Settings app using the Windows 8.1 PRO key, Windows 10 was activated

 

It's not good if the process is made harder for people using assistive technologies.

However I have some sympathy for some people who didn't upgrade because they were waiting for their hardware manufacturer to provide Windows 10 drivers. These people didn't have a the full year, and in some cases would have tried to upgrade regardless at the last minute when those Win 10 drivers never appeared.

 

This one is the most interesting for me. I'm curious to know what makes it ask for a key, as running Setup.exe on an activated Windows 8.1 machine never asked me for a key before. Also the setup.exe process ran fine for me on a computer with no network access so it couldn't rely on a check to an activation server.

Were you using a 1511 ISO or a 1607 ISO?

 

I must disagree a bit David. Everyone had enough time to upgrade, then if there were driver issues caused by manufacturers not being ready they could have rolled back to previous OS, Windows 10 having digital entitlement activation waiting the time when drivers become available.

Even on very low end hardware this process, upgrade and roll back had only taken a few hours of that year we had. Considering how long the official upgrade period was, how easy the roll back is and how a once activated Windows 10 keeps its digital entitlement, I have absolutely no understanding nor sympathy for those users who missed the free offer.

 

I was using TH2 version 1511 ISO.

Upgrading from an activated Windows 7 or 8.1 with ISO did not ask any key until last Friday, this was the first time it happened to me.