Windows 10: Free upgrade still working (old technet Keys)

Hi there
I created some Windows images on different machines this morning (30 Jul 10:56 local time) -- still activating W10 --using old keys from my Technet subcription.

If you've got some keys left and some machines grab the Free upgrade while it's still working

Install W10 and then change product key to one of your valid Technet keys -- it should if you are lucky still activate.

Cheers
jimbo

:)

 

Re Activate after Motherboard change

Thanks for reporting back Rob, to help others.

Was this a retail Windows 8 Product Key that was used previously to activate free Upgrade, or was this a fresh use of a retail key so we know that the free Upgrade is still working when using an old OS Product Key?

 

Windows 10

Hi Dan. I'm Greg, a volunteer installation specialist and 8 year Windows MVP, here to help you.

If the gaming PC came with Windows 7, 8 or 8.1 you can remove a full retail Product Key, and still get the free Upgrade by inserting the old OS Product Key which is in an extended grace period until approx Dec 31st. There is also this offer for free Upgrade
which expires then:
http://www.zdnet.com/article/heres-how-you-can-...

Then when you activate the new PC with the old retail key, you might need to use Support to retrieve the old key that is still associated with the old PC but do not fear because you are always allowed to move retail Windows Product Keys to wherever you want
them.

I hope this helps. Feel free to ask back any questions and let us know how it goes. I will keep working with you until it's resolved.

 

Yep, here too. I just did one about 10 mins ago and it still activated ok. I used an old TechNet Win7 key that had never been used.
By my calculation, it should have ended more than 12 hours ago.
So MS are definitely still allowing activations.
Interesting ?
I have another old P.O.S. atom netbook which I'll try a clean install in a few days time to see if it still works
It would be a great move by MS if all they did was stop the forced GWX updates, but still allow manual upgrades and clean installs with Win7/8 keys.

 

Hi there

even if you HAD used the key for an installation it will still work.

I doubt whether activation servers will do anything until Monday AM so go for it if you've got old Technet keys.

If Ms see a lot of last minute activations they might change their policy but IMO big corporations usually are not good at reacting quickly --like stopping a Huge Oil tanker on an old 1 Dollar coin -- not possible.

Cheers
jimbo