Windows 10: Free Windows 10 upgrade a permanent license?

Is it known whether the serial of an upgraded Windows 7 or 8 will become affiliated with MS as being a Windows 10 serial, so that the license owner may reinstall Windows 10 after a format or machine-license transfer, including beyond the 1-year period for free Windows 10 upgrades?


I clicked the "Mark [thread] as solved" button for fun, but now I can't unmark it as re-unsolved. Oh wait, yes I can, good.

:)

 

Windows10 upgrade

 

activate windows 10

The only way the Insider preview could have permanently activated as retail free Upgrade is if you 'd originally upgraded to the preview from Windows 7 or 8.1. The way to check this is to check for permanent Activation - had you done this? The preview
can be activated but normally it is not permanent unless it converted to retail free Upgrade and activated after release on July 31.

If you know for sure you had retail free Upgrade then you can refer to this information for

How to Use Your Free Windows 10 License After Changing Your PC’s Hardware.

 

this is a subject of debate, no one seems to have an answer

 

Hi there

This might be an interesting test.

Install Windows 7 on a machine. DO NOT ACTIVATE - remember unlike W8 / W8.1 you can use W7 for 30 days before activation.

Upgrade that machine to W10.

Try now and install the windows 7 system on another machine (again don't activate).

Upgrade machine 2 to W10. !!!!.

Now while this "technically" could be against the EULA I wonder if it will work -- that way you could get some "Free" extra W10 systems.

You'd probably need the original retail W7 iso's to do this though.

If the Ms servers had any sense (but they probably won't judging by past experience) the upgrade should validate W7 BEFORE upgrading which presumably means registering W7. As you'll probably have to upgrade via the Internet the trick migfht not work.

I'll be interested in having a test though when RTM comes out.

Cheers
jimbo

 

If MS reads these forums, they ought to consider the problems it would cause many people to upgrade, create projects in Windows 10 software, then have to reinstall due to a failed disk, virus, or other reason, and suddenly be locked out of Windows 10 because the 1-year period for free upgrades has passed.

If MS is going to offer the free upgrade, then they should be responsible with it and count that upgrade as real and permanent. Otherwise, it is really only a temporal trial, not a free upgrade, with its trial period expiring any time that system hardware changes or a reinstall is required.

To not honour the words of "free upgrade" could also create bad will towards MS, and also much confusion among non power-user home owners.

MS probably wants people to upgrade mostly because of the inbuilt MS market, from which MS will take a share of all sales. If MS get hung up on Windows 10 ticket prices it will create a barrier to MS receiving revenue from their store, and will create a convoluted mess for people who take "free upgrade" at face value, not expecting to be later potentially blackmailed into purchasing a W10 copy to access their data should the original upgrade ever need reinstalling.

Of course, in situations of doubt, savvy users will just make a disk image immediately after clean install / upgrade and store it for whenever it's needed. But those users are fewer and aren't the ones who could be at risk to be bitten by accepting a free upgrade offer to W10.

I think that there is only one solution that will not fragment and confuse the market, and MS' Windows Store hopes.

 

I'd be very surprised if Microsoft would let you upgrade from a system that wasn't activated and that didn't pass the Windows Genuine Advantage. Just my opinion mind you. Right now you can't upgrade to Pro unless your 8.x Core is activated. Same deal when adding Media center, Pro has to be activated. I can see them continuing with that trend. Hi there
I remember when for some products Ms just insisted you put the old INSTALL disk into the machine for verification for update. I can't remember exactly but didn't VISTA==>W7 or even XP==> W7 work something like that too -- and even though it was "Update" you could still install from scratch.

Cheers
jimbo

 

I'd be very surprised if Microsoft would let you upgrade from a system that wasn't activated and that didn't pass the Windows Genuine Advantage. Just my opinion mind you. Right now you can't upgrade to Pro unless your 8.x Core is activated. Same deal when adding Media center, Pro has to be activated. I can see them continuing with that trend. Hi there
I remember when for some products Ms just insisted you put the old INSTALL disk into the machine for verification for update. I can't remember exactly but didn't VISTA==>W7 or even XP==> W7 work something like that too -- and even though it was "Update" you could still install from scratch.

Cheers
jimbo Yes, I remember that too. doing a clean install with an upgrade version would prompt you to insert your "qualifying" Windows CD into your optical drive so it could be verified. I think those days are long gone though. I don't think Windows 8 will let you do that anymore, could be wrong though, the other OS has to be installed and activated. I haven't done an upgrade install in forever. I also haven't done an install from a CD/DVD in forever. I use thumb drives these days.

 

That is like saying, you chose to buy that car, and the company offered free tires for a year, but if a tire blows out and causes you to crash, you can't sue the manufacturer.

Microsoft has an obligation and responsibility, to honor continued function. They can't offer an upgrade that may cause you not to operate the system in the future. They are the ones making the offer, what Microsoft does is their fault, not ours, so they should own it.

Of course they could always make people buy it, to remove all doubt, but perhaps, many people wouldn't even bother.

 

That is like saying, you chose to buy that car, and the company offered free tires for a year, but if a tire blows out and causes you to crash, you can't sue the manufacturer.

Microsoft has an obligation and responsibility, to honor continued function. They can't offer an upgrade that may cause you not to operate the system in the future. They are the ones making the offer, what Microsoft does is their fault, not ours, so they should own it.

Of course they could always make people buy it, to remove all doubt, but perhaps, many people wouldn't even bother. Hi there

If you Buy (or accept) a product it's up yo YOU the user to use it correctly. If it's not fit for purpose then it's the manufacturers fault. I'd assume though Ms will ensure that W10 WILL work for people who want to upgrade - and if it doesn't then people should simply restore their old OS.

I still can't believe how many people - even on these Forums where one would expect people know better - how few take proper backups

Maybe the upgrade install should do an image backup as the first step -- that should get round that problem.

We have to be reasonable here or will be swamped by armies of Lawyers and products will have to come equipped with PAGES of conditions that nobody ever reads.

One of the most stupid regs I ever saw was an E.U directive (well nothing strange about rubbish emanating from that source) telling people that a Philips Mains Electric Hair dryer was not to be used while having a shower or a bath. !!!

Go Figure !!!.

Cheers
jimbo

 

I would be very surprised it they don't do up another upgrade adviser for 10 to tell you if your PC will upgrade without issues. Especially if the free upgrade is done online.

 

MS is going to have to fix the update issues before the RTM. IMO. Given the model of only updates with Win10 it's imperative that they do.

Jeff

 

MS is going to have to fix the update issues before the RTM. IMO. Given the model of only updates with Win10 it's imperative that they do.

Jeff Totally agree, I avoid upgrade installs if at all possible. There is just to much to go wrong in the process.The more programs Apps you have installed the more chance something will get broken in the process.

 

Not sure how this works behind the scenes, but I could see MS going the route that Apple has done for software

When you buy 10 it is registered against you machine
If you get a major issue with it which requires a fresh install, boot to recovery and this then re downloads 10 and installs (it knows 10 was on the machine already so allows a new download), would need to be in the bios somehow for if the HD dies

not very good if you have slow/poor BB, but with more and more stuff going online only I could see this happening

*assuming there is no technical reason this can be done with apple hardware and not windows hardware

 

I just got this on my computer. I don't know if I'm just getting it because I registered for the Technical Preview, but it is showing up as a software update for my computer. I really can't imagine that Microsoft would make it this easy to upgrade your computer to Windows 10 and then turn around and force you to either buy a license ore reinstall your old OS in order to upgrade to the retail version of Windows 10.