Windows 10: How shall users upgrade to free Windows 10 after July 29, 2016?

How shall users upgrade to free Windows 10 after July 29, 2016 if they need to reinstall OS? What should they prepare for reinstallation of Windows 10 in the future, creating a copy or what else? Thank you for your answer.

:)

 

After free update to Windows 10 pay after one year for continuing Windows 10 service?

The free upgrade is for a year, until 29 July 2016. (from a qualifying OS) After July 2016 you will have to pay to upgrade. If you have upgraded in the free period (29 July 2015 to 29 July 2016) then you have Windows 10 for free for the life of the device.

Hope that covers it. Your neighbour is wrong.

 

How to reserve free windows 10 upgrade from windows 8.1 after 29, July 2016

I have seven computers running Windows 8.1 Pro, Recently I have upgraded. my four system to windows 10,

I've got a question that is my remaining windows which i have not upgraded to windows 10 is eligible for free upgrade for windows 10 after 29, July 2016.

If yes then what is the process to do after 29 July 2016, If no then is there any way to reserve that free upgrade for future (after 29 July 2016)

 

If you upgraded and activated Win10 before the free offer expires on 29 July 2016, you can re-install any time. You'll need Win10 install media, which you can download from MS.
See: Windows 10 ISO Download

If you did NOT upgrade and activate before the deadline, you will have to buy a Full Packaged Product (FPP), also known as Retail.

 

Since people don't fully understand this, it should also be explained that
once a specific system is registered with Microsoft it "remembers" it going forward.

So once you have done a reinstall for any reason on this same box it will NOT
prompt you register again.

 

There are ample places this is explained. It's not clear because there's so much chatter about it.

Correct - once your Win10 is activated, the MS servers will activate it on every re-install. Probably a fine point, but you should NOT enter a key (if you originally upgraded during the free offer) when you re-install - there is no key, there is only a digital license on the MS Activation Servers for your machine.
There are lots of posts about the servers and licensing - search the forum and read what's already out there.

 

If users go to the downloading page and download and save the Upgrade for free /Windows 10 Upgrade Assistant in their computers and install the Windows 10 once, then the users can run the saved Windows 10 Upgrade Assistant to reinstall the Windows 10 at any time in the future or the user should download/create Windows 10 ISO? Please explain it.

 

Whether it is a first time upgrade, a clean install, or a repeat of an upgrade/install, most of recommend that you download the ISO file and create a bootable USB flash drive or DVD. Do the upgrade from that and keep it for future use.

 

I upgraded to w10 yesterday, but I had meant to do a clean install of w7 prior to that.
I forgot to do that and of course since it copied all my previous files, I may need to do that in the furure.
I just spoke to Microsoft and they said the only way I could upgrade again is to do it before 7/29/16.

Is the Rep wrong? Wouldn't surprise me.

Thanks for any advice,

Paul

 

I've always looked at it as being very cut and dry, or black and white, if you prefer.

If you've upgraded a computer to Window 10 before the 7/29 deadline, then you can reinstall Windows 10 on that computer as many times as you wish going forward.

If the computer has not been upgraded before the 7/29 deadline, then the only way to get Windows 10 on it is to buy a license.

 

Thanks,
That's what I thought.

 

Yes, as explained before - once Win 10 is activated that PC is entitled to that edition of Win 10 at anytime in the future...(MS support is obviously out-sourced and poorly trained.)

If going back to Win 7, then that is different, on an OEM PC. You will need recovery for that. Retail is cool though.

 

Thanks!

 

Was the rep wrong? Confused perhaps - but you might be as well.

If your Win10 is activated.... you have a digital license ... you can install Win10 on the same machine as many times as you desire using whichever method (Media Creation Tool, an USB or DVD install media, Win10 Recovery, upgrade assistant .....) is easiest for you to understand and follow.

If you want to do a clean install of Win10, you do NOT have to Clean install Win7 - just Clean install Win10.
Windows 10 - Clean Install - Windows 10 Forums

 

I followed your advice and did a clean w10 install.
It was terrible - Browsers screwed up, couldn't download WMC using Administrator command prompt, one of my hdds not recognized.
When I upgraded from w7, everything was great.
If I go to updates, it asks if I want to uninstall preview build.
I don't know if I have the correct build or if I did something wrong.
I had to restore a previous Macrium image to restore my sanity.

Thanks,

Paul