Windows 10: I feel conned by Microsoft

I purchased Windows 8.1 Home in 2014 for $130.00, later I upgraded it via the free upgrade to Windows 10 Home. Due to job needs, I required a few apps that weren't in the Home version of Windows 8.1 or Windows 10 such as RDP and Hyper-V so I purchased the $99.99 upgrade of Windows 10 Home to Pro. At this point, after tax, I paid about $240 in total between Windows 8.1 Home and upgrading it to Windows 10 Pro and I was happy with doing so.


Or so I thought...Yesterday I replaced the motherboard on my computer with a new one and now my Windows 10 Pro is no longer considered legitimate. I called Microsoft asking if I could get the key and they asked for proof of purchase of the new motherboard, proof of purchase of my Windows licenses, which I was able to provide from a NewEgg invoice and my Microsoft accounts. They responded essentially with, "Oh, I see you paid about $240.00 for your legitimate copy of Windows 10 Pro, but unfortunately, since you didn't purchase the $199 copy of Windows 10 Pro, we can't give you a key. You see, in our fine print, the $99 upgrade is a one time upgrade so you'll have to revert to Windows 10 Home, repurchase the Windows 10 Pro upgrade, or pay $199 for the same product you already should have."


Who made this policy? I paid more for the same product than I should have and now I can't even use the legitimate pro upgrade that I purchased on the same exact Windows 10 installation? I didn't change my hard drive, I didn't reinstall Windows, I didn't change the software, it's the same except for a hardware upgrade. I feel slighted and that this isn't right, is there anything I can do about this?

:)

 

Edge Search Does Not Permit Change of Region


I got these suggestions from the Microsoft Community forum.No. 1 worked for me:

Thank you for posting the query on Microsoft Community. I am glad to assist you on this.
We have reproduce the issue here and we are able to access non-regional search for google using Microsoft Edge.
I would suggest you to try the below steps and check if it helps.
Step 1:
Clear browsing data option of Microsoft Edge and check if you face the issue. To do so perform the steps below.

1. Click on the More actions icon next to the feedback icon present on top right corner of the Project Spartan homepage.
2. Select Settings and click on Choose what to clear.
3. Check the boxes Browsing history, Cookies and saved website data and Cached data and files and click on Clear.

Step 2:
I suggest you to create a new user account and check if the issue occurs.

1. Go to Settings.
2. Choose Accounts and then select Family and other users.
3. Select add someone else on this PC.
4. Enter a user name and hit next.
5. Click on Finish.
6. Sign out from the current Account and Log into the new account.

Step 3:
It could also happen because of network issue. I suggest you to try with different network connection and check if it helps.

 

Move Users Folder Location in Windows 10  

I've never seen or heard about doing this in the way you describe, not even thought about it. Now reading your chronological workflow I still do not understand why you are doing it in such a complicated way.

The verdict, my personal opinion:

• Pros: None.
• Cons: Everything.

Method 1 as told in tutorial will work for you if you do it exactly as told: clean install Windows 10, boot to Audit Mode from OOBE region selection prompt, run Sysprep. That's it. Notice please that with clean install I mean booting from Windows 10 install media and installing Windows normally, not restoring a system image!

 

OEM Pros/Cons

I wanted to know what people thought of the OEMs they had to deal with mostly in regards to the following subjects:

• Customer Service
• Warranty Repair
• Non-Warranty Repair
• Driver Support
• Customizing the Computer for Specific Needs
• Bloatedness of new Computers
• Inflated Price
• Sign-Me-Ups
• Technical Support
• Freebies (Software on Disks--Stuff that is preinstalled goes under Bloatness)

Fanboyism is not permitted here. Try to be focused on points that are good and bad.

I'll start with a few...
Dell
Pros

• Drivers were available when needed.
• System Restore disks (when provided) appear to be relatively clean.

Cons

• Driver disks include multiple hardware configurations so you don't know exactly which drivers are needed.
• The driver disk uses a web format which means all the shortfalls of a website (have to "save as..." everything).
• Some of their case designs are ridiculous (folding this way and that way).

HP
Cons

• Seven disks to reinstall Windows XP--bloated to the heavens.

Toshiba
Pros

• Customer Service speaks English.
• Customer Service tried their best to remedy my issues.

Cons

• No drivers available for my specific model (web or otherwise).
• Customized model shipped over a week after purchase directly from China. I got the bag long before I got the laptop.
• No disks, what-so-ever, included with laptop purchase.
• Technical Support would not lift a finger to get me a disk that "I could install Windows Vista Ultimate from after erasing the entire hard drive with DoD 5220.22 M compliant method."
• Over 80 running processes on first boot (and this was a business-class computer)--bloated with no erase means to get rid of it.

Lenovo
Pros

• Solid construction.
• Lots of features.

Cons

• Six or seven disks to reinstall windows from scratch--bloated.
• Some included software (backup or something) caused the OS to be irreversibly damaged. One tech spent three hours to clean up some of the mess. I spent another four hours erasing, installing, and deleting everything that may have originally caused the problem (Lenovo software).
• Warranty extensions are extremely expensive.
• Generally more expensive than most.

Systemax
Pros

• All systems include at least one disk: System Restore (basically a Windows disk--no extras).
• Most systems include an additional disk: Applications & Driver (is what it says).
• Solid construction.
• Most parts included in machines you could buy from Tiger Direct (obviously not the case with laptops).
• Customer Service and Tech Support speak English.
• Customer Service is very helpful.
• Every time I contacted Tech Support, I recieved a favorable outcome.
• Machine-specific bundled software (very limited). For instance, a computer with a TV Tuner may come with Cyberlink software to run record and watch TV.
• Sent CDs via phone request for software that came pre-installed (lost after erase).

Cons

• Limited selection of products and very few places to buy them from.
• Generally more expensive than the competition.
• Technology-wise, tends to be slightly behind the curve.
• Techsupport is quick to have you send it in and don't seem to be a wealth of knowledge.
• Service turn-around times are long (over a week).

Add to the list. This is a buyer-beware service. XD