Windows 10: Is the free upgarde transferable? I think not.

I'm not a lawyer so some of that is over my head. I'm not saying your wrong, just that I don't fully understand what is said in what you posted.

 

After I had finished the transfer, I signed in to new hardware (the transferred 10) using an MS / Insider account and used the Media Creation Tool to create a USB install media for clean install. Clean installed Windows 10 using this install media on original hardware with the generic key, first wiping the hard disks.

Am using that Windows 10 now, clean installed and activated on the original hardware.

Two more tests I made:

• Using the ISO created with Media Creation tool from Microsoft, clean installed Windows 10 Pro to a Hyper-V virtual machine. Windows was automatically activated
• Generalized that Hyper-VM Windows setup
• Captured the image
• Restored this image on an old HP laptop
• Booted the HP laptop, gave the generic key in OOBE
• Windows was setup correctly and automatically activated

-- AND --

• Using Disk2VHD, created a VHD of this HP laptop's activated Windows setup
• Created a new Hyper-V virtual machine using the existing VHD option
• Used the VHD I had made with Disk2VHD
• Windows was activated

Conclusion: Three working and activated Windows 10 Pro machines using the same installation and generic key:

• I created a virtual machine clean installing Windows 10 and activated it
• Using the system image of that vm I transferred it to a laptop, it was activated
• Using Disk2VHD on the laptop I created a new VHD of the same Windows 10 setup
• Created a new vm using the VHD, Windows was activated

 

IMHO, then one or more of those systems isn't legal is it? It looks like you've cheated the system? Transferring is one thing, but you turned one legal free upgrade into three activated installs. Correct me if I'm wrong?

 

Hi Kari,
Can you confirm that the computer at step 5 (I numbered your list *Wink ) had never had an activated Insider build (especially not 10240)?

I'm wondering if it was possible that the second machine activated because the activation servers recognised the hardware from an earlier activation, and not because of the method you used to transfer?

 

Absolutely not. I don't do piracy and I detest the fact that you are calling me a pirate. I am expecting an apology.

Those are clean installs using the MS / Insider account which was registered in Insider Program October 2014. I have remained an Insider opting for Fast Ring on each machine and as such I am totally allowed to do a clean install.

If piracy in your books means that a clean installed and automatically without any whatsoever hacking / cracking / tools activated MS / Insider Windows 10 is a pirate copy, then we clearly have different opinion regarding this.

Quoting myself, all according to this:

 

Hi there

Thanks for clarifying

I've also got a whole slew of VM's all activated.

I think the whole issue will become clearer in the days to come after the intitial download frenzy is over.

I think even Ms has been overwhelmed by the demand for W10.

I agree with you too -- I might have "loosely" interpreted my old TechNet subscription terms and have used the odd "leaked build" - but running Ms Software on machines I actually use for PRODUCTIVE purposes -- no I don't believe in Piracy either.

@Kari
Anybody who even suggests to you that you are pirating software should give you an immediate apology -- you've been one of the most helpful contributors on this Forum as any user whose been around for some time will know and appreciate.

Cheers
jimbo

 

If your still in the Insider program on these PC's then these are insider builds not the consumer release right? You only just stated this now. I was originally talking about the free upgrade being non transferable. If you had said these were insider builds I wouldn't have said anything about pirating Windows. You can install the Insider release on as many PC's as you want so why go through all of what you posted?

 

I'm going to back up a minute and go back to this post. Here you state you did the free upgrade to 10 from 8.1 Pro. The free upgrade, not in the insider program right?
Then you moved it to another PC and activated it on that PC. I then asked you want happens if you reinstall 10 on the original PC. You replied.

After I had finished the transfer, I signed in to new hardware (the transferred 10) using an MS / Insider account and used the Media Creation Tool to create a USB install media for clean install. Clean installed Windows 10 using this install media on original hardware with the generic key, first wiping the hard disks.

Am using that Windows 10 now, clean installed and activated on the original hardware.

If that original PC is running the consumer 10 release and not receiving Insider builds, tell me how that is legal?

 

Are you reading my posts a bit selectively, not reading the parts not supporting your theory?

Let's recap:

Of course the free upgrade can be transferred to another hardware, another PC. It's just that normal Retail vs. OEM policies apply; if the underlying qualifying OS is an OEM version, when upgraded it cannot be transferred because an OEM installation can't be transferred. The underlying 7 or 8.1 key and version is the determining factor here. However, nothing prevents you to transfer a full retail system where the underlying, qualifying OS was Retail because if still is Retail after the upgrade. See my post here. Because we are using a generic key, an OEM 8.1 upgraded will of course show key as Retail because the generic key is a Retail key but in reality the upgrade from an OEM still is an OEM.

When you responded to that post of mine, asked if I could thereafter (after the transfer) do a clean installation on the original hardware, I answered yes, I can. Then I mentioned about two more transfer tests I made, clearly stating that these additional tests were not to test an upgrade but to test the transfer of a clean install. See the post here.

Your response to that was to call me a pirate, and for that I am expecting an apology.

A very sincere

 

I edited out the pirating comment, I just wasn't fast enough to do it before you quoted me. I realized I shouldn't have said. I know all the retail versus OEM bit. When I asked you what happened when you reinstalled on the original PC you said.

" After I had finished the transfer, I signed in to new hardware (the transferred 10) using an MS / Insider account and used the Media Creation Tool to create a USB install media for clean install. Clean installed Windows 10 using this install media on original hardware with the generic key, first wiping the hard disks.

Am using that Windows 10 now, clean installed and activated on the original hardware. "

If that original PC is running the consumer 10 release and not receiving Insider builds, tell me how that is legal?

 

I had never thought you stepping over to the tinfoil troops *Wink

It's absolutely totally completely profoundly irrelevant if that is the "consumer" version or not. It is a valid and permanently activated Windows 10, which as I have stated quite clearly is used with an MS / Insider account. Opting in or out is again absolutely totally completely profoundly irrelevant; in both cases it is a valid and permanently activated Windows 10, only difference being that when opted out it does not receive future build upgrades but remains activated for the "life time of the device".

 

Nope it's not transferrable.

I can confirm this as the Upgrade borked my Bios so I got a new mobo and cpu, I had to revalidate my licence key over the phone and redo the upgrade.

Any upgrades to the motherboard would result in a validation error of the licence key.

So it looks like I'll need to buy Windows 10 at some point anyway.

 

How did you obtain the license to use windows 10 on each PC? Pc 1 was originally via the free upgrade correct? Totally legal as per the terms of the free upgrade offer. If you opt out of the insiders program on a PC, IE stop receiving insider builds, you are then subject to the rules of the free upgrade correct? PC no 2 has a clean install that was not done via a qualifying OS, correct? If its not still receiving insider builds its not legal. It may be activated but that was not done by normal means. You moved an already activated install over to it. The way I see it, you can run Windows 10 on one or the other of those two PC's but not on both at the same time. Not without buying a new license for the second PC.

 

so far for me anyway - all the edition activations keys have been the same on OEM upgrades
Not PC specific

Have not activated any Retail Keys, so not sure keys the same

And NOT using MS account or MS login

works just like last preview release - must upgrade to activate - and all the same edition key

win10 home oem upgrade key -DKB77-7M9GH-8HVX7
same on 3 PC's

 

My 4 PC's that I upgraded to 10 Pro all have the same generic key. If I use that key on a clean install on a PC that has never had an activated install of Windows 10, it should fail activation. It won't be registered on the activation server. That's what retail keys are for. I would have to use one of my MSDN keys to activate it. Non of my MSDN keys match the key in use on my PC's that I did the free upgrade on.