Windows 10: What happens to those free Windows 10 upgrades after July 29, 2016?

The current Windows 10 install media reads and uses Windows 8/8.1 and 10 OEM embedded keys, regardless of whether you have done the free upgrade or not. If I do a clean install on my laptop, that has a Windows 8.0 Core OEM Embedded key, I get 10 Home with no option to select Pro during the install. I got 10 Pro via the free upgrade from 8.1 Pro and have a Digital Entitlement for 10 Pro. I then have to go through extra steps to get Pro back. It's not obvious how to do it either. That's not the way to do things, IMHO. What's the point of reading Windows 8/8.1 OEM keys after that date? There is no advantage, you won't be able to activate with them if Windows 10 has never been installed on that device?

 

Digital entitlment is what Windows 10 uses if you've done an upgrade. It doesn't create a key but does a snapshot of your hardware and created a Hash number that gets stored on MS servers. When you do a clean install the install verifies that hardware is the same as the upgraded one checking the hash number on MS servers. If you have Vista and XP and purchased Windows 10 from say Newegg a key comes with the media just like it did with XP, Vista, Windows 7 and 8/8.1 . If you purchase Windows 10 from the Windows store digital entitlement is also used. If you buy Windows 10 from authorized retailer then you use a Windows 10 product key to activate.

 

Yes, I know all that. My laptop now has digital entitlements for Home and Pro. The thing is, embedded keys take priority over that during setup. As it stands now. If I was to buy 10 Pro right now, retail disk, I would get 10 Home on my laptop with no say in the matter and no prompt for a key. If I had never installed Windows 10 on this PC, and did this after the 29th, my 10 Home would not activate either. It would not have a digital entitlement.

EDIT: Just to clarify, I would like the install media to just stop reading Windows 8/8.1 OEM keys, not all embedded keys. Just look for Windows 10 embedded keys and ignore Windows 8 keys..

 

There are only 2 ways to activate Windows 10 a product key or Digital entiltlement. You are entitled to WIndows 10 Home or Pro based whether the product you are upgrading from whether it is Home or Pro. If you purchase the retail version you get both the pro and jome version and OEM versions you get one or the other.

 

In a nutshell or a simple way to look at it if MS doesn't extend the free upgrade special beyond July 29th, the activation system will revert back to the retail type and mac type activation like you did back in the XP or Win 7 days.

And you got it right on the head " Orlbuckeye, regarding MS clearly lost major runway as the Windows product wont be a revenue option even when windows 7 dries up their will be other alternatives regarding other avenues and new OS's in place to run practically anything before year 2020.

If MS has any vision or solid path in the future , they must look into making Windows open source " so the majority of the future apps and various Store in the likes of Google and Apple store can permit and fully authorize their API permissions and registrations to Windows

" Open Source will be the next option in a couple of years or so to decide "

 

That's correct Orlbuckeye , after July 29 no other way perhaps Mac type but no one will be running Ent. or LTSB versions for personal use

 

And your point is? My question for you is, why read Windows OEM 8/8.1 keys after the 29th? What advantage is there in doing it? I don't see any advantage in reading those OEM keys after the 29th? That was my original statement.

 

@alphanumeric

I believe that type of activation wasn't clear and didn't pan out and scrapped in the making due to activation servers and confusion and poof that idea was never again talked about and that was wise if you think about it, " it didn't make any sense there are lots of data and internal reports folks will not upgrade from windows 7 or a small group feels the same with Windows 8

And at this pace MS will miss the 1 billion user goal by 2020 and other alternatives regarding primary OS's

 

The current Windows 10 MSDN ISO's (which are identical to retail disks) and the install media created by the Media Creation Tool will read and use Windows 8/8.1 OEM embedded keys. I have verified it myself. I had to add a PID.txt file to my install media to force a Pro install. This is what I hope stops after the 29th. I would be happy if it just read Windows 10 OEM embedded keys after that date. I think my original point got lost in all the subsequent posts some how.

 

@alphanumeric.

I get you what saying but MSDN will change their handling and licencing and control methods, after July 29th , their are some internal emails within MS and First Choice partners who have got the bulletin regarding what I touched base on...


MSDN products and licencing will be blanked as " test use only "

Their will be a slew of COLA changes on July 30th 2016 as expected

 

Well we don't know what happens after the 29th as MS hasn't officially said. But if the free upgrade goes away the upgrade process will be the same using the OEM keys. It will still determine it your Windows 7 or 8.1 are authentic for an upgrade. If MS decided the upgrade isn't free you will pay for the digital entitlement upgrade process. If they extend the free upgrade then the digital entitlement process will be free.

 

Again I know what your saying lets wait till July 30th or right after Windows 2016 gets dropped that's where we all will see more policy changes and how it will work regarding licencing and activations

 

Regardless free upgrades for life or this special ends on July 29th, MS has stated their COLA policy will also get modified going forward as well " this section determines what and what to expect when you press agree and continue "

 

I used my MSDN ISO, but I didn't use my MSDN key. Not in that example, my OEM embedded key was used and that got me a 10 Home digital entitlement. As far as I know my MSDN multi edition ISO, is identical to a Retail DVD. I could have used the ISO from the MCT and it would do the exact same thing. My MSDN keys are listed as Retail and function as Retail.

 

Here's the thing. I have a year old desktop on a Haswell 5960x. It's my gaming/everything tower. I'm currently running Windows 10 on it and while I can't say I hate Windows 10 on it, I can say it's annoying in comparison to Windows 7 on the same hardware. That said, my little 11 inch Lenovo 2n1 with the m3-6y30 chip is great. I love this device with Windows 10. Not only does the hybrid design lend itself well to the OS, it does Steam streaming from the tower with no problem.

The newer OS meshes well with the newer architecture, including the industry focus on power sipping CPUs etc. that are being put into not only hybrid devices, but ultrabooks as well. This is where Windows 10 shines. My point being free upgrades won't slow sales. After watching the Microsoft's build conference, the direction Windows is taking will inspire people to move towards the brave new world of computer devices rather than legacy notebook/desktops for all their work by the 2 year anniversary of Windows 10. If you compare this to previous releases they are on track. Additionally, these newer designs tend to be sealed environments. So unlike the hacktops of the past, over time I would expect a more Apple like environment where the device is upgraded instead of the parts. Just at a cheaper price than Apple, hopefully.

As for us gamers, as mentioned we already have steam streaming, Sony PS/4 just came out with PC streaming from its console, and XBox One streams as well. I would not be surprised with the rise of the SteamOS to find personal game servers, instead of desktops, in the house in the not so far off future. In addition, you have upcoming cloud based games, such as "Age of Ascent" being built with Azure. This architecture will free users up to have one game machine, or simply the internet, running hard core games on their more mobile devices.

With that said, it will still be a year to a year and a half before the games/apps coming out are to the point you want to invest. So free upgrade ending or not, there is not real push to upgrade your PC if it currently is running solid on Windows 7. Just wait and replace your hardware when the time comes, the OS price is already embedded.