Windows 10: Win10 upgrade and a retail purchase of Win10 Pro- not the same.

Say I build a new computer a year and half from now. I have a LOT of Win7 and Win8.1 licenses but in order to get Win10, I would have to load in a copy of the old OS and upgrade to Win10. But Win10 upgrade is no longer around so no free upgrade. Nor could I use a preexisting Win10 copy moved over. So I need to buy a retail version of Win10 Pro. Now I KNOW that I will be building computers in the future so why not just buy the retail Win 10 Pro now? If my computer goes hinky in the meantime, I have a valid way to just load in Win10 from scratch.
Besides, I have used OEM versions of Windows in the past and they can be a pain. I much rather have a retail version of windows which is a lot more useful.

 

Terrific find. Thanks bobkn! I did not know that MS stores your PC's info into your MS account. No wonder I could not find the MSDM table in my BIOS. I have been using Windows since Windows for Workgroups 3.11. I have seen a least 7 different ways MS has used to prevent theft of the software. This would make number 8.

 

Not any more, seems they changed that a little while ago. If you upgrade a retail windows retail instal, then you keep retail rights (associated with your original key #, I believe).

from here: http://winsupersite.com/windows-10/windows-10-upgrade-and-installation-frequently-asked-questions

 

I'm not certain of this, but I believe that it is not associated with your MSA (Microsoft Account.)

 

yes it is a full active version of his copy that he loaded on his pc, also to reply why would you go buy win 10 when all you have to do is d-load with the media creation tool make a cd and keep it handy for your next install and if you have a valid win 8.1 pro or 7 it will install on that pc.

 

Windows 10 Free Upgrade Offer is valid for qualified Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 devices,
including devices you already own.

 

I do the windows 10 pro clean install without any problem :/

 

Ditto. I see allegations from certain seemingly knowledgeable posters that a MS "account" is NOT needed for any upgrade/clean install purposes, possibly UNLESS you are coming from an "insider" install. A purely "local account install" is sufficient.

More to be revealed over the next few days as more experimentation is done.

 

Retrieve your product code and google the last 5 digits. https://www.tenforums.com/software-ap...7-showkey.html All 4 of my PC's that I upgraded for free have the same generic common product code. Activation is most likely done by the hardware hash of the PC, likely even linked to your Microsoft account. It's not tied to your product code as in the past. This also stops you from moving your install to another PC by activating with your product code on that PC. The product code is a common code so no way to tell what install was moved and from what PC. You may have a Retail version but the free upgrade does not have full retail rights, IMHO.

 

The OP must from a store selling windows 10

 

You might want read a few of his posts before making a accusation like that. He is IMHO, a respected member of this forum.

 

I don't know him. But he didn't have evidents on what retail edition have but upgraded one doesn't.

 

I did not register my MS account / e-mail when reserving my copy, it is not associated with my upgrade, and I am fully activated.

 

Nah, I am just trying to make sure that the mass confusion of what MS was up to with the upgrade is starting to slowly getting straightened out. For the longest time, I was convinced that I would get a shiny new valid Retail Win10 product number from each of my Win7/8.1 product keys, a nice one to one swap. It has only been on the past few weeks that MS started actually making it somewhat less murky (let alone a nice, clear, consistent FAQ).
Are people really able to just jump from a Win7 OS and do a clean install of Win10? I simply did not think that was possible at all but I have heard some say that it does indeed work. If that is the case, a lot of what I feel is my understanding of exactly how the Win10 upgrade works will radically change. Again.

Alpha, thanks for the defense. I am a grizzled old campaigner and this was mild in comparison to other sites.

 

I suppose that it's like an oem version. I am installing my W10 upgrades to relatively modern motherboards with solid capacitors which will hopefully last well. I hope that if I have software or hdd problems, that a clean install from an ISO would be accepted by Microsoft.