Downgrading to Windows 7? Keep free upgrade?

H

H-street

Supreme [H]ardness
Joined
Feb 25, 2005
Messages
4,538
If I downgrade back to Windows 7 do I keep my free upgrade to Windows 10 even after July?
 
Yes, your hardware hash is stored on the activation servers. So you can go back to Win7 after the free upgrade and then reinstall Win10 again whenever. As long you as don't change you hardware you should be fine.
 
As far as I've read, yes. Make sure that it was considered a fully activated W10 version though to "lock in" the upgrade hash.

Speaking of this, has there been a hard solution found for those that change their hardware sufficiently for the hash to not identify as the "same" system? In the old days you just had to give MS your product key over the phone or what have you and they'd issue you more activations. However, what do you do this time around for a user who upgraded from 7 or 8, uses 10 for awhile, then say... buys a new mobo/proc/RAM for a platform upgrade and tries to activate W10 again?
 
Well that didn't work - downgraded to Windows 7 (using a new retail key) and when I reinstalled windows 10 (for dual boot) it asked for a key and wouldn't activate -..



when I put in my original windows 7 retail key windows 10 said it couldn't activate using that key


Grrrrr... hate windows 10
 
Thought you are supposed to skip entering a key if it has been previously activated? Did you try that?
 
H-street said:
Well that didn't work - downgraded to Windows 7 (using a new retail key) and when I reinstalled windows 10 (for dual boot) it asked for a key and wouldn't activate -..



when I put in my original windows 7 retail key windows 10 said it couldn't activate using that key


Grrrrr... hate windows 10
Click to expand...
It's probably because of dual boot. Install 10 as the base OS and verify it's activated, then install 7 and use EasyBCD to set 7 as the main OS.
 
bigdogchris said:
It's probably because of dual boot. Install 10 as the base OS and verify it's activated, then install 7 and use EasyBCD to set 7 as the main OS.
Click to expand...

I got it working.. When installing I chose the Home instead of the Professional version of Windows 10 - I reinstalled the Professional edition and when I went into System it was Activated :)

Happy Day :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top