Free Windows 10 Upgrades End This Year

Megalith

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Microsoft has made it clear that free upgrades to Windows 10 will end December 31, giving users about 2 months to make up their minds. The free Windows 10 upgrade technically ended in July last year, but it made one interesting exception: those who used assistive technologies could still upgrade for free beyond that point.

If you use assistive technologies, you can upgrade to Windows 10 at no cost as Microsoft continues our efforts to improve the Windows 10 experience for people who use these technologies. Please take advantage of this offer before it expires on December 31, 2017. With the Windows 10 Anniversary Update, we’ve taken a number of steps to improve the accessibility of Windows 10.
 
Wonder if that includes being able to use Windows 7 keys to activate 10, though that isn't exactly "free" as you have to have a legitimate key to begin with.
 
Here is what gets me with the free/paid upgrade. If I get Windows 10 for free, then I expect some ads and other PITA features. However I've paid for several copies for new PC s thus should not have to see ads or some of these PITA features.

FYI - I really like Windows 10

HorseproofBacon yes you can still use Windows 7 keys to activate a fresh install of Win 10 https://www.thurrott.com/windows/wi...ill-clean-install-windows-10-windows-78-x-key

I know it can be used now but I wonder if it will still work after December 31st.
 
Anyone have any experience transferring a license after buying a new mobo/processor? It it as easy as it sounds?
 
Anyone have any experience transferring a license after buying a new mobo/processor? It it as easy as it sounds?
Easy? Not sure about that. I had used one of the Win7 keys purchased on the FS/FT forum here to install Win 10 on a computer. When I had to change out the MB, I actually swapped from an Intel platform to an AMD platform. I was required to associate the license with a Microsoft account, and it went through fine. I later did a re-install of the OS, and it activated without requiring me to login with a Microsoft account.

So, not "easy" but could have been much worse. Of course, it could vary depending on exactly the type of license you used to install.
 
Easy? Not sure about that. I had used one of the Win7 keys purchased on the FS/FT forum here to install Win 10 on a computer. When I had to change out the MB, I actually swapped from an Intel platform to an AMD platform. I was required to associate the license with a Microsoft account, and it went through fine. I later did a re-install of the OS, and it activated without requiring me to login with a Microsoft account.

So, not "easy" but could have been much worse. Of course, it could vary depending on exactly the type of license you used to install.

That doesn't sound bad. As long as I don't have to call MS and plead my case with someone who barely speaks English. Of course they have to read me a 75-character key that I need to input as well.
 
That doesn't sound bad. As long as I don't have to call MS and plead my case with someone who barely speaks English. Of course they have to read me a 75-character key that I need to input as well.
Been there, done that! But thankfully I haven't had to do it with any of the Windows 10 installations. Yet.
 
amazing-fails-7-a1.jpg
 
Anyone have any experience transferring a license after buying a new mobo/processor? It it as easy as it sounds?

Its as easy as it sounds if it works. I have had a 50/50 chance so far.

This is how it should go:
MOBO/PC got roached, key is associated with ms account under pc settings
bust out win10 install on new mobo/pc, do not type in a product key
Log into pc using ms account
Settings > Update & Security > Activation and select Troubleshoot
select “changed hardware on this device recently” and select your PC from a list of devices associated with your Microsoft account.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/20530/windows-10-reactivating-after-hardware-change
 
Its as easy as it sounds if it works. I have had a 50/50 chance so far.

This is how it should go:
MOBO/PC got roached, key is associated with ms account under pc settings
bust out win10 install on new mobo/pc, do not type in a product key
Log into pc using ms account
Settings > Update & Security > Activation and select Troubleshoot
select “changed hardware on this device recently” and select your PC from a list of devices associated with your Microsoft account.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/20530/windows-10-reactivating-after-hardware-change

Except when you have multiple computers....and one MS account. Ask me how I know.
 
Its as easy as it sounds if it works. I have had a 50/50 chance so far.

This is how it should go:
MOBO/PC got roached, key is associated with ms account under pc settings
bust out win10 install on new mobo/pc, do not type in a product key
Log into pc using ms account
Settings > Update & Security > Activation and select Troubleshoot
select “changed hardware on this device recently” and select your PC from a list of devices associated with your Microsoft account.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/20530/windows-10-reactivating-after-hardware-change

This actually sounds like what I was thinking about. My MS account does show my (one and only) PC install of Windows 10.
In a pinch I probably still have at least one full OEM Windows 7 key laying around somewhere, too.
 
They'll be making a rather large mistake as it's quite a popular and friendly move on MS part to have a Windows 7 Pro license key be equal to a Windows 10 Pro license key. I've had more than a few customers start out buying a 7 Pro key and come around to understanding why they need 10 during the setup.

MS needs to just take the money and not worry which OS it's coming from.

As for existing keys activating Win 10... they need to just leave it be. It's about the only friendly thing they've done in the last 10 years and it's bought them a horde of goodwill during the change from Windows 7 and Vista.
 
Its as easy as it sounds if it works. I have had a 50/50 chance so far.

This is how it should go:
MOBO/PC got roached, key is associated with ms account under pc settings
bust out win10 install on new mobo/pc, do not type in a product key
Log into pc using ms account
Settings > Update & Security > Activation and select Troubleshoot
select “changed hardware on this device recently” and select your PC from a list of devices associated with your Microsoft account.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/20530/windows-10-reactivating-after-hardware-change

Pretty much. I'm not sure what the exact approach is, but I think it'll render the old hardware hash deactivated so that you can't use it to get it on multiple machines. So as long as you have a PC to "pull" it from on your MS account, you should be fine.
 
Am I the only one that refuses to use or associate an online MS account with my Windows login?

Nope. Some things just need to stay separate.

F having my licensing tied to The Magical Cloud, especially when I can't trust the company that my software will be there tomorrow or the service will continue to exist exactly the same -- Groove Music, Outlook premium just the latest casualties.
 
I don't think they can block Win7/8 keys they could end up blocking all keys and people could no longer reinstall.
once you install 10 and activate it, you have a digital entitlement and you no longer need a to use a key to re-install the OS on that machine.
 
Am I the only one that refuses to use or associate an online MS account with my Windows login?

I have one currently associated, the rest use offline User accounts on the machines.

They see pretty much everything about your machine,

hal-mobile-ms-account.jpg
 
Here is what gets me with the free/paid upgrade. If I get Windows 10 for free, then I expect some ads and other PITA features. However I've paid for several copies for new PC s thus should not have to see ads or some of these PITA features.

FYI - I really like Windows 10

HorseproofBacon yes you can still use Windows 7 keys to activate a fresh install of Win 10 https://www.thurrott.com/windows/wi...ill-clean-install-windows-10-windows-78-x-key
Not sure what ads you're talking about, but the ads that I've seen in the past I was able to turn off in settings.
 
When I changed my MB/CPU/Ram I just booted right into the old install of Windows 10. It stayed activated. I had planned on doing a fresh install later but everything worked great and I've been using it for 10 months without any problems. I had changed the GPU probably 4 months before that too so the only thing remaining from my original activation is my SSD, HDD, and power supply.

I have never signed in with a Microsoft account, I never really even looked to see what the benefits are of signing in that way, I just wanted it to be the way it always has been.
 
Its as easy as it sounds if it works. I have had a 50/50 chance so far.

This is how it should go:
MOBO/PC got roached, key is associated with ms account under pc settings
bust out win10 install on new mobo/pc, do not type in a product key
Log into pc using ms account
Settings > Update & Security > Activation and select Troubleshoot
select “changed hardware on this device recently” and select your PC from a list of devices associated with your Microsoft account.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/20530/windows-10-reactivating-after-hardware-change

My wife's PC died and I had to replace the motherboard, been trying to go through those steps b/c it complains about needing to be activated but when i go to troubleshoot and then click the option that i changed hardware recently it gives me an error about not being able to contact MS servers. oh well heh.

In answer to the other poster asking about Win 7 keys, I was able to use a Windows 7 Pro license key I got from school to activate a copy of Windows 10 Pro I had installed on my laptop (I couldn't find the original key I had).
 
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