Windows 10 Free Upgrade Offer To End Soon

is there an advantage to using another drive vs creating a disk image to save?

We each may have our own reasons but mine is so I can mainly use Win7 yet not give up the "free" upgrade. I don't like some of the more Win8 like features of the desktop that Win10 has but once I have set things up as I want then maybe I'll just go Win10.

Originally I think there was no going back but sounds like you can now, at least for 30 days or so.
 
I take it the servers over at MS keep track of your PC's info so that if the HD dies, we can reinstall without any problems?
Would also like to know. My motherboard just died on one of my PCs and i won't be able to replace it this week. How do i reinstall? Do i reinstall 7 and still upgrade to 10?
 
Would also like to know. My motherboard just died on one of my PCs and i won't be able to replace it this week. How do i reinstall? Do i reinstall 7 and still upgrade to 10?
Unless they add a grace period, I think you're SOL. I would contact customer support and plead your case, you might be able to just feed them your serial number and they might flag it somehow as having been upgraded. Good luck finding a contact though.
 
Couldn't come soon enough. Windows 10 cant' take a hint.

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I waited and held off for so long because Im [H]ardcore and stuff but finally updated my laptop and it wasn't so painful. I upgraded my desktop and well after some tweeking and turning a bunch of crap off I will say that most programs run a bit better. The only issue I had to reset my router from a saved settings because nothing would connect. I actually like a few of the features and removed the ones I didn't like.
 
And never play new AAA games or use the latest and great desktop software again!
Same way as i don't play AAA games that are only on PS4, I 'll not play AAA games that are only available from the windows store. But every real PC Game I'll still be able to play. And i don't think any important desktop software will be store exclusive.
 
Free does not mean what it used to mean.
If you're happy with Win7 or you have older software/hardware that's incompatible with Win10, there is no compelling reason to upgrade. Windows 7 will continue to get fixes until 2020 ! By then, you'll probably need a new machine anyway, and you'll have to upgrade to a new Windows.​

DirectX 12 is a very compelling reason to upgrade now.
 
Same way as i don't play AAA games that are only on PS4, I 'll not play AAA games that are only available from the windows store. But every real PC Game I'll still be able to play. And i don't think any important desktop software will be store exclusive.

I was refereeing to Windows in general, just not Windows 10. The way I look at it is that if I'm spending thousands of dollars on hardware I want to run whatever software I want. At this point I really couldn't go back to Window 7 or even 8.1, I'm using a lot of the stuff unique to 10 and overall it's working well for me.
 
Oh, good. I hope that means I can finally run Windows Update without needing rehide all the adware.
 
Quad boot for the win. Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 7 and CentOS 6.7.

I have too much stuff that was made for each OS that just doesn't have the same replacement. Virtual machines don't cut it for full USB compatibility etc. Seems like every version of Windows has less integrated software and functionality.

Will be interesting if they are going to extend the free time.
 
DirectX 12 is a very compelling reason to upgrade now.

If only there were DX12 games, instead of a few DX11 games with partial DX12 features slopped on as an afterthought.

DX12 is irrelevant right now based on current games and others slated for this year, but that may change in a few years when Windows 10 isn't only 19% of PCs.
 
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If only there were DX12 games, instead of a few DX11 games with partial DX12 features slopped on as an afterthought.

DX12 is irrelevant right now, but that may change in a few years.

You're going to be the guy posting in a year about how annoyed you are that Microsoft won't give you Windows 10 for free.
 
Quad boot for the win. Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 7 and CentOS 6.7.

I have too much stuff that was made for each OS that just doesn't have the same replacement. Virtual machines don't cut it for full USB compatibility etc. Seems like every version of Windows has less integrated software and functionality.

Will be interesting if they are going to extend the free time.
What do you run that works on 8.1, but doesn't work on 7?
 
What do you run that works on 8.1, but doesn't work on 7?
A special version of Adobe 6 stuff. Shadows of Mordor. For some reason that game just runs better on my 8.1, which is ironic because that OS is installed on a spindle drive, yet my Win 7 is on a corsair SSD.

I also like having the OS around for client calls. Easy to pan thru the menus for them when Im on the phone. I cant remember every location on every OS.
 
If only there were DX12 games, instead of a few DX11 games with partial DX12 features slopped on as an afterthought.

DX12 is irrelevant right now based on current games and others slated for this year, but that may change in a few years when Windows 10 isn't only 19% of PCs.

Beginning with Deus Ex: Mankind Divided in 4 weeks, there's going to be a constant stream of major titles coming with DX 12 through the end of the year, that's more than irrelevant. Of course no one generally knows what if any advantages DX 12 is going to bring to these upcoming games but I would suspect that for at least some games and some hardware there will be benefits. And it's possible that for other games and hardware there won't be much gain or possibly even some draw backs. Just like at the current mixed results with Vulkan in Doom which really likes the 480 but not much else.

Also, when the Steam Hardware survey comes out next week, it's probably going to show Windows 10 close to 50% market share. By the end of this quarter, it's likely that the majority of PC gamers, at least according this survey, will be on Windows 10.
 
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Man, I've had family come out of the wood work asking for help doing the upgrade. You know the deadline is coming when they all hit up the family it guy, darn procrastinators.
 
I was refereeing to Windows in general, just not Windows 10. The way I look at it is that if I'm spending thousands of dollars on hardware I want to run whatever software I want. At this point I really couldn't go back to Window 7 or even 8.1, I'm using a lot of the stuff unique to 10 and overall it's working well for me.
I've been running windows 10 for a few months now, and the only thing I couldn't have done since with windows 7 was run the 3dmark timespy benchmark. Which is not very important anyway.
 
I've been running windows 10 for a few months now, and the only thing I couldn't have done since with windows 7 was run the 3dmark timespy benchmark. Which is not very important anyway.

My situation would be drastically different as I own Surface devices and use Windows Store apps and things like Cortana and Windows Hello. There are some slick things in Windows 10 if one actually uses it.
 
My situation would be drastically different as I own Surface devices and use Windows Store apps and things like Cortana and Windows Hello. There are some slick things in Windows 10 if one actually uses it.
But then you run windows 10 on your surface devices whatever those are. I run android on my phone and my tablet, that doesn't mean I need to run android on my desktop. And if you have to run windows 10 on your desktop to be able to use it parallel to your surface then that's a con, not a pro.
 
But then you run windows 10 on your surface devices whatever those are. I run android on my phone and my tablet, that doesn't mean I need to run android on my desktop. And if you have to run windows 10 on your desktop to be able to use it parallel to your surface then that's a con, not a pro.

I'd say it's definitely a pro. The universal apps thing can be very cool in that stuff moves from any device to other device seamlessly. Set a reminder through Cortana on the desktop, it automatically syncs across everything. Missed phone calls show up in Action Center and I can text using my PC and it gets sent using my phone. The Netflix and Hulu apps work perfectly on the desktop, better than the web site. By an app for the phone and if it's universal I can use it on the desktop. My bank now has a universal app, again easier and faster than a web site, can even deposit a check from my desktop in that rare case these days.
 
I'd say it's definitely a pro. The universal apps thing can be very cool in that stuff moves from any device to other device seamlessly. Set a reminder through Cortana on the desktop, it automatically syncs across everything. Missed phone calls show up in Action Center and I can text using my PC and it gets sent using my phone. The Netflix and Hulu apps work perfectly on the desktop, better than the web site. By an app for the phone and if it's universal I can use it on the desktop. My bank now has a universal app, again easier and faster than a web site, can even deposit a check from my desktop in that rare case these days.
Well that's where we differ. I'm trying desperately to keep my phone and my desktop separate, but everyone and everything wants to sync. It's driving me mad to the point where I was considering creating a completely separate google account on my phone.

What works on a desktop and what works on a phone / tablet are entirely different animals. Something that works on both is a compromise on either or both.
 
What works on a desktop and what works on a phone / tablet are entirely different animals. Something that works on both is a compromise on either or both.

Not really sure how a Netflix or Hulu app that runs across devices would be compromised or certain casual games or certain utilities like a calculator or map or content apps like ereaders. Heck, even the universal Office apps are plenty capable on the desktop, certainly not as powerful as the desktop apps but then how many times have we heard people mention how little of all of the functionality they use in function rich apps like desktop Office? From the perspective of running applications, desktop apps work just like they do on Windows 7, some apps work equally well across desktops, tablets or even phones if that's how they were designed. Some apps, like those that have features like ink, would be more geared towards tablet use but you could still run the app on a desktop and read or search that info, I do that all the time with desktop OneNote. Of course OneNote works equally well with keyboards and mice and text input.

And it looks like Microsoft was right about a hybrid approach, or it least it finally kind of worked out. 2 in 1 devices have seen a lot of growth while conventional tablets have sort of collapsed.
 
Man, I've had family come out of the wood work asking for help doing the upgrade. You know the deadline is coming when they all hit up the family it guy, darn procrastinators.

Tell them to try it themselves and you'll take a look if something doesn't go right.

That's what we're doing with our clients at this point.
 
Beginning with Deus Ex: Mankind Divided in 4 weeks, there's going to be a constant stream of major titles coming with DX 12 through the end of the year, that's more than irrelevant. Of course no one generally knows what if any advantages DX 12 is going to bring to these upcoming games but I would suspect that for at least some games and some hardware there will be benefits. And it's possible that for other games and hardware there won't be much gain or possibly even some draw backs. Just like at the current mixed results with Vulkan in Doom which really likes the 480 but not much else.

Also, when the Steam Hardware survey comes out next week, it's probably going to show Windows 10 close to 50% market share. By the end of this quarter, it's likely that the majority of PC gamers, at least according this survey, will be on Windows 10.

"Constant stream" - right. DE:MD isn't a DX12 title and thus won't require Windows 10. It is yet another title that is just like I stated: DX11, with a few DX12 features slopped on as an afterthought.

DX12 still has to prove itself, and it's going to be a few more years before we start seeing DX12-only games, if ever. But by all means keep the MS marketing copy-pasta coming.
 
"Constant stream" - right. DE:MD isn't a DX12 title. It is yet another title that is just like I stated: DX11, with a few DX12 features slopped on as an afterthought.

DX12 still has to prove itself, and it's going to be a few more years before we start seeing DX12-only games, if ever. But by all means keep the MS marketing bulletpoint copy-pasta coming.

These titles will have DX 12 support and it might have benefits over DX 11. That's not marketing and we'll see soon enough.
 
I skipped Win 8.x and pretty much went all in on Win 10. It helps that I was on the preview ring, so I could keep playing with it and installing it on different hardware to test things.

But yeah all the Win 7/8 (except for my work laptop *shakes fist*) left my house last year. Not that I hated 7, but I hated 8 and I didn't feel like paying $100 if I could get it free.

And to think I *ALMOST* bought a copy of Win 10 Pro. Silly me, why buy it when they give it away for free?

My mother in law is the last holdout... I'm just going to tell them to buy a new rig since they're going to miss the cutoff.

............

On another topic.... is it really in MS's best interest to "end" the free upgrade? I mean, if the goal is to move the population to the current code base, switching from "free" to a paid or subscription model is not likely to lure the left behinds over any time soon.
 
On another topic.... is it really in MS's best interest to "end" the free upgrade? I mean, if the goal is to move the population to the current code base, switching from "free" to a paid or subscription model is not likely to lure the left behinds over any time soon.

if they want to make any money on OS sales, they need to end the upgrade or else people will just buy up windows 7 keys for cheap to upgrade, giving MS $0. At this point, I think theyve moved enough of the population to win10 to end the free upgrade.
 
Microsoft has never really made any profits from selling Windows in retail channels, it's the OEMs that bring in the revenues for the OS itself and businesses/commercial entities/governments that then provide the real meat and potatoes profits from Office since that's vastly more expensive in the full Professional or Enterprise versions. Even their server OSes don't bring in anything compared to what Office does/has done for decades now, it's the "cash cow" for them as the saying goes because of the support contracts.

They may offer some kind of extension with the Anniversary Update depending on how that rollout progresses - if some major issues crop up with it then they won't have much choice but to backpedal to some degrees to appease people.

Hell, they could theoretically do this entire "free upgrade" thing all over again for the first year the Anniversary Update is available.

Now, if they do such a thing on August 2nd, you didn't hear it from me, ok (hint, hint)? :D
 
I still will be surprised if they don't make it where you rent it just like the Office365 crappola for regular consumers. Next Windows DEFINITLEY WILL be rented.
 
Did you hear yourself as you typed that?

He has a point...you can buy Windows 7 Pro keys over in FS/FT for $10 apiece, so you know whoever is selling them didn't pay that for them. I suspect Microsoft is getting little if any money off of those keys.
 
I was under the impression MS didn't hand out any keys until they were paid for first. Just because someone might be having a hail doesn't really mean MS didn't get their money. That was my point. I have pointed in the wrong direction before, but I still had the other three pointing right......
 
Someone should check those keys, more than likely they're Technet keys leeched from thousands of subscriptions over the years where people would take advantage of the Technet pricing, get 10 keys per product, sell the keys for profit, then use the proceeds to buy more Technet subscriptions, ad repeat ad nauseum which is part of the reason (a big part) why Technet no longer exists.

"The few always ruin it for the many..." and that's just another example of it, ruining a good thing with Technet just to make some cash.
 
I still will be surprised if they don't make it where you rent it just like the Office365 crappola for regular consumers. Next Windows DEFINITLEY WILL be rented.

For consumers I just don't see how this would ever work. Most consumers have never paid a direct cost to use Windows, it just came with the machine. And a good number of machines these days have zero cost Windows on them. Getting consumers to pay for something that they've never paid for directly, it's just not going to work.
 
What can you on 10 that doesn't run on 7 besides DX12?
Virtual Desktop, OBS Studio (not OBS regular), Shadowplay if you want a file larger than 4GB. Pretty much anything that uses some Windows video codecs that were used in 8 / 10. And like you said, everything DX12.

Beginning with Deus Ex: Mankind Divided in 4 weeks, there's going to be a constant stream of major titles coming with DX 12 through the end of the year, that's more than irrelevant. Of course no one generally knows what if any advantages DX 12 is going to bring to these upcoming games but I would suspect that for at least some games and some hardware there will be benefits. And it's possible that for other games and hardware there won't be much gain or possibly even some draw backs. Just like at the current mixed results with Vulkan in Doom which really likes the 480 but not much else.

Also, when the Steam Hardware survey comes out next week, it's probably going to show Windows 10 close to 50% market share. By the end of this quarter, it's likely that the majority of PC gamers, at least according this survey, will be on Windows 10.
It's going to be the same situation as DirectX 10 and Vista, just with the numbers a little different. Direct3D 9 came out for XP AND Windows 98, and we had widespread adoption, there were mainstream games REQUIRING DX9 about a year afterwards. DX10 came out tied to Vista and we had games REQUIRING DX10... almost never. We didn't start to see games REQUIRE DX11 until 2012, you know, about 6 years later, once XP was finally fading off. This is what happens when you artificially tie your rendering API to a new OS. The only reason adoption on 10 is so high is because it's free. Even if 50% are using it, that's 50% lost sales for any developer that makes a game exclusively for DX12. No developer wants to lose 50% of their market just for using a newer API, so we'll just see a lot of halfway measures, like we did with DX10. The only games requiring DX12 will be MS exclusives. I predict we'll see this for at least 4 years.
 
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It's going to be the same situation as DirectX 10 and Vista, just with the numbers a little different. Direct3D 9 came out for XP AND Windows 98, and we had widespread adoption, there were mainstream games REQUIRING DX9 about a year afterwards. DX10 came out tied to Vista and we had games REQUIRING DX10... almost never. We didn't start to see games REQUIRE DX11 until 2012, you know, about 6 years later, once XP was finally fading off. This is what happens when you artificially tie your rendering API to a new OS. The only reason adoption on 10 is so high is because it's free. Even if 50% are using it, that's 50% lost sales for any developer that makes a game exclusively for DX12. No developer wants to lose 50% of their market just for using a newer API, so we'll just see a lot of halfway measures, like we did with DX10. The only games requiring DX12 will be MS exclusives. I predict we'll see this for at least 4 years.

It's a bit more complicated than this. People with the latest and greatest PCs tend to buy more stuff for those PCs. Windows 7 is getting old, few new gaming systems are coming online running it and the total number will continue to shrink. Games requiring DX 12 may be a couple more years out. But one of the big things about DX 12 is better performance. Even if games don't exclusively support DX 12 for a while, if DX 12 shows better performance over DX 11 and I'm guessing that's going to be the case at least with some titles, well, who would want to run their games slower?

Again, we'll see how things pan out for the rest of the year with upcoming titles. But if DX 12 shows some good benchmarking numbers versus DX 11 in these titles, that'll be the best marketing for DX 12 there is.
 
Someone should check those keys, more than likely they're Technet keys leeched from thousands of subscriptions over the years where people would take advantage of the Technet pricing, get 10 keys per product, sell the keys for profit, then use the proceeds to buy more Technet subscriptions, ad repeat ad nauseum which is part of the reason (a big part) why Technet no longer exists.

"The few always ruin it for the many..." and that's just another example of it, ruining a good thing with Technet just to make some cash.

how do you go about checking those keys?
 
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