Microsoft explains Windows 10 upgrade for non-genuine users

[BobF64]

Am I able to upgrade Win7 Home and Win8.1+Bing to Win10 Pro so that I only use a single OS instead of slightly different version on each machine?

For free? I'd have thought not. But it really depends how they offer the upgrades.

I don't believe there is anything, other than price, that stops you upgrading Windows 7 Home to Windows 8 Pro, although I don't know if the reverse is true for in-place upgrades.

[Saracen]

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Will I need to apply for a bunch of keys to allow me to reinstall the OS on each one or will I need to use the upgrade option like the current beta version (which took a bloody age to complete)?
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Unclear, at the moment, but I sure hope that, mas in the past, you xan doca 'full' network downliad, ONCE, and upgrade all machines from it, rather than doing a machine by machine download, which is a right pain for those with multiple machines.

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Am I able to upgrade Win7 Home and Win8.1+Bing to Win10 Pro so that I only use a single OS instead of slightly different version on each machine?

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Again, unclear, but I'd assume like-for-like upgrades, Home to Home, Pro to Pro.

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Where my current Win7 Pro licences allow me to bin a machine and then reuse the licence on a new machine, if I accept the free upgrade do I then use this right?

Also unclear, but without the carry-over of that right, I won't upgrade. I bought, and paid fir, RETAIL licences not OEM exactly for that purpose.

The simple truth is, right now, we have a lot more questions than answers. And several of those answers will determine which, if any, of my mavhines go to W10.

[GuidoLS]

If it's not broken, why fix it. Won't be touching W10 I don't think.

2 reasons - DX12 and Edge/Spartan. And yes, DX12 will be that much of a game changer.

[GuidoLS]

You got questions - I got answers...

We now know how the different editions will work. Windows 7 Home Basic and Home Premium, and Windows 8 and 8.1, will all upgrade to Windows 10 Home. Windows 7 Professional and Ultimate, and Windows 8 and 8.1 Pro, will all upgrade to Windows 10 Pro. This upgrade will be free, and will be delivered exclusively through Windows Update. Corporate Windows Pro systems using WSUS will have to use Windows Update in order to use the upgrade.

Source.

You'll need to scroll down to the bottom and watch the keynote. Or, for the Cliff's notes version, Easy Button.

Seems some speculation HAS been correct so far.

[kalniel]

So we don't yet know if the full license is transferring. i.e. if I had a retail license I could re-install win 7 as many times as I like on replacement computers, but if I have to use Windows Update to get Windows 10 there's no guarantee this will work after the first year (and it looks like I'd have to continue installing windows 7 first then update).

[KeyboardDemon]

Cheaper than free?

Is it really free though? You could argue that Apple being the only manufacturer of Apple computers, have actually covered the costs of OS and OS future developments by adding a premium to the hardware price and while a few people escape paying that premium by building their own Hackintosh rigs, the majority of customers paid for it when they bought their Macs.

I don't think MS would offer their OS for free, but I would like to see prices start from under £50 for a full version then half that for an upgrade and obviously creep up for Premium/Enterprise licensing with option of buying bolt on parts such as Media Center and Movie Maker etc...

[shaithis]

Source.

Hmm that is interesting......although I am surprised as even the Windows 8 to 8.1 was not available via WSUS and now they are saying upgrades from 7, 8 and 8.1 will be deployed via WSUS.....

[excalibur2]

So it looks like MS is not interested in world domination (monopoly) in the operating system as I can't see what MS is offering would change the piracy in China or Asia...they will just crack win 10 for a retail version and carry on, unless MS has a way of stopping them.

[crossy]

I don't think MS would offer their OS for free, but I would like to see prices start from under £50 for a full version then half that for an upgrade and obviously creep up for Premium/Enterprise licensing with option of buying bolt on parts such as Media Center and Movie Maker etc...

Yes, I would have thought £49.99 for Windows 10 Home would have been a good price point. And agree wthat Premium would/should be a good deal more - say £99.99 for Pro. The "buying bolt on parts" idea seems like a perfect use-case for the Windows App Store imho.

[kalniel]

So it looks like MS is not interested in world domination (monopoly) in the operating system as I can't see what MS is offering would change the piracy in China or Asia...they will just crack win 10 for a retail version and carry on, unless MS has a way of stopping them.

It's not about putting up blocks to prevent piracy, it's about addressing the reasons people pirate in the first place, which are different in the East than in the West. Support is a really big thing and the authorities like to see (especially western) companies doing their best to support users. If this is a route to better support then MS are doing the right thing.

[excalibur2]

It's not about putting up blocks to prevent piracy, it's about addressing the reasons people pirate in the first place, which are different in the East than in the West. Support is a really big thing and the authorities like to see (especially western) companies doing their best to support users. If this is a route to better support then MS are doing the right thing.

Well the economies of China and Asia are doing quite well without the support of MS, but I suppose the large companies have legal MS OS.....but it always amazes me that MS must be insulted with the high piracy in countries yet supply operating systems in their language, which on the face of it seems a good idea for world domination but depends on them playing ball and "hooking" them in...well as I have said, I can't see Win 10 doing this i.e. converting pirates to legal owners.

[shaithis]

Well the economies of China and Asia are doing quite well without the support of MS

Yes, by stealing all the IP they want!

[NanaQwam]

My laptop came with a genuine windows 8 installation; but the hard disk crashed and I had to replace it with a new windows I got from the web I activated it, like when I firt got the laoptop does it mean my windows is not LEGIT????

[jag272]

My laptop came with a genuine windows 8 installation; but the hard disk crashed and I had to replace it with a new windows I got from the web I activated it, like when I firt got the laoptop does it mean my windows is not LEGIT????

Only you know the answer to that based upon what source you used to install windows from. If you used the official microsoft digitalriver download (now removed) its possible it just found the OEM key stored in the BIOS and automatically activated that. The key will have remained valid but in some cases you need to call microsoft customer support for them to free up the key so you can use it again.

If the windows you got online was preactivated or something however, its almost certainly fake.

[excalibur2]

Only you know the answer to that based upon what source you used to install windows from. If you used the official microsoft digitalriver download (now removed) its possible it just found the OEM key stored in the BIOS and automatically activated that. The key will have remained valid but in some cases you need to call microsoft customer support for them to free up the key so you can use it again.

If the windows you got online was preactivated or something however, its almost certainly fake.

The program "Belarc advisor" shows installed keys...will that work?

[ZaO]

Hey guys. Please excuse me for not reading the article properly, its links, or the forum posts. It's rude, I know But I just wanted to ask - does this mean there is no free upgrade to W10 for those who don't have a registered copy of Windows already? Thanks