Windows 10 free updates end at 10.59am on Saturday (UK time)

[HEXUS]

In the US that's Saturday morning at 5:59am EDT / 2:59am PDT.

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[jezza9]

"Same Start menu. Same programs.", compared to what exactly? Definitely not Windows 7 or Windows 8.1.

[excalibur1814]

The casual user cares not for the start menu no matter what it looks like. As soon as you put the shortcuts on the bottom bar hardly any of them will delve into the start menu.

[jonathan_phang]

Does it have to be installed and activated by that date? I'm going to use the media creation tool, but not sure if the deadline relates to the the acceptance of the upgrade or the install/activate part.

[shaithis]

Does it have to be installed and activated by that date? I'm going to use the media creation tool, but not sure if the deadline relates to the the acceptance of the upgrade or the install/activate part.

I would have thought it would be the upgrade of the license, it's the only point at which license acceptance can happen.

[jonathan_phang]

I would have thought it would be the upgrade of the license, it's the only point at which license acceptance can happen.

Thanks I downloaded an ISO this morning, but will prob get it installed onto USB tonight and then do a clean install, or at least do a quick and dirty inplace until I can do a nice clean install.

[Shoom]

Does it have to be installed and activated by that date? I'm going to use the media creation tool, but not sure if the deadline relates to the the acceptance of the upgrade or the install/activate part.

I could be wrong but as far as I know you have to install at least once. You can then roll it back and it stays registered.

[darcotech]

I did the upgrade to Windows 10, saved the serial number that was assigner, than restored old installation from image created just before. Look for clone software, make a clone of your PC, it is fast (25min for mine) and then go with upgrade. Do whatever you need to do, the put the cloned image back. You have both WIndows 7/8 license and WIndows 10. Easy.

[[DW]Cougho]

I did the upgrade to Windows 10, saved the serial number that was assigner, than restored old installation from image created just before. Look for clone software, make a clone of your PC, it is fast (25min for mine) and then go with upgrade. Do whatever you need to do, the put the cloned image back. You have both WIndows 7/8 license and WIndows 10. Easy.

I did this, not because I intended to but because I'm used to making images before I make any major changes.

Didn't get along with Windows 10 on my desktop, so restored my image. Nice to know that I've still got my 'free' licence.

[Unique]

on my laptop I was thinking about pulling out the boot drive, sticking in another HDD and installing it on that, using the key, then sticking the old drive back in, so I've then got the licence registered to the laptop. I've read the model I have has issues with graphics card drivers but there are either onboard graphics or more powerful options available so I'm not sure if it's the bog standard onboard that has the issues or the upgraded one. windows 7 runs fine on it so in no rush to upgrade really

[Bane2087]

42 billion days spent unticking all the privacy invasion checkboxes, installing Chrome, deleting all the default crap on the start menu and getting rid of Cortana.

[azrael-]

I did the upgrade to Windows 10, saved the serial number that was assigner, than restored old installation from image created just before. Look for clone software, make a clone of your PC, it is fast (25min for mine) and then go with upgrade. Do whatever you need to do, the put the cloned image back. You have both WIndows 7/8 license and WIndows 10. Easy.

There is no Windows 10 key for you to "extract". Whatever key you've got out of it is a generic one. Windows 10 activation is done by hardware fingerprinting, which is then stored on a Microsoft activation server. This is also (one of) the reason(s) why the "free" Windows 10 will only activate on the same hardware as it was initially installed on (the same device bit).

With the Anniversay Update there's a new feature, however. If you've opted to log in to Windows 10 with a Microsoft Live account then the digital entitlement will be linked with that account. This *might* make it possible to migrate the Windows 10 entitlement to new hardware, although probably requiring contacting Microsoft to tell them a sob story of how it was necessary to move to new hardware (apparently, the motherboard is the key component here).

[The Hand]

The upgrade expired roughly an hour ago since it's GMT not the actual time now(daylight saving time). I'm on a Windows 7 laptop from 2011 so I didn't bother upgrading.

I have a funny feeling MS might decide to allow another week or two of upgrades at some point, in order to mop up a few more windows 7/8/8.1 users who didn't get their act together beforehand.

[Bagpuss]

Missed the 'free upgrade'.

Oh dear, what a shame, never mind.

[gagaga]

Missed the 'free upgrade'.

Oh dear, what a shame, never mind.

Give it a go - i upgraded 3 PCs in the past half an hour (and if that was sarcasm, shame on you )

[DDY]

42 billion days spent unticking all the privacy invasion checkboxes, installing Chrome, deleting all the default crap on the start menu and getting rid of Cortana.

Considering your consciousness for computer privacy, I find it strange that you've opted for Chrome considering that Google's core business revolves around gathering data from its users.