Controversy Windows 10 free upgrade licensing transfer is all over the web. Microsoft hasn't really said anything about it. If I have a retail copy of Windows will the Windows 10 free upgrade be a retail copy? If so can I install it on a new computer/hardware?
Windows 10 FAQ: Can I reinstall Windows 10 on my computer after upgrading? Once you’ve upgraded to Windows 10 using the free upgrade offer, you will be able to reinstall, including a clean install, on the same device. You won’t need to purchase Windows 10 or go back to your prior version of Windows and upgrade again.
There is no controversy. Everyone is getting exact same version of Windows. Insiders have gotten the build first that's about it.
As for transferring licenses, they made it very clear. To transfer the license to use the copy of Windows from one machine to another the license must be deactivated from the previous machine and it must be a retail copy.
If you have a Windows based laptop, or Windows tablet. it's an OEM copy. so you can't transfer the license because it was provided to you by an OEM. for example Dell, or HP, or Lenovo (Just an example) if you're like many of us, who built a PC and bought a Windows disc. it's of course retail and it can be transfered to any machine we want. of course you have to de-activate it from your machine to transfer it.
As for what version of "Windows 10" insiders got. it's the RTM build. we're testing it first. people running WIndows 7 or 8/8.1 will get this exact build on July 29th.
So far with the preview builds I have had issues getting legit licenses to transfer over on my machines. I ultimately gave up and used the good old toolkit *cough *cough.
I find that for power users like myself who reformat there systems just to get a fresh start every once in a while, its damn near impossible to keep your license legit even though you've paid for it.
I used to make image backups to alleviate this but it just has gotten so easy to reinstall windows these days + mostly everything being mostly doing a full reinstall isn't a big deal anymore.
Anyways I got side tracked, my main point is that if you plan on doing a doing the "upgrade" route from Windows Update you'll probably have no problems.
If you plan on going the "clean install" route be ready to experience problems from your OEM keys.
Hopefully/ideally there should be an option from within Windows that allows you to perform a clean installation (I'm picturing an F8 advanced boot option - CMD: shutdown /r /o /t 00) that says reformat hard drive.
Yes it will. So you can install it up to five times before needing phone reactivation, unless you only do a few reinstalls a year, as Windows 10 still uses the hardware "points" system in regards to reactivation.
Basically you can do a clean install. During the upgrade you will have the opportunity to create install media which will also contain your activation, so you can skip entering a code when you reinstall.
No, OEM and system builder licenses can be transferred due of harware failure etc, but require phone reactivation.
No, Windows 7 Professional and Ultimate will upgrade to Windows 10 Pro - other versions of seven will upgrade to windows 10 Home edition. Windows 8.1 upgrades to Windows 10 Home, and Windows 8.1 Pro upgrades to Windows 10 Pro. Windows insiders get the pro version.
This is questionable. I'm not sure. according to the new license terms of WIndows 10. this is NOT supposed to be the case.
I'm well aware. BUT the build everyone is getting is the same. it's just the Windows Update control will be disabled for "Home" users. Insiders got Windows 10 "Pro" for free.
Ah so you're telling me my devious plans have been thwarted. I have an old WIN7 Home laptop that I wanted to turn into a pseudo server but I can't because it doesn't have some of the Pro functionality such as RDP. I thought that WIN10 was just going to be WIN10 (no pro etc). To be clear, there will be Home / Pro versions of WIN10? I thought I specifically read somewhere that they were getting rid of all home / pro versions (except enterprise) of WIN10.