Author Topic: 'Free'* Windows 10 upgrade  (Read 101981 times)

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Offline BeeTee

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Re: 'Free'* Windows 10 upgrade
« Reply #75 on: Monday, 28 March, 2016 @ 18:44:54 »
I found this article 'You Don't Need a Product Key To Install Windows 10' on the How-to Geek site

http://www.howtogeek.com/244678/you-dont-need-a-product-key-to-install-and-use-windows-10/

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Microsoft allows anyone to download Windows 10 for free and install it without a product key. It’ll keep working for the foreseeable future, with only a few small cosmetic restrictions. And you can even pay to upgrade to a licensed copy of Windows 10 after you install it.

Whether you want to install Windows 10 in Boot Camp, put it on an old computer that isn’t eligible for a free upgrade, or create one or more virtual machines, you don’t actually need to pay a cent.


The windows 10 download is totally legal and direct from a Microsoft site. I've tried this on a vista laptop that isn't eligible for free upgrade but wanted to see if it would run on it. I created a separate partition, downloaded the Windows 10 ISO to DVD, rebooted with the DVD loaded (remember to pick the custom install option), chose the new partition and followed the instruction in the article and Windows 10 installs after a while. With a network connection the latest updates get downloaded and installed. There are a few cosmetic restrictions and it tells you that the system needs activating but it doesn't nag you.

How long Microsoft will allow this I don't know but it is a great way to find out if your old vista laptop and hardware (my 15 year old printer still works on Windows 10) will handle Windows 10 and whether or not you like Windows 10 enough to pay for it.
 

Offline TonyKath

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Re: 'Free'* Windows 10 upgrade
« Reply #76 on: Tuesday, 29 March, 2016 @ 17:51:37 »
Anybody else tried the upgrade?

Tony

Offline BeeTee

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Re: 'Free'* Windows 10 upgrade
« Reply #77 on: Wednesday, 13 April, 2016 @ 21:18:30 »
The free upgrade to Windows 10 only applies to Windows 7 or 8.1 users. I was thinking about maybe upgrading a Vista system to Windows 10 using Windows Easy Transfer only to find out that Microsoft no longer supports this for Windows 10. However, Microsoft have partnered with Laplink to use PCmover Express instead. Link below...

    http://windows.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows-10/windows-easy-transfer-is-not-available-in-windows-10

Offline Maik

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Re: 'Free'* Windows 10 upgrade
« Reply #78 on: Tuesday, 24 May, 2016 @ 16:48:26 »
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Microsoft sheds light on Windows 10 update policy
http://www.ghacks.net/2016/05/24/microsoft-windows-10-update-policy/

Offline TonyD

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Re: 'Free'* Windows 10 upgrade
« Reply #79 on: Tuesday, 24 May, 2016 @ 23:25:39 »
Here's a useful little utility. It's just a tool to toggle some registry settings.
It makes no permanent changes to your system. It does not install.
It shows you if Win10 Update files have already downloaded, and how much space they're taking

Download it here, and save to your desktop for easy access

You can choose;

Disable Win10 Upgrade, Enable Win10 Upgrade, Delete already downloaded files


Offline U4ea

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Re: 'Free'* Windows 10 upgrade
« Reply #80 on: Wednesday, 25 May, 2016 @ 01:40:54 »
29th July is (currently) the last date to install Windows 10 for free. This may of course change as we get closer to that date.......

Offline BeeTee

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Re: 'Free'* Windows 10 upgrade
« Reply #81 on: Wednesday, 25 May, 2016 @ 10:42:08 »
Get Windows 10 free after July 29 with a little prep now...

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Microsoft has confirmed that Windows 10’s free upgrade offer will expire on July 29, 2016. After that, you’ll have to pay $119 to upgrade on any computer that hasn’t already made the leap. But with a few simple steps, you can “reserve” that free copy now, so you can upgrade after July 29 without paying.

We know not everyone wants to upgrade to Windows 10 right now, and that’s fine. But one day, you’ll probably have to. And you don’t want to have to pay $119 for it. By upgrading a computer now and then rolling back to Windows 7 or 8, you’ll get to keep your original version of Windows, but “reserve” that free Windows 10 license for all your PCs.

How This Works
When you upgrade to Windows 10 from a PC running a genuine and activated Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 operating system, your PC receives a “digital entitlement.” Basically, Microsoft notes on its servers that your particular PC’s hardware is eligible for Windows 10 going forward.

Once your PC is eligible, it’s always eligible–you can reinstall Windows 10 from scratch and it’ll automatically activate, without you even entering a product key. You can even install a different operating system–like Windows 7 or Linux–and reinstall Windows 10 later, fully activated and genuine.

Note that this is tied to your computer’s specific hardware, not your Microsoft account. The free Windows 10 license you receive will only work on that PC–if you upgrade the motherboard or try to install Windows 10 on another PC that doesn’t have the digital entitlement, it won’t work.

So, in order to “reserve” Windows 10, we’re going to walk you through the steps of upgrading to Windows 10 on your machine, then reverting to Windows 7 or 8. You get to keep the version of Windows you love, but your PC will be entitled to Windows 10 at any point in the future, without having to pay $119.

We’ll walk you through two methods: A simple method that involves upgrading and rolling back, and a slightly more complex method that involves cloning your current disk, so everything is exactly how you left it.

Full article here...

http://www.howtogeek.com/253901/get-windows-10-for-free-after-july-29th-with-a-little-prep-now/

Offline BeeTee

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Re: 'Free'* Windows 10 upgrade
« Reply #82 on: Wednesday, 25 May, 2016 @ 19:53:37 »
Microsoft Windows 10 Upgrade Popup Labelled ‘Nasty Trick’ As It Forces Users To Update

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Microsoft has got itself in a spot of bother.

The company has been accused of playing a ‘nasty trick’ on those people who haven’t yet upgraded their PCs to Windows 10.

Anyone who hasn’t upgraded yet has been receiving fairly regular hints and popups suggesting that they do so.

Well now Microsoft has gone a step further: When a user tries to close the popup box by clicking on the ‘X’ in the top right-hand corner the computer registers that as a consent to upgrade.

This is unfortunate. The ‘X’ button on Windows has always traditionally been associated with performing one action: to close that window.

This has unsurprisingly gone down about as well as a USB drive full of ransomware and experts are already taking to Twitter to express their anger.

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/microsoft-windows-10-upgrade-popup-labelled-nasty-trick-as-it-forces-users-to-update_uk_574571aae4b0ebf6a328e9c8?

Offline TonyKath

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Re: 'Free'* Windows 10 upgrade
« Reply #83 on: Sunday, 05 June, 2016 @ 19:28:38 »
Tried to update our laptop yesterday.  Found the instructions difficult to find and follow, strangely enough.  Took ages to download on a fast broadband connection, then even longer to install and then realised it had stuck on 99 percent.  Not much help via Google to my surprise but some peeps saying leave it a LONG time.  So still stuck after 20 hours overnight and into today.  Restarted and black screen after DOS screen and a brief flash of Win7 .  Gave up and used safe mode and then system restore. 

Might try again but might not.  Not sure it's worth bothering with.  It was only with Kath getting annoyed with the reminders and an email hinting at Live Mail changes from the end of July that made think why not try.

NB IF YOU DO ATTEMPT TO UPGRADE YOU MUST CREATE A MANUAL RESTORE POINT FIRST.  The upgrade did create an restore point but only at about 12 hours in to the process! 

Can anyone recommend a decent email client, not from MS ?!

Tony



Offline HiFi

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Re: 'Free'* Windows 10 upgrade
« Reply #84 on: Sunday, 05 June, 2016 @ 20:00:52 »
Didn't know Marks & Sparks provided?

Offline Maik

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Re: 'Free'* Windows 10 upgrade
« Reply #85 on: Monday, 06 June, 2016 @ 13:23:22 »
Can anyone recommend a decent email client, not from MS ?!


Hm, Marks & Sparks seem to have avoided the browser battle. There's quite a few to chose from, some free, some not. I tried Pegasus Mail some years back, it was OK but I preferred Mozilla Thunderbird. Or you might like Opera Mail.


PS: Can't honestly say I'm missing Windows much.
« Last Edit: Monday, 06 June, 2016 @ 13:25:42 by Maik »

Offline janey

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Re: 'Free'* Windows 10 upgrade
« Reply #86 on: Monday, 06 June, 2016 @ 14:16:45 »
I've not read all the posts but this is my experience.
After saying no the upgrade numerous times it decided it would do it by itself! It took best part of 3 hours, I clicked on next and got to the accept conditions, clicked no and it restored everything in about 10 mins and I hadn't done a back up.

Offline TonyKath

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Re: 'Free'* Windows 10 upgrade
« Reply #87 on: Monday, 06 June, 2016 @ 22:32:45 »
Can anyone recommend a decent email client, not from MS ?!


Hm, Marks & Sparks seem to have avoided the browser battle. There's quite a few to chose from, some free, some not. I tried Pegasus Mail some years back, it was OK but I preferred Mozilla Thunderbird. Or you might like Opera Mail.


PS: Can't honestly say I'm missing Windows much.

Thanks Maik.

The email from MS was clearly extra pressure to sign up to WinX.  After studying it in some detail it might be that Live Mail won't sync with with some features which I don't use but having found out about them could be interesting.  Live Mail itself might continue beyond the end of July 2016.

So I'll bear this in mind and might try one!

And Janey - "lucky" you.  Although you got the upgrade unwanted.  At least it ran OK.

Tony

Offline TonyKath

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Re: 'Free'* Windows 10 upgrade
« Reply #88 on: Sunday, 26 June, 2016 @ 01:15:14 »
Latest from me:  Tried three times on the laptop including a "Clean Install" (takes everything else off except Win10) -> zilch.  Tried once on the PC and obviously got a lot further but "Failed at the Second Boot".  Wouldn't risk a clean install in case I lose on much needed software.  So gave up.

Lot of time and emotional effort spent especially trying to make sense of the Windows Community pages all for nothing.  At least I didn't pay for it.  Just maybe that's why they're giving it away free - we are in effect beta testers! 

 :rant:

Tony
 

Offline Maik

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Re: 'Free'* Windows 10 upgrade
« Reply #89 on: Tuesday, 28 June, 2016 @ 19:20:28 »
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A few days after Microsoft released Windows 10 to the public last year, Teri Goldstein’s computer started trying to download and install the new operating system.

The update, which she says she didn’t authorize, failed. Instead, the computer she uses to run her Sausalito, Calif., travel-agency business slowed to a crawl. It would crash, she says, and be unusable for days at a time.

“I had never heard of Windows 10,” Goldstein said. “Nobody ever asked me if I wanted to update.”

When outreach to Microsoft’s customer support didn’t fix the issue, Goldstein took the software giant to court, seeking compensation for lost wages and the cost of a new computer.

She won. Last month, Microsoft dropped an appeal and Goldstein collected a $10,000 judgment from the company.
http://www.seattletimes.com/business/microsoft/microsoft-draws-flak-for-pushing-windows-10-on-pc-users/


Offline Ian_E

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Re: 'Free'* Windows 10 upgrade
« Reply #90 on: Tuesday, 28 June, 2016 @ 21:45:20 »
I gave up on winblows at xmas, after installing win 10 when it came out my PC was utter sh1t1e crashing all the time and unstable, almost every time i turned it on it was trying to do an update which often left me with a blank screen which i had to hard reboot from which then made winblows throw a wobbler self checking etc

Don't get me wrong win 10 had some great features, but I was sorry I didn't stick with win 7

I'm running a MAC now and I doubt I will be going back in a rush

Offline BeeTee

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Re: 'Free'* Windows 10 upgrade
« Reply #91 on: Wednesday, 29 June, 2016 @ 10:55:11 »
Complaints prompt Windows 10 update change

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Microsoft is to offer "clearer options" for users upgrading - or not - to Windows 10.
The move comes following months of criticism that Windows 10 was being forced upon users using what has been described as a "nasty trick".
This week, a Seattle woman successfully sued the company for $10,000 over disruption caused by the software installing without, she said, permission.
In recent months, in an apparent bid to accelerate adoption of Windows 10, Microsoft altered the way it asked users if they wanted to upgrade. It gave the Windows 10 update "recommended" status, normally reserved for critical security updates.
If when prompted to update to Windows 10 users clicked the red "X", the upgrade would not immediately start. However, the update process would automatically be scheduled for a later time.
From this week, Microsoft said it would change that process, admitting that it was confusing.
"The new experience has clearer options to upgrade now, choose a time, or decline the free offer," said Terry Myerson, executive vice president, Windows and Devices Group, in an emailed statement.
"If the red-x is selected on this new dialog, it will dismiss the dialog box and we will notify the device again in a few days.
"We continue to recommend all of our customers upgrade to Windows 10 before the free upgrade offer expires on July 29."
Microsoft is resolute in promoting Windows 10 as a better computing experience with added security features over previous versions of the operating system.
Some users, however, are reluctant to upgrade citing worries about the strain the software may put on hardware, and suggestions that Windows 10 tracks its users too closely.
To date, around 300 million devices worldwide have upgraded to, or are using, Windows 10.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-36657890

Offline Maik

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Re: 'Free'* Windows 10 upgrade
« Reply #92 on: Thursday, 30 June, 2016 @ 14:42:43 »
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Windows 10 Anniversary Update available August 2

Some have said that the Anniversary Update turns Windows 10 into the operating system that it should have been from the start.
http://www.ghacks.net/2016/06/28/windows-10-anniversary-update-available-august-2/


Windows 10 free upgrade offer expires 29 July. If you're still using Windows 7 or 8.1 then decision time is approaching.

Offline TonyD

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Re: 'Free'* Windows 10 upgrade
« Reply #93 on: Thursday, 30 June, 2016 @ 18:06:21 »

Windows 10 free upgrade offer expires 29 July. If you're still using Windows 7 or 8.1 then decision time is approaching.
A tip

If you upgrade(?) before the expiry date, and then use the 30 day Roll Back to immediately return to Win 7 or 8, you'll still be able to move to Windows 10 after 29th July - at your own convenience.

Upgrading before 29th July registers your (and your PCs) details on the MS system permitting download after the Free period expires.

Offline TonyKath

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Re: 'Free'* Windows 10 upgrade
« Reply #94 on: Monday, 11 July, 2016 @ 19:38:33 »
Went into Excelixis computer shop in Argostoli for internet access to print something from our email.  MS security on email "from an unusual location" was impenetrable even with all the right passwords etc.  So not able to print the stuff.   :rant:   Nice guy in the shop said I could have the time (just under 30 mins) for free and this happened quite often. 

We then got into a discussion about Win 10 and he says he tried it and then decided not to have it on any of his machines in the business.  Another Brit customer joined in and said he had an unwanted install after clicking the red X.  He soon after rolled back to Win 7.

Tony

Offline Maik

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Re: 'Free'* Windows 10 upgrade
« Reply #95 on: Tuesday, 12 July, 2016 @ 17:42:43 »
Time rolls on...

5 Reasons to upgrade to Windows 10 / 5 Reasons not to upgrade to Windows 10

Perhaps worth noting that extended support for Windows 7 expires in a little less than four years time... by which time you might want to buy a new PC anyway... with Windows 10 on (or start saving for an Apple Mac).

Registering your details, as Tony D suggests, sounds interesting...

Offline BeeTee

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Re: 'Free'* Windows 10 upgrade
« Reply #96 on: Tuesday, 12 July, 2016 @ 20:14:00 »

Windows 10 free upgrade offer expires 29 July. If you're still using Windows 7 or 8.1 then decision time is approaching.
A tip

If you upgrade(?) before the expiry date, and then use the 30 day Roll Back to immediately return to Win 7 or 8, you'll still be able to move to Windows 10 after 29th July - at your own convenience.

Upgrading before 29th July registers your (and your PCs) details on the MS system permitting download after the Free period expires.

I posted something similar to this back on May 25th.
 

Offline TonyD

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Re: 'Free'* Windows 10 upgrade
« Reply #97 on: Wednesday, 13 July, 2016 @ 19:47:48 »
Only slightly off topic....

Yesterday was Patch Tuesday, a monthly event with essential MS updates released.

Usually these install automatically. Suggest you make sure they did, as they resolved a rather large 47 vulnerabilities this month.

Be warned though. My PC (XP) took three hours to install 15 Updates when I shut it down earlier today.

Offline Maik

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Re: 'Free'* Windows 10 upgrade
« Reply #98 on: Thursday, 14 July, 2016 @ 14:14:42 »
I posted something similar to this back on May 25th.

Indeed you did! And an important point therein:

Quote
Note that this is tied to your computer’s specific hardware, not your Microsoft account. The free Windows 10 license you receive will only work on that PC–if you upgrade the motherboard or try to install Windows 10 on another PC that doesn’t have the digital entitlement, it won’t work.

Offline Maik

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Re: 'Free'* Windows 10 upgrade
« Reply #99 on: Tuesday, 26 July, 2016 @ 17:07:35 »
Bit of info on how to Reserve Windows 10 without using it

Sounds fun!?!  :unsure: