Windows 10

[Sushubh]

Can anyone confirm if the free upgrade license would be transferable to a new/different machine.

 

[mhsabir]

I am willing to mail them this question - if I can get the right email id to send this/these questions.

Frankly, I am interested in these questions myself as a party likely to be affected in the near future (1-2 years max)

 

[Sushubh]

Just do it.

[email protected]

 

[mhsabir]

Customer Service had said this for Windows 8 Pro earlier for my query (I think posted it before).

I would like to inform you that if you have purchased Windows 8 Professional under upgrade Offer, then whenever you reformat your system or reinstall on different PC you need to first install Windows XP, vista or Windows 7 then only you can upgrade to Windows 8 Professional and activate Windows 8 Professional.

To download Windows 8 upgrade version please visit the below mentioned link.

Upgrade Windows with only a product key - Windows Help

In order to activate Windows 8 Professional, you have to contact our Product Activation Team and they will activate your product over the phone. You can contact them at the below numbers:

Tel: 080-40103000
Toll free: 1-800-11-1100(BSNL and MTNL)
Toll free: 1-800-102-1100 (AIRTEL

I request you to please choose the IVR option 1 and 1-4 to reach the Product Activation Team.

 

[Sushubh]

They changed this policy later on. I think today you can directly install 8.1 with the latest key that was provided to you for 8.1 upgrade. No need to start with older Windows and then install truckloads of patches and then upgrade to 8.0 and then 8.1.
And 8.0 was not a free upgrade. 8.1 was not a new OS

 

[Sushubh]

Windows - Microsoft Community

Go through the answers on this forum to get more idea about the free upgrade.
From what I managed to get...

You do not get to do a fresh install and retain the free license of Windows 10. You can however reset your Windows to basically get a fresh copy of Windows.
There are indications that you would be able to create a recovery disk. It is not clear if you can use it on a different machine and activate it.
If you do a fresh install of older Windows on the same hardware after one year has passed... You cannot use your previously free copy of Windows 10.
Basically Windows 10 is only supported on the hardware as long as the hardware is active.

I probably got it all wrong because Microsoft certaintly is not making things clear.

 

[Sushubh]

But what if you want to do a “real” clean install?

Microsoft tells me that it will be possible to do so. And that a key part of this process is that it will save a product key tied to the previously upgraded PC or device in Windows Store. This is how Windows 10 will later know that the install is allowed: It’s “one of the benefits of the new delivery system,” a Microsoft representative told me.

This suggests that Windows 10 install media will be made available to upgraders, much as Microsoft today makes Windows 8.1 install media available for download. But I haven’t yet confirmed that this is the case, but I will do so.

A Few More Answers About Windows 10 Upgrades - Thurrott.com

Microsoft is playing with words here. It is pretty much a trap. Especially for people on pirated Windows as they would need to pay up after the trial period is over. I would probably not upgrade. And would look for a discounted deal on a full retail copy of W10.

 

[Sushubh]

What if I require a clean install after a year has past? - Microsoft Community

Either Microsoft is really really evil or this guy is stupid in not getting the question right.

 

[amish]

When I had bought new laptop about 5-6 years back even I had got Windows 7 FREE upgrade offer.

That time even I was told that it needs Windows XP/Vista first.

But when I installed Windows 7 in NEW Virtualbox directly - it did not complain about previous windows missing.

 

[kanagadeepan]

Too many confusions... Looks like it's better to use Windows 7 till things got clear and not good to rush for Windows 10, imho...