Here’s what happens after the July 29th free Windows 10 offer ends

Wynona · 27 Jun 2016

Needhelpwithwin said:

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I don't have a key just a Dell laptop with Windows 7 factory installed and it's not applicable to upgrade to Win10 at least I did not get any indications.

Generally, anything with Windows 7 on it will upgrade to Windows 10. When you say "not applicable", I'm not sure what you mean. Have you tried to upgrade it to Windows 10 and it said it can't upgrade? Or, do you mean you can't legally install Win 10 on it? If that's the case, anything running Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 is legal for Windows 10. Boot your Win 7 lappy and go here to see if it will upgrade: Windows 10 Just follow the yellow brick road.

Needhelpwithwin said:

I just built a new gaming PC for me on October of 2015 and the only thing missing was the OS! I tried to buy Windows 10 from Microsoft website but they do not accepted the usual payment method I use here and I did not want to make a new bank card just for that

The internet stores that I know and can be trusted are not selling Win10 only this shady ones I don't want that!

I wasn't aware you could do that! :) Learn something new every day. Probably a trial version. Since you already have a working copy of Windows 10 on your computer, why not join the Insider Program? I tried to go there this AM, but the site is down, so can't give you a link.

Needhelpwithwin said:

Anyway on a google search I found out that in this free upgrade time you could install Win10 even without a key and use it without problems only getting a watermark stuff telling you to register and not be able to customize how it looks so I'm using it since then :)

Again, I haven't heard anything about that one. Since it worked for you, I guess it's legit. :)

Needhelpwithwin said:

Strange thing is that in some of this Windows updates Win10 got REALLY messed up so I just deleted everything and did another clean install but with a newer ISO from Microsoft and now I don't even get the watermark asking to register and I can change wallpapers without it being blocked go figure!

Have you looked at Activation again to see if it's either activated or you have digital entitlement?

Needhelpwithwin said:

In the end the simple answer for me is find some place safe to get Windows 10 cause the clock is ticking and Microsoft will mess this PC real good if I do not register a key :) I need to buy a key but I'm having trouble to find it and even finding it this things are expensive in my country but that's something no one here can help

At one time, Newegg.com was selling product keys for Windows 10. I don't know if they'll accept your payment method, but if they will, that may be a source. Since you're a gamer, I'd get the Pro version rather than the Home version.

CountMike · 27 Jun 2016

Needhelpwithwin said:

me? how do I do that?

OK since mine is in Portuguese I found a screen in English on the internet with exactly what I see here but instead of PRO I have HOME version here:

Attachment 87015

I'm pretty sure there is nothing I can do but to buy a key because I can't expect to magically get a free digital entitlement with the key space in blank and I did not made anything good to Microsoft to get a free copy :)

In other words, you are on probation ?

Wynona · 27 Jun 2016

CountMike said:

In other words, you are on probation ?

Looks that way, Count.

Also, I'm wondering if folks can get into the Insider Program now. I tried to log in, but it seems the site is down.

If we can still get into the Insider Program, that could be a solution for NeedHelp. Maybe.

OldMike65 · 27 Jun 2016

Needhelpwithwin said:

In the end the simple answer for me is find some place safe to get Windows 10 cause the clock is ticking and Microsoft will mess this PC real good if I do not register a key :) I need to buy a key but I'm having trouble to find it and even finding it this things are expensive in my country but that's something no one here can help

What you could try right now, is instead of trying to buy a legal copy of Windows 10 Home or Pro, is to buy a legal copy of Windows 7 Pro, which would be a lot cheaper. Make sure its a true Retail Version, not an OEM version. Then you will have a legal and cheaper way to Upgrade your NEW gaming Computer to Windows 10 Pro. With a Retail version of Windows 7 Pro you can move it to another computer in the future if you decide to Build another computer. This would also be the same for your Windows 10 Pro, once you upgrade your Windows 7 Pro. Just a suggestion for you to think about. :)

simrick · 27 Jun 2016

Needhelpwithwin said:

...I'm pretty sure there is nothing I can do but to buy a key because I can't expect to magically get a free digital entitlement with the key space in blank and I did not made anything good to Microsoft to get a free copy :)

You can buy a W7, W8 or W10 key to activate your build. I agree with OldMike's suggestion below - get a Retail key, so when you upgrade your rig, you won't have any future activation issues. You can buy from Newegg, Amazon, - really any major retailer, because it will be a digital download so they won't have to ship anything to Brasil. And, yes, you're right - you need to buy from a reputable source, as you don't want the activation failing in the future, as happens with purchases from questionable sources, when the keys get blocked by MS down the road.

OldMike65 said:

What you could try right now, is instead of trying to buy a legal copy of Windows 10 Home or Pro, is to buy a legal copy of Windows 7 Pro, which would be a lot cheaper. Make sure its a true Retail Version, not an OEM version. Then you will have a legal and cheaper way to Upgrade your NEW gaming Computer to Windows 10 Pro. With a Retail version of Windows 7 Pro you can move it to another computer in the future if you decide to Build another computer. This would also be the same for your Windows 10 Pro, once you upgrade your Windows 7 Pro. Just a suggestion for you to think about. :)

tomseys · 27 Jun 2016

Nevermind.

dlwmacgregor · 27 Jun 2016

Wynona said:

I've read the responses to the above, NeedHelp, and you may be in luck if the following holds true:

If you do have said licensed copy, remember to install like for like; i.e. Home version for Home version, etc. Also, remember that when upgrading Windows, you can no longer use the older version of Windows.

Technically (and legally) this statement is correct. But the spirit of the law would say that Microsoft is only interested in you running the previous version and Windows 10, based on the same license, on 2 separate machines.
If you have a PC with a valid OEM license on a PC with a cloned disk containing an upgrade of that same license, I doubt they would unofficially object to that because "you are not running them both at the same time". Some people like to do "extended evaluations" of new OS's with the expectation that eventually they would permanently migrate to the new OS.
The funny thing is, Microsoft never considered the installation of the OEM version on a user-built PC as being a "fully-licensed" copy of Windows. You would have to sell that new PC you built to someone else to make it fully legal. But Microsoft never enforced that because they realized it would cut into sales to DIY builders.

NavyLCDR · 27 Jun 2016

dlwmacgregor said:

Technically (and legally) this statement is correct. But the spirit of the law would say that Microsoft is only interested in you running the previous version and Windows 10, based on the same license, on 2 separate machines.
If you have a PC with a valid OEM license on a PC with a cloned disk containing an upgrade of that same license, I doubt they would unofficially object to that because "you are not running them both at the same time".

It violates the EULA whether or not Microsoft objects to it:

Multiple versions. If when acquiring the software you were provided with multiple versions (such as 32-bit and 64-bit versions), you may install and activate only one of those versions at a time.

Use in a virtualized environment. This license allows you to install only one instance of the software for use on one device, whether that device is physical or virtual. If you want to use the software on more than one virtual device, you must obtain a separate license for each instance.

dlwmacgregor · 27 Jun 2016

I fully agree with you.

Superfly · 27 Jun 2016

Gonna be hard-arsed here - but as we know the EULA is a legal necessity...it's not being enforced however (since donkeys years) - and as we know, law without enforcement means nothing... reasons given by many is upsetting consumers, but they know exactly how their activation works and since Win 8, are in full control.. so that's no excuse.