Windows 10 free upgrade for customers who use assistive technologies
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Here's what I think. I think that Microsoft has made no changes to their activation servers. I'm betting their activation servers are operating exactly the same today as they were on July 28th. I think the whole "free upgrade has expired" is just a smokescreen and all they have done is remove the links between "free upgrade" and the normal methods used for upgrades. I'll let you know on Thursday or Friday, I have a new warranty replacement stick computer coming that has never had Windows Pro on it and I am going to install and activate a Windows 8 Pro on it, then try to upgrade to Windows 10 Pro through normal means (ISO file of Windows 10 Pro build 14393). Then see if I get an activation from either the Windows 8 Pro product key or genuineticket.xml file.
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Here's what I think. I think that Microsoft has made no changes to their activation servers. I'm betting their activation servers are operating exactly the same today as they were on July 28th. I think the whole "free upgrade has expired" is just a smokescreen and all they have done is remove the links between "free upgrade" and the normal methods used for upgrades. I'll let you know on Thursday or Friday, I have a new warranty replacement stick computer coming that has never had Windows Pro on it and I am going to install and activate a Windows 8 Pro on it, then try to upgrade to Windows 10 Pro through normal means (ISO file of Windows 10 Pro build 14393). Then see if I get an activation from either the Windows 8 Pro product key or genuineticket.xml file.
At risk of getting my wrist slapped, I can categorically state the activation servers are still activating old versions of the OS, as I have done it today. I had an 8.1 vm I was keeping for compatibility purposes, but as I have not needed it for months (since 10586 came out), I thought I would try it today, and it just worked.
I think the deadline ending was mostly a PR exercise (smokescreen as you say) to get ditherers to shift to Windows 10.
It would be incredibly dumb to think that MS have "cocked" things up technically. That would be gross incompetency of the highest order for which heads would have to roll. So the only logical conclusion is there are undisclosed commercial reasons that are dictating events.
For example:
Pure speculation here (no evidence to support this), but I could surmise that MS get paid x cents per thousand users for ads they target, and if they persuaded 35+million people to shift, they increase their ad revenue by 10%. The revenue loss of a few late upgraders is probably insignificant by comparison.
Additionally, I also think MS actually recognise that despite all best efforts, a significant number of PCs will fail to get activated after the upgrade despite having a valid digital licence, and they are just letting things be for the time being, so people will easily be able to reactivate. The negative backlash in terms of reputation (and share price impact) if they did not, would be far more damaging than the tiny loss of revenue of late upgraders.
Personally, I think once RS1 is installed, and the bulk of people have upgraded, and people can use the new activation tool thereafter. I suspect once they will quietly drop the activation from old licences.
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Since everyone is talking theory. Here is mine. I think Microsoft will stop the upgrade for the original & November update. However, what Microsoft may announce is a new free upgrade to the anniversary edition with a lower time frame limit like 90 days & stick to it. I am not saying this will happen but it is just a theory. I really think it is strange Microsoft didn't included the anniversary update as an incentive to upgrade.
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My son thought the deadline was Sunday and called Sat saying he missed it by a day. He upgraded using the link from OP and it worked (July 30) However, based on Navy and Cerberus comments, sounds like you can upgrade either way and it works. Has anyone tried entering a WIn7 key in Win10 (the other way to activate prior to July 29)?
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OK........just my opinion but I really do not think MS ever intended to stick to their "Last Day to Upgrade for Free" policy...........
Servers seem to still be accepting Win 7 and 8 keys............and MS also puts up the extended deadline for those who use "assistive technologies"..........on Microsoft's sites they state that using keyboard shortcuts is also listed as an assistive technology..........
So, by MS standards if you have ever hit F1 for help.......F2 for BIOS.....etc, then you need not have any bad conscience for using the Assistive Technology link.........
I am not saying it is either ethical or unethical, that is for each person to decide on their own.............Had the magic number of windows users upgraded by the cutoff date then MS would probably had stuck to their word and ended the free upgrade..........
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Any input on whether this upgrade method works without problems?
While this seems like a good deal for a qualifying person, has anyone seen whether this "assistive technologies" source works as good as the original upgrade or not? Thanks Jim
Last edited by JamesEJ; 08 Aug 2016 at 10:11.
Reason: goofed
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I found no difference between the assistive technologies or the upgrade via windows update...........
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Good. At least one positive note. thanks
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At risk of getting my wrist slapped, I can categorically state the activation servers are still activating old versions of the OS, as I have done it today. I had an 8.1 vm I was keeping for compatibility purposes, but as I have not needed it for months (since 10586 came out), I thought I would try it today, and it just worked.
Additionally, I also think MS actually recognise that despite all best efforts, a significant number of PCs will fail to get activated after the upgrade despite having a valid digital licence, and they are just letting things be for the time being, so people will easily be able to reactivate. The negative backlash in terms of reputation (and share price impact) if they did not, would be far more damaging than the tiny loss of revenue of late upgraders.
Personally, I think once RS1 is installed, and the bulk of people have upgraded, and people can use the new activation tool thereafter. I suspect once they will quietly drop the activation from old licences.
How did you upgrade it? With an ISO loaded in Hyper V?
What steps did you follow? Please outline.
I need to do a VM as well. Its Win 8. Do I need to make it 8.1 before?
More details:
Windows 8 - 14.99 License Product key
Never used before - Until last night before end of Free Win 10 DE.
Used on Win 8 VM in Hyper V - created from the Win 8 ISO that was downloaded while buying the 14.99 Product Key.
It wouldnt accept via Control Panel so used SLMGR to enter they key.
So? How can/ should I proceed?
I'd like for the Win 10 DE to be TIED to this Product Key and not the underlying HW/ OEM firmware/ HWID.
Hence I used the Product Key inside the VM
How can I ensure this DE is not attached to HWID but to the purchased Win 8 key?
Boot to Win 8, get genuine ticket, boot to 10, insert ticket and get DE. 10 minute process.
I had done this but it did not work.. I will try it again .. but please tell me WHICH Windowns to try it with?
Please point specific OS release to use in each of the following steps:
Source: Win 8 in VM - release? currently using the ISO from that download -
Should this be upped to 8.1 for better chance? Use a different Source OS?
Than add (In what order?) :
+ Accessibility Features?
+ GatherOSState.exe = Genuine Ticket
Destination: Win 10 in VM - Which release?
Or try to upgrade actual VM with ISO/DVD in Hyper V - Which release?
I've done some 20 or so machines in few nights using GatherOSState .. some failed and most got done.. so please tell me the steps without missing a step/ specifics.. Thanks.
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