RTM/GA or Insider - What are you going to do?

dencal · 05 Jul 2015

DavidY said:

Has that been confirmed anywhere?

I think dencal's question is that if you take the free upgrade (on machine 1, say upgraded from Windows 8.1 to RTM after 29 July) and then want to continue being an Insider on another machine (say machine 2 is a VM), can machine 1 and machine 2 both use the same Microsoft account? Certainly it's a question relevant to me.

Exactly so David....or to make it clearer to other readers,
With the free update W10 GA already installed over the latest iteration of Windows Insider. (installed and verified with the W7/8 Key).

Will or would it be possible to install a W10 Insider using the ISO Key with its own separate Key, and dual boot, obviously on a separate VM or a secondary HD.

All this on the same computer using the same M$ Account.

Have already had problems dual booting W8.1 and W10 insiders, each update kyboshing the boot record, so don't hold out much hope with a dual W10.

Arfer Daley · 05 Jul 2015

BunnyJ said:

Update:
1 Replace MSI motherboard with new Gigabyte model.
2 Install Win8.1
3 Drop out of insider program and move to the RTM/GA.

Yup.. that be it.

OH My

BunnyJ · 05 Jul 2015

Arfer Daley said:

OH My

My motherboard is on the fritz so I need to replace it.. I should get the new one on Friday.

DavidY · 05 Jul 2015

bromanbro said:

It looks like the only system they set up for Upgrades is doing it from a genuine 7/8 system.

EDIT: According to Ending Flighting on a PC - Microsoft Community (shown when you click "stop insider builds" under Windows Update), your only choice is to revert to previous OS version via Recovery, or format.

I doubt MS will provide an alternate way to upgrade, as the current method dissuades people from punching in key that may not be theirs (friend's extra key that they didn't want upgraded maybe), plus MS probably has comprehensive anti-piracy measures in their Upgrade program.

This contradicts Gabe Aul's blog post here:

“I want to opt out of the Windows Insider Program on 7/29.” If you decide to opt-out of the program and upgrade to the 7/29 build you will be subject to exactly the same terms and conditions that govern the offer* that was extended to all Genuine Windows 7 and 8.1 customers. This is not a path to attain a license for Windows XP or Windows Vista systems. If your system upgraded from a Genuine Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 license it will remain activated, but if not, you will be required to roll back to your previous OS version or acquire a new Windows 10 license.

So if you installed 10 Preview as an Upgrade over Windows 7 or 8.1, it should 'remember' the licence and let you leave the Insider program without needing to roll back the OS.

Given that was the 3rd version of the blog post (so you'd have to assume they were really careful to get it right that time) and it was posted after the Community post, I'd assume Gabe Aul was correct over the Community post.

Kari · 05 Jul 2015

I don't get it, how difficult it is to understand the simply facts, told quite clearly by the Microsoft?

1. Activation status after July 29th

("Windows 10 remains activated" in below list means it remains activated on the device in question.)

A clean installed Windows 10 Insider Preview
- User remains as an Insider opting in for the upgrades, Windows 10 will remain activated until the user opts out
- User opts out from the upgrade builds, Windows 10 will no longer be activated. User needs to install a qualifying valid OS and in-place upgrade or get a Windows 10 license for a clean install
An in-place upgraded Windows 10 Insider Preview, upgraded from a qualifying valid 7 or 8.1
- User remains as an Insider opting in for the upgrades, Windows 10 will remain activated
- User opts out from the upgrade builds, Windows 10 will remain activated because the qualifying OS was valid
An in-place upgraded Windows 10 Insider Preview, upgraded from a non-valid 7 or 8.1
- User remains as an Insider opting in for the upgrades, Windows 10 will remain activated until the user opts out, being in the sense of activation and license the same as a clean installed Windows 10 Insider Preview
- User opts out from the upgrade builds, Windows 10 will no longer be activated. User needs to install a qualifying valid OS and in-place upgrade or get a Windows 10 license for a clean install

(Red font: only option for those upgraded from a non-valid 7 or 8.1 to keep the free Windows 10.)

2. MS / Insider Accounts & upgrade rings:

(Based on how it now works, my own experience & logics.)

User can use the same MS / Insider account on any number of machines, regardless if clean install or an in-place upgrade
All machines using this same account can separately opt in or out, the Insider & ring settings are not synced
All machines using this same account and which have opted in can have the ring separately set to fast or slow ring
For each machine and its activation status after the 29th of July, see the list 1. above

Kari

Arfer Daley · 05 Jul 2015

I will keep with the program as w10 has actually speed up this cheap thrown together machine made up old parts

Wenda · 05 Jul 2015

Currently running 10162 over 8.1 and still not thrilled with it. 8.1 is still the superior OS, no question. My main hate (apart from its mind-numbing blandness - hopefully someone will do a 3rd-party fix to bring some colour back) is this ridiculous idea of forced updates. I have them turned off using gpedit at present, but if the ability to do this is removed it WILL be a deal-breaker.

I'm on the Insider program (slow ring), but I always run with a local account, and choose which updated versions to install and when.

I will upgrade, but stay in the program. But I won't run with an MS account except when it's absolutely necessary ie to use the Store or email (I never have in 8.1 either).

If, at some stage, there's a build I do really like, then I may take the update and opt-out, this remains to be seen. Just as long as I can legally revert to 8.1 if desired. If not, it means a clean install (which takes at least two days, with all my programs and games etc) of 10 and remaining in the program.

Oh, BTW, 10162 installed OK, but broke most of my drivers, unlike 10130 which was fine. Running a few drivers in compatibility-mode did fix it tho (or seems to).

Wenda.

Arfer Daley · 05 Jul 2015

BunnyJ said:

My motherboard is on the fritz so I need to replace it.. I should get the new one on Friday.

what board is that

BunnyJ · 05 Jul 2015

Arfer Daley said:

what board is that

Gigabyte AMD FM2+ A68H SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 mATX ATX DDR3 2133 NA Motherboards GA-F2A68HM-H
Amazon.com: Gigabyte AMD FM2+ A68H SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 mATX ATX DDR3 2133 NA Motherboards GA-F2A68HM-H: Computers Accessories

Mustang · 08 Jul 2015

z3r010 said:

As the Insider program will continue after Windows 10 is released I thought I'd see how many of you are going to stay an insider or jump over to RTM/GA version.

Pardon my ignorance but what exactly is GA version as opposed to RTM?

RTM/GA or Insider - What are you going to do?

View Poll Results: RTM or stay an Insider