Are Windows Retail Version Upgrading to Win 10 OEM??

DonCapuco said:

whether a Windows 7/8.1 retail license is upgraded to a Windows 10 retail license

In an elevated command prompt, type slmgr /dli (or slmgr.vbs -dli) and it will tell you - most likely Retail license.

How to know the Edition, Architecture, Channel and build of Windows 10 - Microsoft Community

However, read the link posted above:

When I upgrade a preinstalled (OEM) or retail version of Windows 7 or Windows 8/8.1 license to Windows 10, does that license remain OEM or become a retail license?

If you upgrade from a OEM or retail version of Windows 7 or Windows 8/8.1 to the free Windows 10 upgrade this summer, the license is consumed into it. Because the free upgrade is derived from the base qualifying license, Windows 10 will carry that licensing too.

If you upgrade from a retail version, it carries the rights of a retail version.
If you upgrade from a OEM version, it carries the rights of a OEM version.

Is that enough of an official statement from Microsoft?

NavyLCDR said:

In an elevated command prompt, type slmgr /dli (or slmgr.vbs -dli) and it will tell you - most likely Retail license.

I want to know what will happen with my licenses before I upgrade them...

NavyLCDR said:

Is that enough of an official statement from Microsoft?

No. That statement is NOT made by Microsoft but by a community member.

alphanumeric said:

OK, so how will you do the transfer? How do you verify to Microsoft the old install is no more? The Product Code isn't going to tell them jack. How do you activate the new hardware? The common Product code is useless for that? I'm not saying you can't, just don't see any easy way to do it like in the past. Product ID I guess, but I do believe some members reported that was the same on two or more of their PC's after the upgrade. It's very similar but different on two of my PC's.

The same way they always did. The autobot looks at your activation history. Beyond some threshold (and I have no idea what that is or how they determine what it is) you get referred by voice telephone (or Skype these days) to what at one time was identified as an "authentication counselor." In my case it was because I had to do repeated re-installs while troubleshooting a motherboard with a bad VRM that kept eating CPUs. I plead my case after which she had me enter a 50 character alphanumeric to change the operating system's product ID. Then she stayed on the line and had me attempt authentication, which succeed. At that point she gave me the 25 character alphanumeric "for future reference." Relatively painless considering it was Microsoft support and that for the counselor, Engilsh must have been about her fourth language (not a criticism...I wish I was I could make that claim, but she was a bit difficult to understand at times).

DonCapuco said:

No. That statement is NOT made by Microsoft but by a community member.

But the EULA referenced above is from Microsoft. Is that official enough?

DonCapuco said:

I want to know what will happen with my licenses before I upgrade them...

I've upgraded both OEM and Retails and slmgr /dli shows every computer upgraded as RETAIL channel.

DonCapuco said:

No. That statement is NOT made by Microsoft but by a community member.

You are correct, my mistake.

alphanumeric said:

Yes but that was with a unique product code that is easily traceable to a specific PC. That's not the case anymore with a free upgrade. In place hardware swaps that cause activation to fail may be easy to sort out the way you describe. Try moving your License to a completely new PC. Which is what most are saying they may want to do. Not so easy, I'm thinking.

Having an option to purchase an upgrade pack after July 29 2016 for customers who originally bought a retail Win7 or Win8 license should be possible and easy to implement. The upgrade license pack could be sold either in a shop or online. Or maybe only available via the MS store. After all, they do hold a copy of my retail Win8 product ID on their servers and can validate the sale to prevent any potential misuse of the license.

I would pay for that as it would cost less than a full Win10 license. That would mean I would not lose out from having paid the extra $s for the original retail license

DonCapuco said:

Microsoft needs to make an official statement on two problems:

whether a Windows 7/8.1 retail license is upgraded to a Windows 10 retail license

In a command prompt, type winver. In the box that opens up, click on the Terms and Conditions Link. In the EULA that is displayed you will find:

4. Transfer.
a. Software preinstalled on device. If you acquired the software preinstalled on a device (and also if you upgraded from software preinstalled on a device), you may transfer the license to use the software directly to another user, only with the licensed device.
b. Stand-alone software. If you acquired the software as stand-alone software (and also if you upgraded from software you acquired as stand-alone software), you may transfer the software to another device that belongs to you.

Seems like a clear statement from Microsoft in their Terms and Agreement that states an OEM license stays an OEM license and a retail license stays a retail license.

NavyLCDR said:

I've upgraded both OEM and Retails and slmgr /dli shows every computer upgraded as RETAIL channel.

That is part of the problem. I also have a number licenses (both OEM and retail).

When slmgr /dli shows my OEM as Retail I realise that is wrong and that the Microsoft servers are incorrectly identifying the product.

The Win10 version should be showing as OEM when an OEM has been upgraded, with no option of transfer, tied to the lifetime of the device.
Whilst on the flip side, the Retail Versions should upgrade to Retail Win10 and maintain the rights of transfer after 29 July 2016, to any device of my choosing. That is what is in the EULA.