Is it possible to still upgrade to W10 for free?

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  1. Posts : 17,661
    Windows 10 Pro
       #11

    Just for your information, geeks, I had a Windows 8.1 PRO virtual machine in Hyper-V, activated with a retail key. I upgraded it for free to Windows 10 Pro just last week. Had no issues, VM is activated and working perfectly.

    Kari
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 31,398
    10 Home x64 (22H2) (10 Pro on 2nd pc)
       #12

    Kari said:
    Just for your information, geeks, I had a Windows 8.1 PRO virtual machine in Hyper-V, activated with a retail key. I upgraded it for free to Windows 10 Pro just last week. Had no issues, VM is activated and working perfectly.
    That is good to know, confirmation that an in-place upgrade will still get a digital licence.

    Now we just need to know if you can still use a W7 or W8 key to do a clean install. That's what @Compumind want's to test. I suspect that as the in-place upgrade still gets activated the answer will be yes, but it's not beyond the bounds of possibility that MS have turned this off in 1809's Setup. It has been that way before. 1507 could activate an upgrade, but could not use a W7/8 key for a clean install.
      My Computers


  3. Posts : 18,421
    Windows 11 Pro
       #13

    Bree said:
    That is good to know, confirmation that an in-place upgrade will still get a digital licence.

    Now we just need to know if you can still use a W7 or W8 key to do a clean install.
    Posts #5, 8 and 9...
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 31,398
    10 Home x64 (22H2) (10 Pro on 2nd pc)
       #14

    NavyLCDR said:
    Posts #5, 8 and 9...
    Yes, but they didn't specifically say the clean install was on a 'never-been-upgraded-to-10-before' machine. I'd like to assume that's what they were talking about, but Compumind's proposed test should provide a definitive answer.
      My Computers


  5. Posts : 11,247
    Windows / Linux : Arch Linux
       #15

    Hi there.
    @Bree
    I've done a load of these installs for running several VM's and testing on Real machines.

    Scenario that works 100% of the time (at least in my experience).

    W7 Ultimate still works fine for upgrade to W10 PRO. Did one yesterday (14 Jan 2019).

    Do the following if clean installing (assuming W10 has never been installed previously on this machine). -- 2 scenarios : (I've used W7 here but same for W8/W8.1).

    1) W7 installed previously and activated --- easy - simply use the W7 key when you have to input the key.

    2) W7 (i.e the OLD OS not W10) never activated. Then do :

    a) install it but don't bother with any extras - just install bare minimum so it boots - even VGA if necessary. You might find after install it will do some updates in any case but don't bother searching around for anything else.

    b) activate it.

    c) now go ahead and install W10 clean - as in 1) just use W7 serial.

    Note if W10 has already been installed on machine then clean install again will retain activation - no need to enter serial etc.

    Note -- W7ULTIMATE or PRO will upgrade to W10 Pro, HOME to HOME, ENTERPRISE not valid for free upgrade.

    W8/W8.1 PRO to PRO and HOME to HOME - ENTERPRISE again not valid but I can't imagine anybody on this planet was bonkers enough to use W8 enterprise or even W8.1 enterprise.

    Those with old Technet / MSDN keys - these work and even on the retail versions activations can be around 10 times per key -- that's why those programs were stopped -- software was rediculously cheap for the subscriptions and a lot of keys were finding their way over the Internet and on places like ebay etc. If you are offered an old Technet / MSDN key from these sorts of places - refuse it as the key will probably be blacklisted

    Cheers
    jimbo
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 29,078
    Windows 10 21H1 Build 19043.1023
       #16

    Bree said:
    That is good to know, confirmation that an in-place upgrade will still get a digital licence.

    Now we just need to know if you can still use a W7 or W8 key to do a clean install. That's what @Compumind want's to test. I suspect that as the in-place upgrade still gets activated the answer will be yes, but it's not beyond the bounds of possibility that MS have turned this off in 1809's Setup. It has been that way before. 1507 could activate an upgrade, but could not use a W7/8 key for a clean install.
    It's been awhile (a long time) since I did a clean install using one of my Windows 7 Ultimate keys, but it worked like a charm.
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 11,247
    Windows / Linux : Arch Linux
       #17

    Hi there @Wynona
    Had you ever had a W7 activation with that key -- sometimes just the key will work, sometimes it will need an activated W7 key -- not sure if anybody has worked out a consistent algorithm for how this process actually works or is meant to work.

    Suffice to say that in all cases one can eventually get (100% legally) a free W10 update which will install with a clean install from a valid W7/W8/W8.1 OS. So if one method doesn't work attack it from another. You'll win in the end.

    Cheers
    jimbo
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 29,078
    Windows 10 21H1 Build 19043.1023
       #18

    jimbo45 said:
    Hi there @Wynona
    Had you ever had a W7 activation with that key -- sometimes just the key will work, sometimes it will need an activated W7 key -- not sure if anybody has worked out a consistent algorithm for how this process actually works or is meant to work.

    Suffice to say that in all cases one can eventually get (100% legally) a free W10 update which will install with a clean install from a valid W7/W8/W8.1 OS. So if one method doesn't work attack it from another. You'll win in the end.

    Cheers
    jimbo
    Problem is, Jimbo, I don't have any more computers to use my extra keys on.

    When we beta tested Windows 7, IIRC, the most active of us got extra keys to Windows 7 Ultimate. So, I have keys I've never used.

    Besides, I can't remember which ones I've used, so it's a good thing I don't have any more computers.
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 74
    Windows 10 Pro
       #19

    I installed it last night, using the Media Creator tool. I picked the Upgrade option, purely as a test because it failed for me before. But after a recent BIOS update, it worked this time!

    However, I want to do a fresh install. So I plan on doing that tonight/tomorrow. Can the 'Create Installation Media' option be done from within this Upgraded Windows 10?
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 29,078
    Windows 10 21H1 Build 19043.1023
       #20

    RedLad said:
    I installed it last night, using the Media Creator tool. I picked the Upgrade option, purely as a test because it failed for me before. But after a recent BIOS update, it worked this time!

    However, I want to do a fresh install. So I plan on doing that tonight/tomorrow. Can the 'Create Installation Media' option be done from within this Upgraded Windows 10?
    It's worth a try . . . Here's a tutorial that might help.

    Create Windows 10 ISO image from Existing Installation | Tutorials

    I'm going to try it in awhile too.
      My Computer


 

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