Upgrade to 10 for free


  1. Posts : 76
    Windows10 Home Edition
       #1

    Upgrade to 10 for free


    Hi all,I did a little site searching but can't seem to find help with my question.My daughter has a 4 year old Asus
    desktop running 8.1.I have checked the specs. and it is capable of running 10.Is there a free option to download and
    install Windows10 and if so-how to do so.
    Thank-you,Tony
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 10,734
    Windows 11 Workstation x64
       #2

    I did it a few weeks back with a Windows 8 machine, I just downloaded the Windows 10 media creation tool, ran it and clicked update now (or something like that), once updated it automatically activated.

    https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/soft...load/windows10
      My Computers


  3. Posts : 31,471
    10 Home x64 (22H2) (10 Pro on 2nd pc)
       #3

    eore said:
    Hi all,I did a little site searching but can't seem to find help with my question.My daughter has a 4 year old Asus desktop running 8.1.I have checked the specs. and it is capable of running 10.Is there a free option to download and install Windows10 and if so-how to do so.
    Yes, if you upgrade a W7, W8 or W8.1 machine to W10 it will still get activated with a digital license.

    You can download the Windows 10 ISO from Microsoft and use that to upgrade to Windows 10. See Step 5 in this tutorial.

    Upgrade to Windows 10


    Before upgrading, it is a sensible precaution to make a system image of the current machine, in case you want to put it back to how it was before the upgrade. Macrium Reflect Free is good for that.

    Backup and Restore with Macrium Reflect
      My Computers


  4. Posts : 18,424
    Windows 11 Pro
       #4

    I did it just Friday night (7/19). Setting up a new file server computer (FreeNAS). Running Windows in a virtual machine. I have a Windows 8 Pro retail product key and was going to use that for Windows 10. Because Microsoft said that Windows 8 product key was in use on another computer, I had to install Windows 8 first in the VM and activate it using phone activation to tell Microsoft that copy of Windows was only installed on one computer. Once Windows 8 was activated, I then upgraded it to Windows 10 which gave that Virtual Machine a digital license for Windows 10 stored on Microsoft Activation servers. Then I followed it all up with a clean install of Windows 10 in the VM which activated itself from the digital license stored.

    Also, if the 4 year Asus desktop computer came with Windows 8 installed from the factory, the product key for Windows 8 should be stored in BIOS. You can verify by running Showkey Plus:
    ShowKeyPlus

    If that is the case, Windows 10 will install and activate based upon the product key stored in BIOS and should never even ask you for a product key or which version you want to install (unless the Windows 10 install files are modified to force it to ask.)
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 76
    Windows10 Home Edition
    Thread Starter
       #5

    Thank-you all for the help,very much appreciated.
    Tony
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 11,247
    Windows / Linux : Arch Linux
       #6

    NavyLCDR said:
    I did it just Friday night (7/19). Setting up a new file server computer (FreeNAS). Running Windows in a virtual machine. I have a Windows 8 Pro retail product key and was going to use that for Windows 10. Because Microsoft said that Windows 8 product key was in use on another computer, I had to install Windows 8 first in the VM and activate it using phone activation to tell Microsoft that copy of Windows was only installed on one computer. Once Windows 8 was activated, I then upgraded it to Windows 10 which gave that Virtual Machine a digital license for Windows 10 stored on Microsoft Activation servers. Then I followed it all up with a clean install of Windows 10 in the VM which activated itself from the digital license stored.

    Also, if the 4 year Asus desktop computer came with Windows 8 installed from the factory, the product key for Windows 8 should be stored in BIOS. You can verify by running Showkey Plus:
    ShowKeyPlus

    If that is the case, Windows 10 will install and activate based upon the product key stored in BIOS and should never even ask you for a product key or which version you want to install (unless the Windows 10 install files are modified to force it to ask.)
    Hi folks
    Remember also if you use VMWare for creating a Virtual Machine - you can copy it to different HDD's / SSD's and even on to different HOST hardware or HOST computers running Windows or Linux . The same VM will run on both Linux and Windows provided the Host hardware is OK. Remember though at first boot of the VM remember to click the "I moved it" and not the "I copied it" box.

    Activation will be maintained -- if you check the "I copied it" box a new machine uuidd gets created and Windows will think it's a new machine and want activation.

    Note of course under the EULA license you are only allowed to run ONE copy of this VM at a time -- you can't for example change the computer name and run it as a 2nd concurrent VM even though it will actually work. You can always change the computer name without needing re-activation -- do it via the control panel-->system.

    Cheers
    jimbo
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 31,471
    10 Home x64 (22H2) (10 Pro on 2nd pc)
       #7

    jimbo45 said:
    Remember also if you use VMWare for creating a Virtual Machine - you can copy it to different HDD's / SSD's ... Remember though at first boot of the VM remember to click the "I moved it" and not the "I copied it" box.
    Yes, a VM is a unique machine, just like a physical one, and will have its own digital licence, only if you copy the VM will the machine's ID remain the same and link to its digital licence.

    The same holds true in Hyper-V VMs. In that case when you import a VM you are asked if you want to use the existing ID or create a new one. it is necessary to import it using the existing ID in order to retain the activation.
      My Computers


  8. Posts : 41,412
    windows 10 professional version 1607 build 14393.969 64 bit
       #8
      My Computer


 

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