Do I actually need to upgrade from 8.1 Pro to 10 Pro

NavyLCDR said:

10240 is not an insider build. It is the final, released to the public build.

It is also the last insider build, my laptop is running it right now.

derekimo said:

It is also the last insider build, my laptop is running it right now.

and is it permanently activated, or does it have an expiration date?

NavyLCDR said:

and is it permanently activated, or does it have an expiration date?

I'm sure it has an expiration date, I'll check it in a minute.

My point was it is also build 10240, same as final release.

You said it wasn't an insiders build but it is.

Actually looks like it's permanently activated, running that command.



These were all upgrades starting at around build 10162.

I'm in a similar position thinking about upgrading from 8.1 to 10, so, I've been reading everything I can find on Gabe's posts and tweets -- and, have to admit, nowhere did I find where he said specifically that the 10240 build will eventually expire. Instead, he said that "future insider builds" will expire.

So, I have a situation in which I originally installed in the Insider program by cloning my Win8.1 install and then installing Win10 TP over that. I had problems, so I then did a clean install, with a later build, over that. After that, I did Updates for each of the builds, up to, and including 10240 -- which, last time I checked, said it was activated.

Thus, if I now do another clean install, on this same PC, from an ISO downloaded from MS with the Release version, does that mean that my PC will remain activated permanently?

Or, if I already have the RTM build, leave the Insider program, and do NOT do another clean-install from the Release version, will that trigger an expiration date for the current (RTM) version?

derekimo said:

Actually looks like it's permanently activated, running that command.

And if you do slmgr /dlv, I'll bet you see this. RETAIL channel activation. So... RETAIL channel activation + permanently activated = final release build that will stay that way regardless of if you stay in the insider program or not.

Yep, it does say retail.

Your other point will have to be confirmed by time and Microsoft.

NavyLCDR said:

And if you do slmgr /dlv, I'll bet you see this. RETAIL channel activation. So... RETAIL channel activation + permanently activated = final release build that will stay that way regardless of if you stay in the insider program or not.

Actually, that's what I did earlier (use the commands you suggested) and my system says basically the same as yours. I didn't compare every letter of every line, but mine says RETAIL channel, Key: 3V66T, and permanently activated.

So, this means I can leave the Insider program NOW (before future builds get installed), and my machine will remain permanently activated?

NOTE: Sorry to keep pressing this, but this simply seems "too good to be true" -- and I've grown cynical in my "old age"!

Mark Phelps said:

Actually, that's what I did earlier (use the commands you suggested) and my system says basically the same as yours. I didn't compare every letter of every line, but mine says RETAIL channel, Key: 3V66T, and permanently activated.

So, this means I can leave the Insider program NOW (before future builds get installed), and my machine will remain permanently activated?

NOTE: Sorry to keep pressing this, but this simply seems "too good to be true" -- and I've grown cynical in my "old age"!

Yes. You have exactly the same build, activation channel, and product key as people who upgraded after 7/29 who were never in the insider program.

I understand your skepticism Mark, but I doubt a clear precise answer to that has been found yet.

I would like to know too, but I want to see it from Microsoft before I feel comfortable confirming anything just because we all have the same build number.