Can't use win 7, 8, 8.1 keys after July 29th

alphanumeric said:

You Cannot Activate Windows 10 Using Windows 7, 8, 8.1 Product Key After July 29, 2016

I hope/assume that includes OEM 8/8.1 embedded keys, as in it stops looking for them on a clean install.

Unless someone else knows of an Official MS document/announcement, I have to assume that "End of free upgrade" means "End of free upgrade". No maybes or kindas or almosts, end.

Mobile? I have no idea. That's a whole different animal.

alphanumeric said:

You Cannot Activate Windows 10 Using Windows 7, 8, 8.1 Product Key After July 29, 2016

I hope/assume that includes OEM 8/8.1 embedded keys, as in it stops looking for them on a clean install.

That's an interesting statement.

Assuming auto-activation this way is stopped, this should eliminate the clean install of 10 pro on an 8.1 core bios embedded key problem?

f14tomcat said:

Unless someone else knows of an Official MS document/announcement, I have to assume that "End of free upgrade" means "End of free upgrade". No maybes or kindas or almosts, end.

Mobile? I have no idea. That's a whole different animal.

Well we can put this in the class of a definite maybe.

We have no evidence to suggest MS will spring a surprise, but by definition a "susprise" is a "surprise"!

cereberus said:

That's an interesting statement.

Assuming auto-activation this way is stopped, this should eliminate the clean install of 10 pro on an 8.1 core bios embedded key problem?

That's what I'm hoping?

f14tomcat said:

Unless someone else knows of an Official MS document/announcement, I have to assume that "End of free upgrade" means "End of free upgrade". No maybes or kindas or almosts, end.

Mobile? I have no idea. That's a whole different animal.

Mobile is a free upgrade anyway, isn't it? If and when the service provider decides to push it out.

alphanumeric said:

Mobile is a free upgrade anyway, isn't it? If and when the service provider decides to push it out.

Oh, I don't know. I don't have a W-Phone. I use my trusty S4. (no debate intended ). Have no idea what Verizon, Sprint, et al will do. Guess if the providers pay M$, then they can sub-license it out any way they want to.

f14tomcat said:

Oh, I don't know. I don't have a W-Phone. I use my trusty S4. (no debate intended ). Have no idea what Verizon, Sprint, et al will do. Guess if the providers pay M$, then they can sub-license it out any way they want to.

I don't own a cell phone, smart or dumb, lol. That's why I asked.

RPmtl said:

Perhaps I'm wrong. But it's been my understanding that when your machine is activated its details (processor, motherboard, numbers etc..) are somehow registered in a MS database and activation keys will no longer be used except with new copies of Win10 being installed for the first time.

After July 29 those (first time install keys) will be the only keys that can be used. Any reinstall will simply check your machine number in the database and if it's there you're good to go. Embedded Win 8.1 keys would only be needed if doing a clean install of that same OS and will no longer be eligible for the free Win10 update offer.

R

I believe you are correct.

RPmtl said:

Perhaps I'm wrong. But it's been my understanding that when your machine is activated its details (processor, motherboard, numbers etc..) are somehow registered in a MS database and activation keys will no longer be used except with new copies of Win10 being installed for the first time.

After July 29 those (first time install keys) will be the only keys that can be used. Any reinstall will simply check your machine number in the database and if it's there you're good to go. Embedded Win 8.1 keys would only be needed if doing a clean install of that same OS and will no longer be eligible for the free Win10 update offer.

R

That's what were hoping happens.

Right now once you do the free upgrade that PC gets a digital entitlement. That's stored on the activation server. You can then clean install, do a skip when asked for a KEY, and activate with the digital entitlement. Microsoft along the way decided to let you clean install with a Windows 7 or 8/8.1 key, without having to upgrade first. They even went so far as to have the Windows 10 install media check your BIOS for OEM keys.
On my laptop, that has a Windows 8.0 OEM embedded key, I don't get any option to skip entering a key or select Home or Pro. 10 Home is installed by default. Even though I originally did the free upgrade from 8.1 Pro and got 10 Pro. I then have to take extra steps to upgrade from Home to Pro, or modify my install media to install Pro instead of Home. for me, now that I know what to do, its no big deal. I just add a PID.txt file to my install media. Which I'll likely do anyway just to speed things up on a clean install. If they stop looking for 8/8.1 keys though, it will make life easier for others wondering why it did that. Why didn't I get the selection menu?