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#70
Gary
That sure conflicts maxiumpc article. Just adds more confusion.
Yes, you will need a valid Windows 7/8.x license even if you are part of the pre-release testing program.
My bet is that the Win10 Insider Preview will be among the qualifying OSes you have to have installed in order to go to RTM.
So it will be Win7, Win8.1 or Win10 IP pre-installed that will allow an immediate upgrade--and all of those licenses will authorize the Win10 RTM license. (Win10 Insider Preview build licenses already are authorized & activated by Microsoft.) But when it comes to a full install from the upgrade media (iso) you'll have to have a key--which I'd bet will be your Win7 or Win8 key, most likely, unless Microsoft provides Win10 Insiders with their own key--which is also a possibility.
This statement from Gabe Aul at Microsoft is already pretty clear to me:
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In particular:
Also, as a thought experiment, just suppose that Microsoft were going to give away licences to Insiders who clean-installed? They wouldn't want to announce it in advance, to stop mass piracy - any statement would be along the lines of:You'll have to be upgrading from a system with a valid license for 7 or 8.x
"any insiders who already clean-installed and activated before yesterday will be entitled to keep using windows 10 on that hardware, for the supported life... etc. etc."
But that would be counter to what they've said so far, which is that any free upgrade to 10 needs a valid licence for 7 or 8.x
no you said:
you dont upgrade it to a win10 license & key. you upgrade it to a w7 and w10 license/key (w8+w10 respectively).
but the logical error you make here is that you think it is two licenses after the upgrade. which it isnt.
it still is ONE license for ONE installation ONLY. but you can install w7/w8 or w10
and you also said:
you are not stuck with win10, you can always go back with the key/license you have after the upgrade.
this was confirmed multiple times now.