Windows 10 Upgrade forever from now?

[EthanNZ]

Hey, I am looking at upgrading to the insider preview of Windows 10 on my Windows 7 laptop.

Now I know that once Windows 10 releases, I'll get a free upgrade within the first year, but if I get the windows 10 insider preview, will that get an update to the full release? 

 

just wondering if I should create a copy of my current W7 OS so I can revert to get the free upgrade and not lose the windows license that came with the laptop.

 

Thanks

[thekeemo]

nope unless you buy

the win 7 code may work

[rkcmd]

Microsoft has not yet announced whether the upgrade to W10 would be permanently free or not.

ie, upgrading will be free for the first year, after that, upgrading will not be free.

If you upgraded to W10 within the free period, it's unknown whether you'll have to pay after a year.

[SansVarnic]

Hey, I am looking at upgrading to the insider preview of Windows 10 on my Windows 7 laptop.

Now I know that once Windows 10 releases, I'll get a free upgrade within the first year, but if I get the windows 10 insider preview, will that get an update to the full release? 

 

just wondering if I should create a copy of my current W7 OS so I can revert to get the free upgrade and not lose the windows license that came with the laptop.

 

Thanks

No matter what you decide to do, make a back up image of your drive first. Just so you don't lose anything.

Win10 is not yet stable (I know I have been doing the preview since December'14) so never install beta software with out first making a back up image it is just common sense and just a smart thing to do. I would also suggest putting the preview on a secondary pc/laptop due to its stability issues even thou stability has improved and you will still have stable system to use for everyday stuff.

 

In reference to the upgrade, MS has only announced they will do Free Upgrades from Win7,8, 8.1 to win10 not free Full-OS for a clean install.I do believe I read that previewers will also receive the release version as well but you have to have had been part of the previewers since Jan (Please don't quote me on this as I have to find where I read that first).

 

Hope that helps.

 

*Edit*

Free upgrades will remain free. Only illegitimate copy's will have to pay (not sure how they will sort that out). After 1 year then upgrades will require a fee. This is just so companies looking to upgrade will stay with MS as most of you know can be quite costly to do upgrades so this is why WINXP is still around even though it is no longer supported by MS.

I personally don't do upgrades I prefer a clean installs. Upgrades can tend be buggy sometimes(not always). Since I am doing the preview I look forward to getting the Full OS. I will admit I cant wait to see the advantages of what DX12 will bring.  B)

[Godlygamer23]

Microsoft has not yet announced whether the upgrade to W10 would be permanently free or not.

ie, upgrading will be free for the first year, after that, upgrading will not be free.

If you upgraded to W10 within the free period, it's unknown whether you'll have to pay after a year.

While there has been a lot of confusion surrounding Microsoft's "generous" offer, I'm fairly certain that you have one year to grab the upgrade. After that, you would have to pay, but the license itself would last forever.

[RH00D]

Microsoft has not yet announced whether the upgrade to W10 would be permanently free or not.

ie, upgrading will be free for the first year, after that, upgrading will not be free.

If you upgraded to W10 within the free period, it's unknown whether you'll have to pay after a year.

 

You don't have to pay after the year ends, that's confirmed.

 

You can also upgrade to Windows 10 final release from the Insider Preview they confirmed that also but honestly its only another 2 months or so until final release so I would just wait it out. The current Insider Preview build is very buggy.

[EthanNZ]

No matter what you decide to do, make a back up image of your drive first. Just so you don't lose anything.

Win10 is not yet stable (I know I have been doing the preview since December'14) so never install beta software with out first making a back up image it is just common sense and just a smart thing to do. I would also suggest putting the preview on a secondary pc/laptop due to its stability issues even thou stability has improved and you will still have stable system to use for everyday stuff.

 

In reference to the upgrade, MS has only announced they will do Free Upgrades from Win7,8, 8.1 to win10 not free Full-OS for a clean install.I do believe I read that previewers will also receive the release version as well but you have to have had been part of the previewers since Jan (Please don't quote me on this as I have to find where I read that first).

 

Hope that helps.

 

*Edit*

Free upgrades will remain free. Only illegitimate copy's will have to pay (not sure how they will sort that out). After 1 year then upgrades will require a fee. This is just so companies looking to upgrade will stay with MS as most of you know can be quite costly to do upgrades so this is why WINXP is still around even though it is no longer supported by MS.

I personally don't do upgrades I prefer a clean installs. Upgrades can tend be buggy sometimes(not always). Since I am doing the preview I look forward to getting the Full OS. I will admit I cant wait to see the advantages of what DX12 will bring.  B)

 

Ahhh thank you

So if I do an 'upgrade' from Windows 7 rather than a clean install, does that retain my windows product key/license? (still unsure how sturdy windows licenses are after all these years)

 

and yeah the laptop I'm looking at putting it on is not my main (main is my desktop for pretty much everything followed by my SP3 for portable work).

 

as a user of it, could you describe the basic advantages and points that may make it worth getting?

[SansVarnic]

Ahhh thank you

So if I do an 'upgrade' from Windows 7 rather than a clean install, does that retain my windows product key/license? (still unsure how sturdy windows licenses are after all these years)

 

and yeah the laptop I'm looking at putting it on is not my main (main is my desktop for pretty much everything followed by my SP3 for portable work).

 

as a user of it, could you describe the basic advantages and points that may make it worth getting?

Well it retains the key for the upgrade not the previous version. As long as you have the key written down or the tag with the key on it you should be fine there. Windows licenses are more or less solid, even with all the Chinese fakes out there. MS has taken huge steps to try and keep that under control but nothing is perfect and the fakes still pop up here and there.

As to what I mean by 'buggy' is when you do an upgrade windows will attempt to copy your file structure to keep things the same, but not always, like if it doesn't know where you would want something because that particular item/function/feature was changed drastically or removed then windows will move that file to an .old file instead. Windows has a common habit of putting everything (since WinME or was it 98?) on the C: drive by default, I don't particularly care for that. I normally like clean installs by preference because if I need to a reinstall an OS then all you need to have is the full OS to do. If you were reinstalling an upgraded OS you would have to reinstall the old OS then re-upgrade in order to have the install of the upgraded version, time waste and frustrating for me. Its mostly preference to each person. Each to their own. I am sure there is another way but I have never paid any attention and skipped straight to a clean install.

 

I got the Win10 preview more or less because I was interested to see were MS was going with windows. I wanted to be involved with giving feedback on how users see the line between the best of windows (Win7) versus shitty ass Win8 (don't get me wrong Win8 was stable but the UI sucked and it was ugly, very much useless in a desktop environment). Basic advantages? DX12.   other advantages I have seen to date is it is like/similar to Win7 with some of Win8 thrown in in places. The experience for me has been good so far. Think of this Win98 to Win7 to Win10 each improving on the previous build. Win ME-Vista-8 no idea were these people came from an if their brains were on track with each other when design implementation was thought of. Oh I almost forgot the new web browser look good as well. It was well thought of and designed, I expect a lot from it. Clean and fast.

 

I am sure there is someone here that can explain some of this better than I though. I am not an expert by any means. I consider myself knowledgeable but no expert.

[Trucktruck]

You'd better do that, make sure you won't lose anything. Prevention is always necessary.

[EthanNZ]

Well it retains the key for the upgrade not the previous version. As long as you have the key written down or the tag with the key on it you should be fine there. Windows licenses are more or less solid, even with all the Chinese fakes out there. MS has taken huge steps to try and keep that under control but nothing is perfect and the fakes still pop up here and there.

As to what I mean by 'buggy' is when you do an upgrade windows will attempt to copy your file structure to keep things the same, but not always, like if it doesn't know where you would want something because that particular item/function/feature was changed drastically or removed then windows will move that file to an .old file instead. Windows has a common habit of putting everything (since WinME or was it 98?) on the C: drive by default, I don't particularly care for that. I normally like clean installs by preference because if I need to a reinstall an OS then all you need to have is the full OS to do. If you were reinstalling an upgraded OS you would have to reinstall the old OS then re-upgrade in order to have the install of the upgraded version, time waste and frustrating for me. Its mostly preference to each person. Each to their own. I am sure there is another way but I have never paid any attention and skipped straight to a clean install.

 

I got the Win10 preview more or less because I was interested to see were MS was going with windows. I wanted to be involved with giving feedback on how users see the line between the best of windows (Win7) versus shitty ass Win8 (don't get me wrong Win8 was stable but the UI sucked and it was ugly, very much useless in a desktop environment). Basic advantages? DX12.   other advantages I have seen to date is it is like/similar to Win7 with some of Win8 thrown in in places. The experience for me has been good so far. Think of this Win98 to Win7 to Win10 each improving on the previous build. Win ME-Vista-8 no idea were these people came from an if their brains were on track with each other when design implementation was thought of. Oh I almost forgot the new web browser look good as well. It was well thought of and designed, I expect a lot from it. Clean and fast.

 

I am sure there is someone here that can explain some of this better than I though. I am not an expert by any means. I consider myself knowledgeable but no expert.

Sounds awesome

 

Last question: Can I back up JUST my stock OS? I don't really need the data on my laptop so would I just factory reset my laptop then create a backup image of it?

 

I'll google, myself, how to actually do the backup image. I'm sure it's not hard

[SansVarnic]

Sounds awesome

 

Last question: Can I back up JUST my stock OS? I don't really need the data on my laptop so would I just factory reset my laptop then create a backup image of it?

 

I'll google, myself, how to actually do the backup image. I'm sure it's not hard

Windows has a built in back up you can utilize and it has options to select most of what you wish to back up. Backing up the OS itself is automatic as this is what the built-in back up software is made for. There are other 3rd party options you can chose from but I have found that the Windows Back-up works fine for my needs, it may not for you.

I would suggest that since you don't care what is saved outside the OS I would not even worry about the back-up as long as you have the disk with the OS on it that should have came with your laptop, other wise if you don't you could get a downloaded version or borrow somebody else's copy as long as YOU USE YOUR OWN LICENSE during the install. The license can be found (should be) on the bottom of your laptop, unless its gone and then your screwed.

 

Oh and there is no such thing as a factory reset for laptops. Its just wipe and re-install just like any other pc.

[FrickDude]

Hey, I am looking at upgrading to the insider preview of Windows 10 on my Windows 7 laptop.

Now I know that once Windows 10 releases, I'll get a free upgrade within the first year, but if I get the windows 10 insider preview, will that get an update to the full release? 

 

just wondering if I should create a copy of my current W7 OS so I can revert to get the free upgrade and not lose the windows license that came with the laptop.

 

Thanks

Microsoft is giving away Windows 10 to anyone who tests it

 

but what I want to know is what happens if you are running the Enterprise insider preview vs the regular insider preview? Will they both become a genuine copy? Will the Enterprise stay enterprise or become the Pro version or what's the deal with all the versions and them becoming genuine?