if you upgrade hardware w windows 10 you will have to buy it! :(

[Techhog]

yes this is what i mean

 

but you didnt buy oem you would still be on that version yes? (after this first year)

It's a very unique license. On one hand, it's an upgrade license. On the other hand, it allows clean installs. It's pretty confusing and inconsistent, so something like this was probably bound to happen.

[thorpj]

This is terrible. Changing mobo, i can sort of understand that. But not being able to change any hardware is ridiculous. I think this microsoft tech support guy was misinformed. I HOPE so anyway...

 

Part of having a PC is the ability to upgrade hardware when necessary. 

 

Or, does this only apply if you got the free upgrade.

[GoodBytes]

but you didnt buy oem you would still be on that version yes? (after this first year)

If you have a retail version of Windows 7/8 you can install that version on your new hardware, but upgrading to Windows 10 will cost money. Unless Microsoft make as a tool to generate a product key in some fashion (I doubt it, as it would be used as a key generator), or switch they'll make a new system where you can manage your system online, where you can remove the old system, and add a new system to activate.

[GoodBytes]

This is terrible. Changing mobo, i can sort of understand that. But not being able to change any hardware is ridiculous.

 

I think this microsoft tech support guy was misinformed. I HOPE so anyway...

I don't think it is any hardware. I think anyone here can test this. Put some old graphics card in your system, see if Windows 10 is still activated.

I think it is like before, motherboard.

[mr moose]

rebuying the os when you have a retail version (not oem)

 

No you don't, you can just re-install the original retail version you have on whatever new hardware you get.  If you do it before the win 10 offer expires you can upgrade it again free, if it is after then you only have to buy win 10 if you want it.  You are not forced to buy a new OS at all, and this is the way it has always been.

[thorpj]

I don't think it is any hardware. I think anyone here can test this. Put some old graphics card in your system, see if Windows 10 is still activated.

I think it is like before, motherboard.

I'm just going off what the tech support guy said.

[thorpj]

If you have a retail version of Windows 7/8 you can install that version on your new hardware, but upgrading to Windows 10 will cost money. Unless Microsoft make as a tool to generate a product key in some fashion (I doubt it, as it would be used as a key generator), or switch they'll make a new system where you can manage your system online, where you can remove the old system, and add a new system to activate.

I totally agree. They need to move the activation system online. Give everybody a period of warning, after which a microsoft account is required, then we can link product keys. That's just the way i imagine they'd make it.

[JerkyMcDilerino]

What if i upgrade my SSD, do i have to buy Windows 10? 

[mr moose]

What if i upgrade my SSD, do i have to buy Windows 10? 

no. 

[JerkyMcDilerino]

no. 

So only the hardware's that associated with the motherboard? 

[mr moose]

So only the hardware's that associated with the motherboard? 

I think it's only the mobo itself.  Although even if the CPU was linked to the OS I don't know many people that change CPUS and don't upgrade the mobo at the same time.

 

You can change the GPU, Ram, Hdd, SSD Odd and any other peripheral without having to buy a new OS.

[Notn4]

Windows should be a product on Steam, that way it would follow your account no matter the hardware

 

No but seriously, I get the mobo thing as I don't think MS ever said that we'd be getting the retail version free, just and upgrade. I doubt that it detects any other changes than mobo/cpu though. The whole way MS did this free upgrade launch was very poorly done, so much information was left out and having to find out about this kind of stuff from some tech support chat is ridiculous. Luckily there's always piracy if I have to upgrade my hardware after a year and MS won't activate my Win10 copy

[sof006]

Kek. Windows Insider ftw. Always activated

[NumLock21]

rebuying the os when you have a retail version (not oem)

Oem have to rebuy. Retail you don't it's link to the user not hardware. So you can change as much hardware you want, be able to transfer to a new computer,and it will still activate. If you have a retail license and upgrade to win10, it will still follow under the retail licensing.

[GoodBytes]

Windows should be a product on Steam, that way it would follow your account no matter the hardware

 

No but seriously, I get the mobo thing as I don't think MS ever said that we'd be getting the retail version free, just and upgrade. I doubt that it detects any other changes than mobo/cpu though. The whole way MS did this free upgrade launch was very poorly done, so much information was left out and having to find out about this kind of stuff from some tech support chat is ridiculous. Luckily there's always piracy if I have to upgrade my hardware after a year and MS won't activate my Win10 copy

Piracy is never justified.

I agree with the rest. This is a problem that Microsoft always had. Communication problems with the customers, including ads being from very poor to OK, with the rare glimpse of good.

[thorpj]

Kek. Windows Insider ftw. Always activated

There's even more confusion there.

 

I had the windows 10 tech preview running in a vm (virtualbox). I deleted that VM when Windows 10 launched. Would i still be able to install WIn10TP on a machine (non vm) and use it?

 

As i understand (from what they've said) they stopped anyone from installing Win10Tp after release.

[sof006]

There's even more confusion there.

 

I had the windows 10 tech preview running in a vm (virtualbox). I deleted that VM when Windows 10 launched. Would i still be able to install WIn10TP on a machine (non vm) and use it?

 

As i understand (from what they've said) they stopped anyone from installing Win10Tp after release.

You dont need to install TP.

 

Just install regular official RTM build and then after install log in to your Microsoft account, if your Microsoft account is a Windows Insider account it'll automatically activate your PC for you. I did this to my laptop, it gives you the option to skip the product key at the beginning of the install.

 

Once your activated a Insider on your PC you'll get this new option inside Windows Update menu

 

[Notn4]

Piracy is never justified.

I agree with the rest. This is a problem that Microsoft always had. Communication problems with the customers, including ads being from very poor to OK, with the rare glimpse of good.

Well piracy is a very personal thing, I find it very easy to justify piracy, for example, I'm going to pirate the next Assassins Creed game because Unity was so bad but I hope that they could pull their heads out of their asses and make a decent game with Syndicate, so I pirate it first, see if it's worth the pricetag and then buy if it is. With Win10 I was promised a free OS and if that is taken away from me then I'll take it back, simple.

[ApolloEleven]

With Windows 8 you have to call Microsoft to deactivate and reactivate your key when you upgrade your CPU/Mobo. I think it's kinda the same idea here.

[Trik'Stari]

You been livin under a rock for the last couple of years?

I switched from an FM2 motherboard and A10-5700 APU to a Z97 and a 4690k on Windows 7 and didn't have to buy anything, just had to reinstall windows and put my product key in again.

[Techhog]

I totally agree. They need to move the activation system online. Give everybody a period of warning, after which a microsoft account is required, then we can link product keys. That's just the way i imagine they'd make it.

If they do that, we lose one if the big ways to protect our privacy in Windows 10.

[thorpj]

If they do that, we lose one if the big ways to protect our privacy in Windows 10.

To clarify, you'd lose your privacy because you would have to have a microsoft account? 

 

There are a lot of privacy options in win10, disable them.

Or, if you really want, you could spoof Microsoft with fake info. 

[thorpj]

You dont need to install TP.

 

Just install regular official RTM build and then after install log in to your Microsoft account, if your Microsoft account is a Windows Insider account it'll automatically activate your PC for you. I did this to my laptop, it gives you the option to skip the product key at the beginning of the install.

Oh wow, i had no idea

 

So i've got WIn10 running dual boot on my PC (not an upgrade from win7 or 8). i don't have to bother activating it?

 

As for the product key entry, it asks for that before it asks for account/password IIRC.

 

Also, my install has the "Activate windows" watermark in the bottom right. I'm a Windows Insider, and i'm happy to do that if it means that i don't have to pay for Windows (it's free and legal, doesn't get much better than that...)

[sof006]

Oh wow, i had no idea

 

So i've got WIn10 running dual boot on my PC (not an upgrade from win7 or 8). i don't have to bother activating it?

 

As for the product key entry, it asks for that before it asks for account/password IIRC.

 

Also, my install has the "Activate windows" watermark in the bottom right. I'm a Windows Insider, and i'm happy to do that if it means that i don't have to pay for Windows (it's free and legal, doesn't get much better than that...)

Yep totally legitimate.

 

Download RTM copy off Microsoft using their downloader tool, burn to DVD or USB. Boot into install and when it says "Enter product key" at the bottom right you can click "skip" and it'll continue with install. After booting into Windows change your standard user into your Microsoft account and then reboot, it'll activate your copy of Windows for you.

[NumLock21]

I switched from an FM2 motherboard and A10-5700 APU to a Z97 and a 4690k on Windows 7 and didn't have to buy anything, just had to reinstall windows and put my product key in again.

There is a limited number of times it will work with online activation, after it's all used up, then you'll need to call to activate.