Microsoft had to explain who will get Windows 10 for free, again

Thanks to another series of confusing blog posts from the software giant, Microsoft has had to backtrack again and explain who will get Windows 10 for free.

Last week, the company posted that Windows 10 testers (preview users) would also get a free upgrade to the full operating system when it drops on July 29th. It turns out the real policy is a bit more convoluted.

It is true that Windows 10 preview users will get a free copy, but your copy will only remain activated if you opt-in for all future preview updates. "Since we're continuing the Windows Insider Program you'll be able to continue receiving builds and those builds will continue to be activated under the terms of the Windows Insider Program," explained Microsoft's Gabe Aul.

If you decide to opt-out, then your genuine Windows 10 goes poof the next time it connects back to Microsoft for authentication.

Of course, genuine Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 users get a free upgrade on release day, unless Microsoft decides to 'clarify' the rules for that in the coming weeks.

Source:
Windows

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 24 Jun 2015 12:34

deak91

this just in from Microsoft. Thanks to another series of confusing blog posts from the software giant, Microsoft has had to backtrack again and explain who will get Windows 10 for free. in addition to the preview users. they also said if you don't use the new Microsoft Web browser 20 times a day ,and if you install a different web browser that is not made by Microsoft
then your genuine Windows 10 goes poof the next time it connects back to Microsoft for authentication.

lol i can see this happen

24.6.2015 21:19 #1

ivymike

I say you're better off getting a pirated edition. M$ can't seem to make their mind up.

25.6.2015 02:48 #2

Mysttic

Well then it's a good thing I multi-boot different OS's. Currently I happen to enjoy the benefits of DX-12 when it comes to my gaming needs, but Win X sure has quite a few annoyances with it: to be expected for a preview build and likely won't start being stable until Service Pack 1. I was getting a lot of memory issues, no BSOD, but allocated memory full until I played around with the Pagefile system. Haven't seen a memory error since, thankfully but that could change any day.

It's also annoying when changing view modes from single display to extended view, it always wants you to log-off and log-in for "best" results: something I never had to do in Win 7 or 8. It's more a minor irritation and I tend to do it if I know I going to load something like Witcher 3 on my 4k display, but otherwise it's tolerable.

That said the increase frame rate in game play outweighs any minor inconveniences I have with the OS so far: so I'll likely stick with it.

25.6.2015 08:56 #3

aw2600

Originally posted by deak91: they also said if you don't use the new Microsoft Web browser 20 times a day ,and if you install a different web browser that is not made by Microsoft then your genuine Windows 10 goes poof the next time it connects back to Microsoft for authentication. You forgot to mention that Bing needs to remain as your default search engine or your license goes poof. :-D

25.6.2015 15:12 #4

cart0181

Originally posted by ivymike: I say you're better off getting a pirated edition. M$ can't seem to make their mind up. I've been there, done that. It's more trouble than it's worth, in my opinion. The pirated editions either won't allow you to update at all, or if they do you can't install "certain" updates forcing you to "hide" certain ones (WGA).
In this case, they are giving it away for free, which makes it completely pointless.

26.6.2015 01:28 #5

Bozobub

Hiding a single update isn't exactly onerous - lol... This laptop is genuine Windows 7, but my desktop runs Win7 Ultimate, and its pirated OS updated just fine =) . Even legit Windows, by the by, can stand to lose WGA, at least if you don't need to run XP as a VM (downloading XP requires WGA to be active, if you get it from M$, themselves); it's just another layer of bloat.

And they're not giving it away to users with a pirated install, understandably, so whatever.

I'll wait until it's stable before I bother. I still don't like the UI changes, honestly, but the improvements "under the hood" are (finally) compelling enough to move to 10, once it matures.

26.6.2015 13:09 #6

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