Windows 10 will be free for "genuine and non-genuine" users

[w3bcrawler]

Microsoft's operating system chief Terry Myerson said, "We are upgrading all qualified PCs, genuine and non-genuine, to Windows 10." This means that everyone running Windows 7 or 8.1, irrespective of whether you pirated the operating system or not, will be allowed to upgrade to a legitimate version of Windows 10.

Source: http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2015/03/windows-10-will-be-a-free-upgrade-for-genuine-and-non-genuine-users/

I think this is great! Not only will people be able to get their hands on legitimate copies, but I suspect there will be much less malware floating around (generally speaking) when people can update old / non-secure versions of Windows.

What do you think, DC?

[TaoPhoenix]

Well, the malware floats around. It's just about how much of it latches on like a leech.

All the UI stuff aside, I'll be interested in the security reports of Win10.

[rjbull]

The way I read it, from one of the UK magazines, was that the upgrade was automatic provided that you had automatic Windows updates turned on.  In other words, you wouldn't get a disk.  Given my very unhappy experience with the Vista Update from Hell detailed in Windows Update disaster - recovery help, please!, I would be very wary at allowing automatic Windows updates.  I know there are services like Winows Secrets that check their toxicity, but it's hard work going through all those numerically-named updates.  Oddly, when checking Windows Secrets' URL, I happened upon their 12th March 2015 post, which by amazing coincidence is New ways to get free Windows-installation media.

[Innuendo]

The way I read it, from one of the UK magazines, was that the upgrade was automatic provided that you had automatic Windows updates turned on.  In other words, you wouldn't get a disk.

I can see why Microsoft is doing it that way, but I really don't relish having to spend x amount of time installing Crusty-OS v1.0 in order to just sit and wait y amount of time while Teh-New-N-Shiny v2.0 downloads to install over the top leaving crusty, non-tasty bits all around your hard drive.

[TaoPhoenix]

The way I read it, from one of the UK magazines, was that the upgrade was automatic provided that you had automatic Windows updates turned on.  In other words, you wouldn't get a disk.

I can see why Microsoft is doing it that way, but I really don't relish having to spend x amount of time installing Crusty-OS v1.0 in order to just sit and wait y amount of time while Teh-New-N-Shiny v2.0 downloads to install over the top leaving crusty, non-tasty bits all around your hard drive.

No no no!
The new OS is your nice salad and the other bits are croutons!

[app103]

So, in order to get a free upgrade to Win10, you have to be willing NOT to do a clean install?

[MilesAhead]

To add to the confusion.. talk about ISOs being available after all:

http://www.softpedia.com/blog/Microsoft-to-Offer-Free-Windows-10-Upgrade-ISOs-for-Windows-7-and-8-1-476120.shtml

[Deozaan]

I think once you upgraded and got a license key, you could then find an ISO online somewhere and install fresh, using your spiffy new license key. But I could be wrong about that.

[MilesAhead]

I think once you upgraded and got a license key, you could then find an ISO online somewhere and install fresh, using your spiffy new license key. But I could be wrong about that.

On tenfoums.com when the second preview build was provided via update only some people put together tools to extract the iso image from the update.  I guess MS realized they weren't going to keep them under wraps that way.  On the next preview release they also provided the ISO files a bit later.  I managed to use the tools to extract the image but I could barely keep my VM functional.  I had to disable a bunch of services and defrag multiple times to get there.  I'm glad MS decided to save me all that aggravation in the next build release. 

[Deozaan]

I wasn't able to update my Win 10 preview using Windows update. It tried, but said there was an error and that my previous version had been restored.

[Innuendo]

I wasn't able to update my Win 10 preview using Windows update. It tried, but said there was an error and that my previous version had been restored.

This is not unusual for beta/preview releases of Windows. Every once in a while your beta/preview Windows will get into a state where Windows Update won't be able to update it. Sometimes MS will update Windows Update's capabilities and you will be upgraded at a later date, but sometimes you'll be at a dead end & the only way forward is to do a complete install of a later build.

I've been tempted to try out Windows 10, but I've decided to hold off till May after graduation when I won't be dependent upon my PC for grades.

[Arizona Hot]

[attach=#]

Windows 10 upgrades from pirated predecessors won't be legit - CNET

[TaoPhoenix]

(see attachment in previous post)
Windows 10 upgrades from pirated predecessors won't be legit - CNET

Yeah I saw this headline on slashdot.

It's one of those funny MS moves. "You can upgrade, because we want you to feel teh shinyness, but it won't be legit".

[Innuendo]

It's one of those funny MS moves. "You can upgrade, because we want you to feel teh shinyness, but it won't be legit".

What's 'funny' (and not as in funny ha-ha) is that Microsoft is refusing to comment on what the differences will be experienced by the user of a legitimate vs. non-legitimate license.

It's very weird all the way around. If you aren't legit, you can upgrade, but it won't be a real upgrade and we refuse to tell you why it won't be considered to be or what the ramifications of that will be.

[TaoPhoenix]

It's one of those funny MS moves. "You can upgrade, because we want you to feel teh shinyness, but it won't be legit".

What's 'funny' (and not as in funny ha-ha) is that Microsoft is refusing to comment on what the differences will be experienced by the user of a legitimate vs. non-legitimate license.

It's very weird all the way around. If you aren't legit, you can upgrade, but it won't be a real upgrade and we refuse to tell you why it won't be considered to be or what the ramifications of that will be.

First of all yes, I didn't mean haha, I meant "playing a very complicated game".

If it's "proven" (and let's pass for a moment on false positives) as a non-legit copy, that gives them room to do all kinds of weird things to the very limits they think their $1000/hr legal team thinks they can get away with.

But what?

Is MS allowed by law to install their own custom spyware and snoop the address/other contact info of a "non-legit" user? Could they then wrap all of that into a package with a bowtie and feed it to a police force?

So then it gets all meta - why would a non-legit user WANT to upgrade? What do they get out of it? Wouldn't they sniff out that there's got to be a trap in there somewhere?

[Deozaan]

If your Windows 7/8 install is considered invalid, you get nags and your wallpaper turns black. It doesn't say that exact thing will happen on Windows 10 but it doesn't say it won't.

But I know people running non-legit copies that don't have warning screens or wallpapers blanking out. The OS gives no indication that I know of that the copy isn't legitimate. Does that mean they'll upgrade to a legit Win 10?

[Shades]

You forgot to mention that after the grace period of not being able to verify the status of your OS (at this point your background goes black) you enter in another (much shorter) grace period. When you run out of that one, your computer reboots after 2 hours.

It is my guess that something similar will happen with Windows 10. Maybe they will use a different interval, depending on the device that is running Windows 10.

[Arizona Hot]

[attach=#]

Microsoft's obsession with piracy threatens to create a Windows 10 licensing mess  ZDNet

[Innuendo]

With my membership to Dreamspark Premium I have no shortage of license keys I'll be able to use to upgrade to Windows 10. I also took advantage of the "Windows 8 upgrade for $14.99" launch offer multiple times.

Unfortunately, a lot of people aren't so fortunate.