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MindYerBeak

win10 really free ?

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I upgraded  for free a few days back. I read  somewhere that the os is free only for one year after that I'd have to shell out  the retail price for the software ?  Is that really true or am I missing something ?

 

Would it be  true that if  I change say my motheboard I would have to pay again for the os ?

 

Thankss

 

 

 

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No it's free for as long as you use it. As long as you upgraded before the July deadline.


Pete Richards

Aussie born, Sydney (YSSY) living in Whitehorse, Yukon (CYXY)

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And the technical Press is also reporting that MS is thinking of making it subscription-based in future to recoup giving it away to millions for free before the July deadline.

 

It's already got data collecting in place, so could also go down the road of bombarding an end-user with adverts.

 

Question of 'watch this space'.

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I upgraded  for free a few days back. I read  somewhere that the os is free only for one year after that I'd have to shell out  the retail price for the software ?  Is that really true or am I missing something ?

 

Would it be  true that if  I change say my motheboard I would have to pay again for the os ?

 

Thankss

You have definitely read wrong...

 

It was free for one year *from when they announced the promotion*, meaning you had 1 year to CLAIM it. Once claimed it's yours.

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To further clarify.

 

Windows 10 free is "tied" to the device it was installed on. If that device lasts 10 years there is no more to pay. This is the same as if you bought a new computer today with Windows 10 installed. The OEM licence is tied to that device. If is dies so does your licence. If you sell it your licence goes with it. I'm pretty sure this rule has been in effect since Windows was released.

 

A retail version of Windows is different in that you own the licence and can reinstall as often as necessary as long as the product is only installed on 1 computer at a time.

 

The mucky water bit it what happens when you need to replace a failed component on a Windows 10 computer, regardless of whether you got it free via the upgrade promotion or on a new PC.

 

From experience it is absoluted accepted that replacement of a component (other than the motherboard) will not lose your licence. Your activation should not be flagged after such repairs.

 

If there are several components replaced at once or if the motherboard is replaced you might be asked to reactivate. If you are unable to sort this out you will have to call Microsoft. I don't believe this will be an issue with branded PC's like Dell, HP but is more for the home builders. This is pretty much the same as with Windows 7 and previous versions.

 

There is a section under Settings called Privacy. I suggest everyone adjusts these to their own comfort level.

 

Cheers,


howevr

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Thanks David,

 

 

I actually built my computer myself so if mothermoard goes so goes the license. I had a retail win7 version so might as well go back to it ? I think we have a month time to go back to win 7.

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If you upgraded a retail licence of Win7 to Win10 then your upgrade inherits the retail licence benifits.

30 days to go back is correct as you have already upgraded. FYI - Microsoft have now changed the rules for -new- Windows10 upgrades to 10 days to go back.


howevr

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Would that mean that even if I change say the motherboard (or computer) I still can use my win 10 without forking out?

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Yes, as long as your original Win 7 was a retail licence.

 

Here is the section of the EULA for Win10 that I had posted in another thread confirming this

 

Clause 4 b of the EULA states

 

Stand-alone software. If you acquired the software as stand-alone software (and also if you upgraded from software you acquired as stand-alone software), you may transfer the software to another device that belongs to you. You may also transfer the software to a device owned by someone else if (i) you are the first licensed user of the software and (ii) the new user agrees to the terms of this agreement. You may use the backup copy we allow you to make or the media that the software came on to transfer the software. Every time you transfer the software to a new device, you must remove the software from the prior device. You may not transfer the software to share licenses between devices.

 

Cheers,


howevr

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To further clarify.

 

Windows 10 free is "tied" to the device it was installed on. If that device lasts 10 years there is no more to pay. This is the same as if you bought a new computer today with Windows 10 installed. The OEM licence is tied to that device. If is dies so does your licence. If you sell it your licence goes with it. I'm pretty sure this rule has been in effect since Windows was released.

 

A retail version of Windows is different in that you own the licence and can reinstall as often as necessary as long as the product is only installed on 1 computer at a time.

 

The mucky water bit it what happens when you need to replace a failed component on a Windows 10 computer, regardless of whether you got it free via the upgrade promotion or on a new PC.

 

From experience it is absoluted accepted that replacement of a component (other than the motherboard) will not lose your licence. Your activation should not be flagged after such repairs.

 

If there are several components replaced at once or if the motherboard is replaced you might be asked to reactivate. If you are unable to sort this out you will have to call Microsoft. I don't believe this will be an issue with branded PC's like Dell, HP but is more for the home builders. This is pretty much the same as with Windows 7 and previous versions.

 

There is a section under Settings called Privacy. I suggest everyone adjusts these to their own comfort level.

 

Cheers,

not completely true about windows 10 being tied to a device,i did an upgrade from windows 7 to windows 10 on one computer and then installed it on another computer and told microsoft my motherboard died.

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Things might get a little more complicated than what's been posted in this discussion thus far.

Industry insiders on the web are speculating about the direction Microsoft will go with the Windows OS. This speculation is based mostly on the FACT that Microsoft IS going to a subscription-based OS this fall for Enterprise customers. This is a done deal, not speculation. The speculation has to do with whether MS will eventually do the same for consumers. Adobe has already switched to subscription-based service for their premium products - Photoshop, etc.

At present, Microsoft insists that they have no plans to move to a subscription-based business model for private users of the Windows OS. However, they can always change that policy at their discretion, and subscription service would be very beneficial financially . One possibility being advanced is that "Windows 10" will be the last version of the OS we'll ever see. Microsoft could just change the name of the product to "Windows", and keep the OS continually updated for those who choose to subscribe, same as Adobe subscribers are doing now.

One thing's certain: MS has never before offered a major version upgrade to their existing customers at no cost; Windows 10 represents a substantial investment for the company, and doing business that way isn't profitable. MS isn't a charity organization, and it's possible that "free" Windows 10 upgrades are the first phase of a major shift in their business model. Presently, we don't know what's next, but time will tell.

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not completely true about windows 10 being tied to a device,i did an upgrade from windows 7 to windows 10 on one computer and then installed it on another computer and told microsoft my motherboard died.

 

The answer is correct. The question was not "what can I get away with" or "how can I interpreted the rules to fit my personal agenda".

 

Good luck to you.

 

Cheers.

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howevr

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The answer is correct. The question was not "what can I get away with" or "how can I interpreted the rules to fit my personal agenda".

 

 

I saw that too.  When I grew up, most people learned at home that lying was something decent people just didn't do.  Seems less the case today, especially when dealing with "rich, evil corporations".  And bragging about it's OK, too.

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