What Will Happen To the Consumer Preview?

If you are using the Consumer Preview, and the official is released, what will happen? It just doesn't seem like it'd make sense for Microsoft to just give out Windows 8 for free.

Will the Consumer Preview stop working after a while, will the be a force-update that makes it stop working?

I just don't see Microsoft giving us Windows 8 completely free, so I'm assuming there is something they are going to do to cause people to not be able to use Windows 8 CP as their OS forever.

Does anyone have any ideas?

Microsoft will most likely remove the option to download any of the test builds (including the Consumer & Developer Preview) from their website. They will also remove any support functions available in the OS as well as in their forums. They may make it impossible to activate the Consumer Preview or use any apps that require internet.

Short of that, there's not much they can do. The test builds will always be available somewhere on the internet but they won't be much use if you can't use the internet. You probably wouldn't want to stay on the Consumer Preview though. The final release will be stable and have a lot more support and available apps for it.

Amy said:

If you are using the Consumer Preview, and the official is released, what will happen? It just doesn't seem like it'd make sense for Microsoft to just give out Windows 8 for free.

Will the Consumer Preview stop working after a while, will the be a force-update that makes it stop working?

I just don't see Microsoft giving us Windows 8 completely free, so I'm assuming there is something they are going to do to cause people to not be able to use Windows 8 CP as their OS forever.

Does anyone have any ideas?

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Type Winver in the Metro Start screen. Run the app that shows. It will tell you everything you want to know.

Of course, after it expires you could always set your bios date to a fake valid date but that's more trouble than it's worth.

Generally, it beta builds expire and might give you the "Activate Windows" dialog. There might be some type of hacks that come out to extend the activation period of Windows, but you will never have any updates for Windows as they won't be applicable to your build number. I remember I used the Windows 7 Release Candidate for almost a year after it was released over the summer of 2009 until I got my new system build up and going....

It will stop working in 2013, around january or so I think.

My W8 is totally stable, solid a a rock so far.

why would anyone want to use a beta or preview edition, I would say a this preview edition is only about 75% of what the final version will be. I you are running windows 7, the upgrade to windows 8 should only be about $100.

tcman50 said:

why would anyone want to use a beta or preview edition, I would say a this preview edition is only about 75% of what the final version will be. I you are running windows 7, the upgrade to windows 8 should only be about $100.

Click to expand...

Ditto for me. I've found some driver issues that may be fixed in the final release. Why stick with an unfinished product?

tcman50 said:

why would anyone want to use a beta or preview edition, I would say a this preview edition is only about 75% of what the final version will be. I you are running windows 7, the upgrade to windows 8 should only be about $100.

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In short, because it's free and not everyone has the money to throw at a new OS every few years.

To answer the question, exactly the same thing that always happens. You will get until x date and then it will lock down and shut down every 30 minutes.

This tells you