Questions about upgrading to windows 10

real2

New Member
Messages
4
Hello. I have recently heard about the windows 10 free upgrade for win7 and 8.1 genuine users.
I have a few questions about that upgrade.

1.
I don't have any version of windows installed on my computer, so, if I want to get the new windows 10 when it comes out, is there any difference between: (?)
buying windows 7 now > upgrading free to 10
buying windows 8/8.1 now > upgrading free to 10
buying windows 10 directly when it comes out

Also, what will be the price of windows 10? Should I wait or buy win7 now? Will win10 be cheaper?

2. Are there different versions of windows 10? If so, does it matter if I buy a specific version of win 7/8? For example, if I buy windows 7 home premium or windows 7 ultimate will I get a different version of win10?

3. If I buy an OEM version of windows 7 and install it to my computer, will I get an upgrade to windows 10? If so, will I be able to change the motherboard after I upgrade to win10 or install this version of win10 on a different computer? (not simultaneously of course)

Thanks in advance! :)
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
Windows 10 has been said to be a free upgrade for 7 and 8 / 8.1 - the terms and/or versions unknown - current Beta release is Professional..
Purchasing 8.1 seems less expensive then 7
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 3.1 > Windows 10
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Dell XPS 8700
    CPU
    I7
    Memory
    24 GB
Windows 10 has been said to be a free upgrade for 7 and 8 / 8.1 - the terms and/or versions unknown - current Beta release is Professional..
Purchasing 8.1 seems less expensive then 7

I found windows 7 cheaper than 8.1...
Could you answer the questions please?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
Windows 10 has been said to be a free upgrade for 7 and 8 / 8.1 - the terms and/or versions unknown - current Beta release is Professional..
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 3.1 > Windows 10
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Dell XPS 8700
    CPU
    I7
    Memory
    24 GB
Windows 10 has been said to be a free upgrade for 7 and 8 / 8.1 - the terms and/or versions unknown - current Beta release is Professional..

Can you tell me if I will get the final win10 version for free if I only installed win10 tech preview?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
Windows 10 has been said to be a free upgrade for 7 and 8 / 8.1 - the terms and/or versions unknown - current Beta release is Professional..

Can you tell me if I will get the final win10 version for free if I only installed win10 tech preview?

Highly unlikely, I would be surprised if they did that. Doing that would make Windows 10 free for anybody that wanted it. The free offer is for people that have purchased legal copied of Windows 7 and 8.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Education 64 Bit
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus
    CPU
    AMD Phenom II X4 980 Black Edition Deneb 3.7GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS M4N68T-M V2 µATX Motherboard
    Memory
    8GB 4GBx2 Kingston PC10600 DDR3 1333 Memory
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA Geforce GT640 2 Gig DDR3 PCIe
    Sound Card
    VIA VT1708s High Definition Audio 8-channel Onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    22" LG E2242 1080p and 2 19" I-INC AG191D
    Screen Resolution
    1280x1024 - 1920x1080 - 1280x1024
    Hard Drives
    Crucial MX100 256 GB SSD and 500 GB WD Blue SATA
    PSU
    Thermaltake TR 620
    Case
    Power Up Black ATX Mid-Tower Case
    Cooling
    Stock heatsink fan
    Keyboard
    Logitech Wireless K350 Wave
    Mouse
    Logitech M570 Trackball and T650 TouchPad
    Internet Speed
    80 Mbps Down 30 Mbps Up
    Browser
    Internet Explorer 11
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    HP DVD1040e Lightscribe - External USB2
current Beta release is Professional..
Forgetting the Enterprise and Server editions, current Technical Preview editions are the basic one and Pro. The ISO image, or ESD file if upgrading through Windows Update is the same but if upgrading from Windows 7 Home Premium or lesser edition or from Windows 8 and Windows 8.1, the Windows 10 Technical Preview edition after the upgrade will be the basic one, although upgradeable easily to Pro simply by giving the Win10 TP product key in "Add Features".

Only when upgrading from Windows 7 Professional and Ultimate or from Windows 8 Pro and Windows 8.1 Pro will the Windows 10 Technical Preview edition be Pro directly after the upgrade.

I am absolutely 100% sure that it will not be possible to upgrade the Windows 10 Technical Preview to the final Windows 10 when it is released.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro with Media Center
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    HP ENVY 17-1150eg
    CPU
    1.6 GHz Intel Core i7-720QM Processor
    Memory
    6 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5850 Graphics
    Sound Card
    Beats sound system with integrated subwoofer
    Monitor(s) Displays
    17" laptop display, 22" LED and 32" Full HD TV through HDMI
    Screen Resolution
    1600*900 (1), 1920*1080 (2&3)
    Hard Drives
    Internal: 2 x 500 GB SATA Hard Disk Drive 7200 rpm
    External: 2TB for backups, 3TB USB3 network drive for media
    Cooling
    As Envy runs a bit warm, I have it on a Cooler Master pad
    Keyboard
    Logitech diNovo Media Desktop Laser (bluetooth)
    Mouse
    Logitech MX1000 Laser (Bluetooth)
    Internet Speed
    50 MB VDSL
    Browser
    Maxthon 3.5.2., IE11
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender 4.3.9431.0
    Other Info
    Windows in English, additional user accounts in Finnish, German and Swedish.
Windows 10 has been said to be a free upgrade for 7 and 8 / 8.1 - the terms and/or versions unknown - current Beta release is Professional..

Can you tell me if I will get the final win10 version for free if I only installed win10 tech preview?

Highly unlikely, I would be surprised if they did that. Doing that would make Windows 10 free for anybody that wanted it. The free offer is for people that have purchased legal copied of Windows 7 and 8.

current Beta release is Professional..
Forgetting the Enterprise and Server editions, current Technical Preview editions are the basic one and Pro. The ISO image, or ESD file if upgrading through Windows Update is the same but if upgrading from Windows 7 Home Premium or lesser edition or from Windows 8 and Windows 8.1, the Windows 10 Technical Preview edition after the upgrade will be the basic one, although upgradeable easily to Pro simply by giving the Win10 TP product key in "Add Features".

Only when upgrading from Windows 7 Professional and Ultimate or from Windows 8 Pro and Windows 8.1 Pro will the Windows 10 Technical Preview edition be Pro directly after the upgrade.

I am absolutely 100% sure that it will not be possible to upgrade the Windows 10 Technical Preview to the final Windows 10 when it is released.

Thank you both.
But I will ask about this:
Windows Insiders Could Get a Windows 10 RTM Surprise | Windows 10 content from Windows IT Pro
Perhaps windows are playing nicely?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
Can you tell me if I will get the final win10 version for free if I only installed win10 tech preview?

Highly unlikely, I would be surprised if they did that. Doing that would make Windows 10 free for anybody that wanted it. The free offer is for people that have purchased legal copied of Windows 7 and 8.

current Beta release is Professional..
Forgetting the Enterprise and Server editions, current Technical Preview editions are the basic one and Pro. The ISO image, or ESD file if upgrading through Windows Update is the same but if upgrading from Windows 7 Home Premium or lesser edition or from Windows 8 and Windows 8.1, the Windows 10 Technical Preview edition after the upgrade will be the basic one, although upgradeable easily to Pro simply by giving the Win10 TP product key in "Add Features".

Only when upgrading from Windows 7 Professional and Ultimate or from Windows 8 Pro and Windows 8.1 Pro will the Windows 10 Technical Preview edition be Pro directly after the upgrade.

I am absolutely 100% sure that it will not be possible to upgrade the Windows 10 Technical Preview to the final Windows 10 when it is released.

Thank you both.
But I will ask about this:
Windows Insiders Could Get a Windows 10 RTM Surprise | Windows 10 content from Windows IT Pro
Perhaps windows are playing nicely?

More speculation, IMHO. Those with non genuine installs of Windows 7 and 8 will be allowed to upgrade to Windows 10 too. Their Windows 10 system won't be fully activated though. You'll be able to upgrade to the final version from the preview, but you may have to purchase a licensee to keep using it past 30 days. That's my personal interpretation based on what I've read. As already mentioned, at this point, you'll just have to wait for more info from Microsoft.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Education 64 Bit
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus
    CPU
    AMD Phenom II X4 980 Black Edition Deneb 3.7GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS M4N68T-M V2 µATX Motherboard
    Memory
    8GB 4GBx2 Kingston PC10600 DDR3 1333 Memory
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA Geforce GT640 2 Gig DDR3 PCIe
    Sound Card
    VIA VT1708s High Definition Audio 8-channel Onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    22" LG E2242 1080p and 2 19" I-INC AG191D
    Screen Resolution
    1280x1024 - 1920x1080 - 1280x1024
    Hard Drives
    Crucial MX100 256 GB SSD and 500 GB WD Blue SATA
    PSU
    Thermaltake TR 620
    Case
    Power Up Black ATX Mid-Tower Case
    Cooling
    Stock heatsink fan
    Keyboard
    Logitech Wireless K350 Wave
    Mouse
    Logitech M570 Trackball and T650 TouchPad
    Internet Speed
    80 Mbps Down 30 Mbps Up
    Browser
    Internet Explorer 11
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    HP DVD1040e Lightscribe - External USB2
From that article:

I've had discussions over the past couple weeks with some who want to go back to an earlier build, or even just find a way to deny new builds. Unfortunately, you can't, and this is all part of the steps you took to join the Windows Insider program. To be a program participant, updates are mandatory. If you don’t want a new build or don't want to install an update that is reported to have problems, turn your computer off and leave it off. That's the only fix.

To put it simply, that's BS.

Of course you can install any of the earlier builds if you so want to, and of course you can disable the build upgrades with a simply procedure. OK, I admit it you'd have to have created the needed ISO files by yourself after each build upgrade (tutorial) as I have done to go back to an earlier build but really, the only thing needed to install any older build is to boot your PC with the install media of your preferred build.

When installed simply relocate the main profile Users (tutorial) or parts of it to another drive and you will get no build upgrades. Windows continues to work perfectly, all usual Windows updates work, just the build upgrade won't install showing this if you try:

2015-03-31_01h16_00.png

When you are ready to upgrade to next build, relocate the Users folder back to C:, upgrade, then again relocate Users back to another drive and you are once again "protected" against next build until you decide to upgrade.

Screenshot below from my Build 10041 which I refuse to upgrade to 10049 due issues that build has with Hyper-V and Visual Studio 2015. When MS has fixed these issues, I temporarily move the Users folder back to C: to let the upgrade install, then relocate the Users back to E: where it has been on all my systems since Vista.

Numbers in screenshot explained:
  1. The C: drive, hidden items also showing, you can clearly see that Users folder is not there
  2. Drive E: is is where the Users has been relocated. Disabling build upgrades is not the reason for relocating, it's just an added bonus
  3. Windows tried to upgrade to build 10049 once, now it just hangs in there doing no harm. All Windows updates work normally
  4. Windows version, still build 10049, I have no hurry to enable build upgrade

2015-04-06_15h23_08.png

Kari
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro with Media Center
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    HP ENVY 17-1150eg
    CPU
    1.6 GHz Intel Core i7-720QM Processor
    Memory
    6 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5850 Graphics
    Sound Card
    Beats sound system with integrated subwoofer
    Monitor(s) Displays
    17" laptop display, 22" LED and 32" Full HD TV through HDMI
    Screen Resolution
    1600*900 (1), 1920*1080 (2&3)
    Hard Drives
    Internal: 2 x 500 GB SATA Hard Disk Drive 7200 rpm
    External: 2TB for backups, 3TB USB3 network drive for media
    Cooling
    As Envy runs a bit warm, I have it on a Cooler Master pad
    Keyboard
    Logitech diNovo Media Desktop Laser (bluetooth)
    Mouse
    Logitech MX1000 Laser (Bluetooth)
    Internet Speed
    50 MB VDSL
    Browser
    Maxthon 3.5.2., IE11
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender 4.3.9431.0
    Other Info
    Windows in English, additional user accounts in Finnish, German and Swedish.
There are ISO's for the older builds on MSDN. You'd just have to stop it from auto upgrading to a newer one. Switch to the slow ring and you'll delay it some.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Education 64 Bit
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus
    CPU
    AMD Phenom II X4 980 Black Edition Deneb 3.7GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS M4N68T-M V2 µATX Motherboard
    Memory
    8GB 4GBx2 Kingston PC10600 DDR3 1333 Memory
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA Geforce GT640 2 Gig DDR3 PCIe
    Sound Card
    VIA VT1708s High Definition Audio 8-channel Onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    22" LG E2242 1080p and 2 19" I-INC AG191D
    Screen Resolution
    1280x1024 - 1920x1080 - 1280x1024
    Hard Drives
    Crucial MX100 256 GB SSD and 500 GB WD Blue SATA
    PSU
    Thermaltake TR 620
    Case
    Power Up Black ATX Mid-Tower Case
    Cooling
    Stock heatsink fan
    Keyboard
    Logitech Wireless K350 Wave
    Mouse
    Logitech M570 Trackball and T650 TouchPad
    Internet Speed
    80 Mbps Down 30 Mbps Up
    Browser
    Internet Explorer 11
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    HP DVD1040e Lightscribe - External USB2
Slow ring only delays the upgrade to some extent. As far as I know, moving either the whole Users folder or parts of it to another drive is the only way to deny / disable build upgrades permanently.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro with Media Center
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    HP ENVY 17-1150eg
    CPU
    1.6 GHz Intel Core i7-720QM Processor
    Memory
    6 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5850 Graphics
    Sound Card
    Beats sound system with integrated subwoofer
    Monitor(s) Displays
    17" laptop display, 22" LED and 32" Full HD TV through HDMI
    Screen Resolution
    1600*900 (1), 1920*1080 (2&3)
    Hard Drives
    Internal: 2 x 500 GB SATA Hard Disk Drive 7200 rpm
    External: 2TB for backups, 3TB USB3 network drive for media
    Cooling
    As Envy runs a bit warm, I have it on a Cooler Master pad
    Keyboard
    Logitech diNovo Media Desktop Laser (bluetooth)
    Mouse
    Logitech MX1000 Laser (Bluetooth)
    Internet Speed
    50 MB VDSL
    Browser
    Maxthon 3.5.2., IE11
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender 4.3.9431.0
    Other Info
    Windows in English, additional user accounts in Finnish, German and Swedish.
Yes I agree.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Education 64 Bit
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus
    CPU
    AMD Phenom II X4 980 Black Edition Deneb 3.7GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS M4N68T-M V2 µATX Motherboard
    Memory
    8GB 4GBx2 Kingston PC10600 DDR3 1333 Memory
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA Geforce GT640 2 Gig DDR3 PCIe
    Sound Card
    VIA VT1708s High Definition Audio 8-channel Onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    22" LG E2242 1080p and 2 19" I-INC AG191D
    Screen Resolution
    1280x1024 - 1920x1080 - 1280x1024
    Hard Drives
    Crucial MX100 256 GB SSD and 500 GB WD Blue SATA
    PSU
    Thermaltake TR 620
    Case
    Power Up Black ATX Mid-Tower Case
    Cooling
    Stock heatsink fan
    Keyboard
    Logitech Wireless K350 Wave
    Mouse
    Logitech M570 Trackball and T650 TouchPad
    Internet Speed
    80 Mbps Down 30 Mbps Up
    Browser
    Internet Explorer 11
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    HP DVD1040e Lightscribe - External USB2
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