Install Windows 10 Free

Windows 10 upgrade will allow clean installs on the same device for free

 

People who upgrade to Windows 10 for free during the first year of its release will be able to erase and restore their devices later and keep the free operating system. 

Gabe Aul, an engineering general manager for Microsoft’s operating systems group, said in a tweet that people who upgrade a device to Windows 10 during the first year of its existence will be able to perform a clean reinstall of Windows 10 on the same device “any time.” It’s good news for upgraders who are concerned about what will happen to their devices a year after its July 29 launch. 

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Also, people won’t need to hold onto their Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 product key in order to perform the restoration. Their devices will reactivate themselves after being upgraded to Windows 10, Aul said.
 
That functionality will be underpinned by a Windows 10 feature that will allow people to reinstall the operating system and hold onto their files—or delete the files entirely and start fresh. Aul went on to say that the same deal will apply to people who restore from a .ISO disk image file rather than using the built-in reset service. All of that is good news for users, since performing a clean installation can sometimes help alleviate problems with a troubled computer. 

However, people who plan to do significant hardware upgrades to their computers may still want to do so before the Windows 10 release. There’s still a question of how generous Microsoft’s upgrade policy will be, and whether the same activation will apply to a device that received a major upgrade like a new motherboard. 

It’s not yet known how much Microsoft will charge for an upgrade license to Windows 10 after the promotional period expires. Getting a new license to the software will be costly, though: Windows 10 Home retails for $119, while the Pro version of the operating system will cost $199 new. 

Microsoft’s permissive upgrade policy makes sense not only from a customer service standpoint but also because the company wants to get as many people as possible on Windows 10. Windows chief Terry Myerson told an audience at the company’s Build developer conference in April that Microsoft wants 1 billion devices running Windows 10 by the end of its 2018 fiscal year. 


Source : pcworld

Microsoft Not Rewarding Windows 10 Non-Genuine Upgrades

Last January, Microsoft was making everyone’s day with a free yearlong upgrade forWindows 10, even people who had non-genuine copies of the OS. You knew that was too good to be true people, so they’ve revised their wording to make sure it’s more clear. Basically, if you have a non-genuine version of Windows 7, Windows 8 or Windows 8.1, feel free to upgrade, but that won’t make your copy magically become genuine. You know how they are, and with this huge splash they’re making with Windows 10, they’re going to make sure to lose as little money as possible to pirated copies.

Microsoft has clarified a recent comment about owners of unlicensed versions ofWindows 7 and 8.1 being able to upgrade to Windows 10.

At the WinHec conference in China on Tuesday, Microsoft’s operating system chief Terry Myerson told Reuters that “we are upgrading all qualified PCs, genuine and non-genuine, to Windows 10.” The remark was aimed at China where software piracy has been a huge problem for Microsoft. But the news certainly brought smiles to the faces of anyone who runs a non-genuine copy of Windows 7 or 8.1 and suddenly thought that an upgrade toWindows 10 would bring legitimacy.

Windows pirates may need to wipe those smiles off their faces. A spokeswoman for Microsoft clarified the upgrade process indicating that the version of Windows 10 doesn’t magically become licensed if you upgrade from an unlicensed version:

With Windows 10, although nongenuine PCs may be able to upgrade to Windows 10, the upgrade will not change the genuine state of the license. Nongenuine Windows is not published by Microsoft. It is not properly licensed, or supported by Microsoft or a trusted partner. If a device was considered nongenuine or mislicensed prior to the upgrade, that device will continue to be considered nongenuine or mislicensed after the upgrade.

PC sales may be in a slump and Windows 8 demand has been lackluster, but Windows continues to be one of Microsoft’s core revenue generators, both on the consumer and corporate sides. As such, the company obviously loses a chunk of change anytime a non-licensed version of Windows is installed. Pirated versions of Windows have especially been prevalent in China where around 75 percent of PC software is not properly licensed, Reuters said, citing recent studies.

In 2011, then-CEO Steve Ballmer told employees that Microsoft’s revenue in China represented only 5 percent of sales in the US, implying that much of its software in China is pirated and unlicensed.

So what exactly happens if you run a non-genuine current version of Windows?

As Microsoft describes the situation on its Genuine Windows page, you’ll see frequent messages warning you that your copy of Windows may not be genuine. Your desktop will turn to black. You can reset it, but it will continue to turn black until you activate Windows. You can still get critical security updates, though you may not be able to get optional updates or other software, such as Microsoft Security Essentials. But otherwise, Windows and your applications will still be able to function. Of course, this information applies to the existing versions of Windows 7 and Windows 8 and not necessarily to the still-developing Windows 10.

Microsoft could certain disable non-genuine versions of Windows from running altogether, at least after a certain period of time. But the company then runs the risk of losing users who may not have activated the software or who may decide to pay for it just to eliminate the annoying messages and darkened desktop.

Windows 10 is slated to roll out this summer across 190 countries and 111 languages. The software will be a free upgrade to users running Windows 7 or Windows 8.1.

Reference:- http://bit.ly/1GTVxD1

Microsoft's Novel Windows 10 Antipiracy Plan

Microsoft is taking a refreshing approach to piracy. Instead of expending resources to fight a losing battle, the company has decided to give away its upcoming new operating system, Windows 10. Anyone running Windows 7, Windows 8.1 or Windows Phone 8.1 will be eligible for a Windows 10 upgrade. However, an upgrade to non-genuine software still would be considered non-genuine.

Microsoft this summer will distribute Windows 10 to anyone running Windows 7, Windows 8.1 or Windows Phone 8.1, regardless of whether the existing OS is a genuine or pirated copy.

Terry Myerson, head of Microsoft's operating systems unit, disclosed the marketing strategy last week at the Windows Hardware Engineering Community (WinHEC) summit in Shenzhen, China.

Microsoft previously announced that it would upgrade users to Windows 10 for free for the first year following its release.

Myerson also announced an accelerated delivery time line for Windows 10 -- it previously was expected that the new OS would not be available until at least this fall.

The timing of the announcement in China is significant. China is well known for being a hotbed of software piracy.

Some 74 percent of all commercial software used in China is pirated, according to BSA, The Software Alliance.

Globally, about 43 percent of software is pirated, BSA found.

"If Microsoft's move really succeeds, it could put enough of a dent into software piracy to improve the company's bottom line," said Charles King, Principal Analyst at Pund-IT.

"That is a worthy goal. I do not see a lot of risks here, since the intended audience is largely made up of noncustomers," he told the E-Commerce Times.

Plan Unfolds

Upgrading to Windows 10 in China will involve the participation of Lenovo, Tencent and Qihu 360. The collaborations will assist millions of customers in China, and spur adoption of Windows 10 worldwide, noted Myerson.

Lenovo will offer Windows 10 upgrade services at 2,500 service centers and select retail stores in China when the new OS becomes available. Lenovo also will build Windows phones that will be available in mid-year 2015 via China Mobile.

Tencent, China's leading social networking and gaming services company, will offer Windows 10 as a free upgrade to its customers on Windows 7 and Windows 8.1. The free Windows 10 upgrade pack will include QQ, Tencent Video and Tencent PC Manager. Tencent will create a Windows 10 universal app for its flagship QQ app and bring its most popular PC games to Windows 10 and the new Windows store.

Internet security firm Qihu 360 will provide Windows 10 for free to its customers in China through seamless upgrades.

Smartphone distributor Xiaomi will test Windows 10 and contribute to its future release later this year.

Unanswered Questions

Microsoft's new approach to software distribution does not exactly mirror what Apple and open source operating system developers do, noted Pund-IT's King. For years, Apple did charge for OS upgrades while Linux distributions most often are free.

With Linux, "users typically pay for support," he noted.

"The point is that as PCs continue to become appliance-like devices, the OS is an important issue to fewer and fewer people. That trend is likely to accelerate as computing endpoints become increasingly reliant on cloud services," King explained. "Windows is still hugely profitable to Microsoft, but its customers are mainly OEMs, so taking a softer line with end users makes sense."

What's 'Qualified'?

Whether a computer is "qualified" for the free upgrade to Windows 10 depends on how Microsoft applies or interprets its license. It appears that any device running a pirated copy of Windows 7, Windows 8.1 or Windows Phone 8.1 might be able to get Windows 10, but that doesn't mean it would be considered a genuine copy.

"If a device was considered non-genuine or mislicensed prior to the upgrade, that device will continue to be considered non-genuine or mislicensed after the upgrade," Microsoft said in a statement provided to the E-Commerce Times by spokesperson Amanda Cedergren. "According to industry experts, use of pirated software, including Non-Genuine Windows, results in a higher risk of malware, fraud (identity theft, credit card theft, etc), public exposure of your personal information, and a higher risk for poor performance or feature malfunctions."

Hedging Bets

Anything Microsoft can do to convert users of older or pirated versions of Windows into users of new versions of Windows helps the company in a few ways, said Jay Lyman, senior analyst for enterprise software at 451 Research.

"The strategy is a wise departure from charging for an OS upgrade and reflects a very different client software market that is influenced by open source as well as cloud computing, mobile devices and applications," he told the E-Commerce Times.

Microsoft can benefit in three ways, Lyman said. First, it keeps that user a Microsoft user.

"Second, the OS today represents a platform on which to promote and sell other software, such as Office," he continued.

"Third, this is a way for Microsoft to try and replicate the success and proliferation of software that we have seen in open source -- not only with Linux, but more recently with Chromebooks, which are made more affordable and accessible in large part because they ship with open source software," Lyman explained.

Fighting Windows Piracy

Another benefit for Microsoft is stemming the tide of stolen software, suggested King. Software piracy, particularly in developing markets, long has been a thorn in Microsoft's side.

"A contributory issue has been the general lack of interest or will among local authorities to seriously police or prosecute pirates," he pointed out. "Microsoft has attempted similar feints in the past, but it may feel that the combined features of Windows 10 -- including cross-device functionality and an all new browser -- offer a good opportunity to lure OS miscreants into the official fold."

Reference:- http://bit.ly/1GRCngU