Well, with a official date now, its time to start thinking about activating (or "activating") Windows 10. Of course, until its released, we really dont know anything but...theories? Thoughts?
Go down your local skip/PC Repair find a broken Windows 7/8 PC. Now take the KEY install windows 7/8 on your machine with that key and activate it via phone.. Now just upgrade to Windows 10.
mtk already activates the insider preview with windows 8.1 gvlk keys, if we're lucky this also works after rtm, but as daz said probably not without an update from codyqx4 later on.
please recall the KMS protocol change from W8 >8.1. It took quite some time until the new data was found and I believe that it'll happen again, my 2 cents
With major OS releases they normally change the KMS protocol when it goes RTM. So people should expect the worst but be pleasantly surpised if they've not changed it. I think the biggest change happened between Windows 7 to 8. It taken months for a working KMS activator to surface.
As I said in that other thread, they aren't giving you a free copy of 10, they are offering you a free upgrade from 7 or 8 for a specific machine and only for the life of that machine. To me that means no key and no way as there has been in the past to change that key to another machine by making a phone call. Also, in my eyes and probably theirs too, changing the hardware means the old machine is dead.
I think will be free Windows 10 no need to worry about activation for it. But will be some other issues hope not.
That's how I expect it to work, too. For example, Windows 8/8.1 OEM devices already don't require entering a key, as far as I remember, because a unique one is embedded in BIOS during the manufacturing process, so maybe Windows 10 could just re-use that. Still, there's the enterprise side of things and there won't be free upgrade for those machines, so I guess it will be business as usual and we'll get a KMS solution by the experts for people who don't quality for the free upgrade. BTW: Interestingly, I got the GWX notification on a GVLK/KMS activated machine (it's 8.1 Pro, not Enterprise) as well.
I got mine today on a Win 7 Ultimate, activated with Daz Loader. Sure surprised me. Anybody else activated with Daz Loader get the notification? Just between you, me and the fencepost this is a bit odd. This would be the perfect opportunity for MS to say to Daz Loader activated PC's...."Come on Down" and then when you upgrade, it hoses up your system, downloads all your contacts, and turns you and all of your friends into the FBI. Maybe that's a stretch, but I smell a rat in here somewhere. I guess only time will tell.
Are you serious, FBI, lol. You are watching too many movies. Just because someone that is a contact with a person that uses Daz's loader does not mean anything. What are you smoking, I want some.
Keep in mind what I've said in the loaders thread though. So you can reserve the update, but you shouldn't install it until you know what'll happen to your activation status.
Fairly sure we are going to be able to just upgrade to 10 and then make a custom install DVD that will take a new key what we can find within the windows 10 installation after its complete. There will always be a fail safe for if things go bad like a HDD gets trashed, low budget machines with small HDD and not enough space to store a backup etc etc. Plus they could never 100% guarantee the Windows 10 upgrade will work. One one machine it might fail mid upgrade and the person has no backup media to restore to 7/8/8.1 in this case they would need a fresh install. I am confident there will be away of doing this. Worst case we fresh install Windows 8.1 upgrade to Windows 10 clean the install up and the backup to DVD with the new restore features. Just remember the free WMC keys and making a Windows 8.1 Pro with WMC ISO that would install and accept just the upgrade key. I think the process will be almost identical as a work around to install fresh using an upgrade key. Could also go the route installing with no key and then injecting new stuff. Microsoft Toolkit might even still work, or could do it manually using files again from an upgraded activated Windows 10 install.
If we create a clean install before we download, how will MS know it is not genuine? I have one genuine and one, hum, perhaps not so genuine. If I reformat the not so genuine before I start to install (I'll be getting the free update for life when I get the other one, if that makes sense) and will have two machines that should qualify, right? Can anyone answer? Because what if I change drives or memory (which I intend to do next September, btw).