Very few non-corporate end users bother to upgrade their bundled version of Windows anyway, and of the few enthusiast Windows users who do, obviously not all are pirates. So only the relatively small number of Windows users who bother to upgrade, and do so without paying, can possibly think that Linux costs the same. No, the reason for Windows' continued dominance is not that the vast majority of users are pirates who think newer versions cost $0. The simple reason is just people's resistance to change and to a far lesser extent the lack of Linux versions of certain apps (oh, and games). About OS/2, one has to wonder why people and organizations were pirating and using Windows, a completely inferior product? Before Windows became entrenched, why were people buying it over OS/2 or pirating it like crazy if it wasn't getting the job done? Clearly the piracy had a reason and IBM has to also shoulder the blame for how it (mis-)handled the development, sales, marketing etc. of OS/2.
As for using the Windows 8 $14.99 key for digital entitlement, I did use mine.I never was happy with Windows 8 and never used the key so when TH2 came out I used it to upgrade a system from Home to Pro.Yes, it was good.If you still want to use it you may have to Install Win 8 Pro, activate it with the $14.99 key and the upgrade through assistive technologies.I also was installing a Windows 8 VM yesterday and used the same key to install it, accidentally I connected to the internet before KMS and the same key activated my VM, I was running VM from WintoUSB type installation. I don't find WintoUSB as compatible with all my systems as I would like so I home brew mine.I made an external hard drive bootable with both UEFI and MBR type disks, installed both Win8 and 10 on it. Boot to Win 8, get genuine ticket, boot to 10, insert ticket and get DE. 10 minute process.
SSSHHHHHH don't tell any one this ok this is top-secret if this gets out I will have to shoot someone so who's up first for shooting ok I can tell you I just installed the new win 10 pro SW_DVD5_Win_Pro_10_1607_64BIT_English_MLF_X21-06988 it did give me some crap saying I couldn't activate it. so I got out my trust worthy woindows 8 $19 for me key. and slaped the sucker right in change key slot. bingo it worked like a charm. my windows key and may b a few other users paid keys have bean stolen from ms. so try your win 8 paid key it should work. "UPDATE" 11/08/16 11.01 Pm New Zealand time zone. pls note to all those that would like help pls bear with me while I'm trying to get back to things. I had a operation on my shoulders and I'm finding it a bit hard to do things at this time. I have only bean home few hrs and I'm finding it a bit hard at this time due to the drugs they have given me
It was unused. When I bought it via MDL thread, it also gave me a Win 8 ISO download. I specifically installed that Win 8 into a Hyper V VM - just to ensure that they activation wouldnt use my existing machines underlying HW & OEM license - already DE with Win 10 - HWID/ OEM etc It first would not accept the key but then I added it using SLMGR (One of those Win 8 wanting to Up from 7) I want this Win 10 DE to be tied to this Win 8 KEY and not underlying HW.. Possible? How? I think I did activate it online or try it.. cant remember.. Then did a GatherStateOS/ Genuine Ticket run and it wouldnt work.. to get DE using that method. Did you notice me mention MCE? I do not even use it. I bought a Win 8 key from the 14.99 deal. God.. Thanks Nil - One person who noticed what I wrote and responded without going off track into MS vs IBM OS2 land.. WTF! Thanks for the few who are/ got back on subject. I had done this but it did not work.. I will try it again .. but please tell me WHICH Windowns to try it with? Please point specific OS release to use in each of the following steps: Source: Win 8 in VM - release? currently using the ISO from that download - Should this be upped to 8.1 for better chance? Use a different Source OS? Than add (In what order?) : + Accessibility Features? + gatherosstate.exe = Genuine Ticket Destination: Win 10 in VM - Which release? Or try to upgrade actual VM with ISO/DVD in Hyper V - Which release? I've done some 20 or so machines in few nights using gatherosstate .. some failed and most got done.. so please tell me the steps without missing a step/ specifics.. Thanks. PS: Can a mod please remove all the off topic posts.. Please. PPS: I come from a Win 32/ C++ programming background, where one tiny change in one DLL would cause issues all over the place. So, since I have followed all steps, I seek/ look for SPECIFICS that might cause changes in the outcome. e.g. On Spiceworks on Admin used direct Win 10 install repeatedly via SSD without any activity on the Original OSes and his OEM machines all got DE. While when I did the same my OEM machines did not. Later we found he had used the MCT ISO and I was using the MSDN ISO. And for some wierd reason that wouldnt INITIATE the Win 10 DE. Then, I just got the oldest MCT ISO I had from 2015, and followed the GatherState steps. Which got stuck for few machines. So I added the Win 7 - IE Genuine Activation via Active X thing. I save the .EXE to a USB pen drive and used it on all Win 7s after completely Lowering IE Zone settings.
Well, wasnt there a page where MS outlined that for: (Can you link me to that page? ) 1. OEM/ HW actived Pre Win 10 licenses > Win 10 DE = Tied to HW 2. Retail/ Product key Pre Win 10 licenses > Transferrable Win 10 DE Or does that key also do a HWID based DE and for Transfer there is this new mechanism? What if I've already used a Type 1 machine to get an OEM based DE. Now how do I use a Type 2 Retail key to get another DE on same machine? Or do I have to use another machine/ VM? Thoughts/ Ideas? Also, how does a person responsible for Managing several machines & their Win 10 DEs (Home/ Family or SOHO/ SMB) link these DEs to his MS account? Does MS allow 1 to 1 or 1 to Many to manage DEs? How would one do this? Dont MS Email IDs expire if not used for X no of days?
Transfer rights for retail version of Win10 or upgrade to Win10 from retail version of Win7/8 is mentioned clearly in the EULA. Only problem is with actual implementation, which is why I think that they have introduced linking DEs to MS Accounts. But still in some cases we may need to call MS for activation. Use the change product key function and enter the retail key. Should give the system retail DE that can be transferred. Again, problems during transfer and activation on different hardware cannot be ruled out, because this is MS after all and they love to make such things as complex as possible with no proper directions for end users. So far I've only linked one DE to one MS Account. Didn't want to risk confusing them even more with many DEs to one account. Feel free to try it out and let us know though. I used an outlook.com mail account after more than a year and had no problem accessing it. Perhaps if a lot of time has passed they might ask you for a verification code via SMS or other email ID - whatever you have set. Not sure if there's an expiry limit beyond a year.
I'm just asking how exactly you got the DE on the VM? That's all. Since you mentioned - please do share. I created 2 VMs (H/W Similar but maybe Hyper V creates Diff HWID??) - One Win 8 with Product key, One Win 10 from MCT Aug 2015 Did you use the 2 stage: GatherStateOS.exe GenuineTicket method between 2 VMs? Or Update the same Win 8 VM to Win 10 (ISO attached to Hyper V VM)?? Or Fresh Install Win 10 (newer MCT or Non MCT release e.g. MSDN ISO) on same VM? I need to replicate what you did in some fashion.. so please clarify.
Which is why to do it in a VM would be better/ safer and clearly isolated from the Hardware/ HWID / OEM machine that has an existing DE. This would cause DE confusion./ collision / or replacement etc. Plus, we can run VMs and MS doesnt want VMs to run unlicensed so we should be able to use license in VMs and get DE for them?
A DE obtained for a VM is normally tied to that VM's hardware (unless you do something like what Bat mentioned). Multiple DEs for the same hardware isn't an issue. I have both Home and Pro DEs for one of my systems (with a local account only so far), so whichever of the two I install automatically gets activated.
I used two different methods, I either installed 10.0.10586 and used a Windows 7 Pro key or else upgraded form Windows 7. Both worked and show on my Microsoft account as activated VM. Mind you most VM do inherit activation from the host anyways. I did it more for a method of upgrading my retail key to Windows 10. Hoping I can transfer it at a later time to a real PC. Not positive it will work but really, it should I think. A retail key has the same rights as any retail key. Once upgraded I should be able to transfer the license.
Exactly my reasons/ motivation to make my Retail Win 8 key get its Win 10 DE once.. for future move/ usage. PS: Bat.1 and everyone, based on my reading in the last week are so the whole VM - DE transference is not as simple as everyone thinks. I've got lots of different answers and experiences; Someone pointed out it was different for VMWare v/s Hyper V. I will post back more with my findings, once I try out what Makin & some others have pointed out.