If you have the preview because you joined the Insiders Program (thus, you have a Microsoft Account attached) and your last regular version of Windows was a genuinely activated 7 with sp1 or 8.1, then you will be able to upgrade --no problem. If this does not fit your description, please tell me what I have described that is not like what you have.
My understanding is even if your system wasn't legal it would still upgrade you and activate you as long as you stay with insiders and get all those crap builds that will continue to come after RTM. However if you opt out of insiders your build will deactivate and you will have to buy a key or go back to your original OS.
Upgrades are NOT attached to MS Accounts - in the Preview you only require an MS Account to upgrade to a new Preview Build via Windows Update (you can still stay on a Local Account and just wait for the ISO to be posted by MS and download from their site without an MS Account) No keys are attached, and you don't require an MS Account to use the TP - you can go google "Windows 10 ISO" (not enough posts to link the MS official TP ISO from their site) and download the latest posted TP ISO - no MS account required to download nor install.
Thanks for the replies guys, i know now that nobody really knows what is going to happen on the release day. It doesn't really matter because the legit 7/8 install can be recovered after the release to use the upgrade offer. I just installed the insider preview build to get the RTM right ON the release day. We'll see what happens in few weeks... Maybe people who opt out of the insider program on the RTM build will be asked for their retail 7/8 key if they don't have preinstalled OEM activation?
The wording in that blurb by MS was chosen very carefully. I guess we will find out on the 29th but I still think the fact that internet is required means they have the info stored somewhere other than on your pc..we will see.
sure, i read in another site that the key used to upgrade got blackslisted for their original version and only activated W10
those would be called OEM:SLP keys, they are the common key used for specific brands. However if you remember the sticker on the side of those types of machines, it had a key called a COA, and that key was unique to that system. The COA would be most likely the key used for upgrade. We are getting closer, hang tight and we will all know the specifics soon.
Maybe, but if W10 asks to me decipher my melted COA Sticker (why vendors put those 7 COA stickers near heat exhaust I'll never know) I'll go back to 7 >_>. Hopefully they'll be satisfied with the OEM activation. The SLP keys are only Genuine on valid motherboards with specific bits. Now, I haven't browsed this site that much so I don't know if SLP bits can be hacked into any motherboard, but if not, then MS should be happy with OEM SLP keys. Sideloaders that fooled 7 into thinking machines were OEM won't work once the machine's upgraded to 10 and the sideloader's removed.
Windows Loader uses OEM:SLP keys and Certs to fool ms into thinking they are legit on any system with the proper requirements. Instead of putting it to the mother board, it goes into the boot code and loads into memory before windows loads. Windows sees a valid motherboard with proper OEM:SLP and loader will also insert the certs needed into windows during its install to match the given OEM:SLP key used. Millions served and happy with Loader
Indeed, it was a brilliant loader that is probably why MS is trying to move away from 7. They revamped their OEM system in 8 to combat it . However, I was asking if people mod their BIOS firmware to have SLP/SLIC info in them. If so, then MS will probably HAVE to pop up a box on all 7 systems saying "Pls find your COA key that you probably lost/it faded years ago and punch it in so we can verify you're Genuine". If MS ask for a COA sticker from 7 users (the ones they want to Upgrade the most), then they'll find a lot of cancelled reservations.
If they do that, it might not go down well with all their customers. A lot of users have windows 7 laptops that have unreadable COA stickers. I'm hoping given the very ethos by which they are choosing to make the OS free to upgrade will negate the need for this. Our workplace has lots of laptops just like this, if they want an early adoption of windows 10, this may hurt that process. I know we can and will probably move to volume licensing for Windows 10, however some retail consumers will be in a similar situation. It's just my view, I guess will have to wait and see what approach they choose to take. I already feel if you can live with the privacy issues involved with being in the insider program it is a win/win approach for both the consumer and microsoft in giving the OS away for free. In a way you are paying them back for the free OS by being a debugger/tester.
Yeah, MS probably gets valuable data they can sell to advertisers. Everything I'm typing right now is being logged D:. However, we have no idea how long the Insider Program will last. All current TP builds expire in October. So that's likely when MS decide whether to continue or axe it.
When you opt out of insider program and do a clean install with a new RTM iso, I could imagine that you are no more involved with seeding your data. Only your insider acc can bring in some news for NSA. Consequence is that you probably will pay for your W10 license ...