Windows 10 Free Upgrade for those with clean 8.1 Pro installations

Discussion in 'Windows 10' started by cig3f, Jun 26, 2015.

  1. Computer Fixer

    Computer Fixer MDL Member

    Jan 5, 2010
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    Many are assuming a BIOS modded Win7 slic will activate Win10... but until it happens- there's no way to know.
    MS doesn't really seem to care very much about BIOS modded activations because they're so few compared to other activation methods- let's hope they continue with that past lack of interest :biggrin:
     
  2. cig3f

    cig3f MDL Novice

    Mar 28, 2010
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    #22 cig3f, Jun 26, 2015
    Last edited: Jun 26, 2015
    (OP)
    S1ave77, after I checked my file repository, I found you were correct. I tend to fire and forget when implementing these processes, but I always save a README file in this directory for my future recall. The Win 8.1 Pro Updated definitely has "VL" in the filename. Indeed in my text file under the Win 8.1 Pro Updated heading, it has a GVLK and MAK listed there. I must have forgotten that MAK was required prior to phone activation, but my memory only recalled doing GVLK install, supply phone installation ID, and receive activation ID. MAK application obviously occurs somewhere in there, I just forgot.
     
  3. cig3f

    cig3f MDL Novice

    Mar 28, 2010
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    Hello again,

    So I take it CAK, CANDYMAN, CRISTIANLP, and CENGIZHAN, who all seem to be in the same situation as myself; none of you pulled the trigger on the GWX system tray install just to see if our current setup of Windows 8.1 Pro as described in our thread would result in a clean copy of Windows 10 Pro being installed correctly? Obviously in my discussions with Slave I concluded I would probably ruin my happily running system, and that's a risk I didn't want to take. But surely someone tried, or maybe backed up their data, and has something to report by this point. I combed through the forum contents here and it seems no one initiated the "free upgrade". If anyone has already tried and has results let me know. Otherwise I'm following Slave's advice, bide my time, wait until RTM hits the surface, download and install VM for tests, then do the upgrade via mounted ISO similarly to what I did with 8.1 PRO; and after creating a image for backup (thanks for the advice Slave). In the meantime if any of you want to volunteer to see what happens with the "free upgrade" to 10 please do so and report your results from which we all can learn...

    CIG
     
  4. MS_User

    MS_User MDL Guru

    Nov 30, 2014
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    maybe in the end MS will screw everyone and unless your copy 100% legit everyone else is force to buy a license;)
     
  5. cig3f

    cig3f MDL Novice

    Mar 28, 2010
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    I have a feeling that is a partial rationale for this upgrade, among other things... Oh well we will all wait unless someone foolishly goes ahead and tries
     
  6. MS_User

    MS_User MDL Guru

    Nov 30, 2014
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    wait until RTM dude dont do nothing stupid, let the other desperate people try it.;)
     
  7. MrNasty

    MrNasty MDL Novice

    Sep 13, 2009
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    I activated my Windows 8.1pro with the free WMC keys that MS were giving away using Skype, will that been seen as an Genuine Activation for Windows 10 or would I be better off putting on Windows 7.1 with a Genuine Key that I own.
     
  8. sansini

    sansini MDL Novice

    Oct 4, 2008
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    It's weird how many people still used a form of non-geniune activation for Windows 8/8.1. I got it when it first came out and the upgrade licence cost me £25/$38/35 EURO.
    I've since clean re-installed 8.1 on the licence code provided and had no issues. It got to the point where the cost outweighed the pain of non-genuine activation methods, and this seems to be continuing with 10.
     
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  9. Don

    Don MDL Expert

    Jul 29, 2009
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    I agree and I especially don't see it when every PC bought in the last six years is eligible for a free upgrade and people have to convince me why they must have pro or enterprise for their home PCs.
     
  10. dimitrov.stoyan

    dimitrov.stoyan MDL Novice

    Jul 11, 2015
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    I have a student key for Windows 8.1 which I currently use. However, the license for it expired this June, but the system still says successful activation. Will I be able to use Windows 10 if upgrade with the same key?
     
  11. cig3f

    cig3f MDL Novice

    Mar 28, 2010
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    All,

    I never pulled the trigger on this, as my Win 8.1 Pro, Office Pro, Visio, Project, and Visual Studio (all licensed with VL/MAK and UK call in) all are working with updates through the current day.

    One question I had was the following: if I clone my disk with disk imaging software, and then during the free update to Win 10 Pro fails during install without backup rollback due to blacklisted keys, will the image enable me to go back to my functioning 8.1?

    Thanks,
    CIG
     
  12. EFA11

    EFA11 Avatar Guru

    Oct 7, 2010
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    #32 EFA11, Jul 29, 2016
    Last edited: Jul 29, 2016
    yes, do a full complete image of the HDD, not just system files (for safety IMO). If something goes south, restore the HDD to the moment you made the image.

    Dont be lazy and do an incremental or leave things out, take the entire drive to the image factory. Thank me later :D

    Today is the last day or has it ended? LOL
     
  13. Bat.1

    Bat.1 MDL Expert

    Oct 18, 2014
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  14. cig3f

    cig3f MDL Novice

    Mar 28, 2010
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    #34 cig3f, Aug 9, 2016
    Last edited: Aug 9, 2016
    (OP)
    After spending 2 hours with Macrium to backup about 300GB of data (thank goodness I had moved most of it to a 1 TB external HD before starting), I downloaded the free upgrade of windows 10 pro. I was actually tired, and noticed someone's tip on how to convert the Windows.$BT directory downloaded files to a functioning ISO for disc or mounting. Thank goodness I did that, because, while I knocked off, Ace Utilities thought the files in the $BT directory were garbage, and deleted all of them. Recuva couldn't even get one of them back because I assume the space had been overwritten. Nevertheless, I just mounted the ISO I created, ran the SETUP file, and installed Win10. It didn't take long, and if you liked or at least could live with Win 8, you'll like Win10. It gets rid of all the worthless tiles, and bizarre drop down to find your apps. The start menu is more like it was in 7. I turned off Cortana, so I don't know anything about that. Edge seems faster than or at least as fast as Chrome. I used to have to use Chrome most of the time because IE11 was so slow and such a terrible hog, usually taking about 5 GB of RAM. It seems CC cleaner not only doesn't work with Edge, but has been deleted and is gone entirely during the install process. Ace Utilities seems to be fine, though. All other programs, Office Suite, Adobe Suite, etc., seem to be working fine. Oh yeah, and you need not worry about the keys being blacklisted or whatever, stangely enough, you just skip the beginning part where it asks you to input the keys, and then it never asks again (assuming digital entitlement). So far so good...
     
  15. RobertJ

    RobertJ MDL Senior Member

    Apr 4, 2014
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    :confused: Win10's Start Menu and Screen still have tiles?

    I never even bother installing CCleaner since the portable version works great, but anyway you can just download the latest version. It works fine with Edge.