Support NeoGAF

[Wag]

http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2015/06/heres-how-to-get-windows-10-for-free-even-if-you-dont-have-windows-7-or-8/

Everybody gets Win 10 for free, even though they don't have Win 7/8? Seems that way, just as long as you're currently running Win 10 Tech Preview. Why did I buy Win 8 again?

 

[The Elite]

http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2015/06/heres-how-to-get-windows-10-for-free-even-if-you-dont-have-windows-7-or-8/

Everybody gets Win 10 for free, even though they don't have Win 7/8? Seems that way, just as long as you're currently running Win 10 Tech Preview.

I guess that makes it easy for me then. I have 8.1 on my HDD ready for upgrade but I wasn't sure how I would move that over to my new SSD currently running the tech preview. I guess I will just be able to upgrade the tech preview when it's time.

Good.

 

[Lulu23]

I guess that makes it easy for me then. I have 8.1 on my HDD ready for upgrade but I wasn't sure how I would move that over to my new SSD currently running the tech preview. I guess I will just be able to upgrade the tech preview when it's time.

Good.

That won't result in you having a genuine key though, will it?

 

[Mr_Zombie]

Don't you still need to activate the system with a serial key? I understand that post that you can simply upgrade your preview version to the final one (IIRC you couldn't do that with Win8) and if its activated, you can continue using it. Although it would be a nice gesture from Microsoft if you received a full genuine OS by being the beta tester, I doubt that would happen.

 

[FyreWulff]

Don't you still need to activate the system with a serial key? I understand that post that you can simply upgrade your preview version to the final one (IIRC you couldn't do that with Win8) and if its activated, you can continue using it. Although it would be a nice gesture from Microsoft if you received a full genuine OS by being the beta tester, I doubt that would happen.

As far as I can tell it's a full Windows 10.

Maybe the catch is the activated version won't qualify for future Windows upgrades after 10.

 

[Wag]

I suppose the advantage I get to purchasing Win 8 Pro are the "Pro" features (whatever those are) of Win 10. I still have my old Win 7 disc sitting around if I even want a second install.

 

[AssassiN]

Huh. Took a shot and updated to 10130. Confirmed that configuring the sound card to Stereo through sound settings in the Control Panel works. I have sound again.

The only thing that doesn't work for me at the moment is the headphone toggle in the sound blaster control panel but I can go without for a few weeks.

 

[D4Danger]

http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2015/06/heres-how-to-get-windows-10-for-free-even-if-you-dont-have-windows-7-or-8/

Everybody gets Win 10 for free, even though they don't have Win 7/8? Seems that way, just as long as you're currently running Win 10 Tech Preview. Why did I buy Win 8 again?

if the Windows 10 preview will be updated to Windows 10 final is there any reason not to install it now? I hate Windows 8 on my laptop.

 

[Mr_Zombie]

if the Windows 10 preview will be updated to Windows 10 final is there any reason not to install it now? I hate Windows 8 on my laptop.

Well, there are still some issues with it. For example once in a while when I boot up my system or wake it up I end up with black screen and the only solution is to restart the PC. I have no idea whether this is a system or drivers issue.

 

[The Flash]

http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2015/06/heres-how-to-get-windows-10-for-free-even-if-you-dont-have-windows-7-or-8/

Everybody gets Win 10 for free, even though they don't have Win 7/8? Seems that way, just as long as you're currently running Win 10 Tech Preview. Why did I buy Win 8 again?

I guess I might as well upgrade the rest of my hdd to Windows 10. I haven't booted into the Windows 8 partition in months and I'm seriously running out of space.

 

[Wag]

Apparently in order to qualify for the free upgrade you need to install the Technical Preview sometime before the release. Read the article.

 

[captive]

This is going to sound funny to all the 8.1 haters... but, is it possible to have the windows 8.1 start screen in windows 10? I love having the apps for News, weather, & sports when I hit start. I also have the photos app there so it rotates through my photos. Also like the customization available with being able to put a different background photo in the start screen.

 

[M3d10n]

This is going to sound funny to all the 8.1 haters... but, is it possible to have the windows 8.1 start screen in windows 10? I love having the apps for News, weather, & sports when I hit start. I also have the photos app there so it rotates through my photos. Also like the customization available with being able to put a different background photo in the start screen.

Yes, it's a setting in the latest build.

 

[RdN]

I'm confused by this news.

I'm currently running Windows 10 Insider Preview. It wasn't a clean install, I upgraded from my Windows 8.1 Pro.

So, when July 29th comes, what will happen? I'll receive an update to the full Windows 10 Pro final version? But what if I want to do a clean install of W10? Which key will I use?

And what happens with my Windows 8.1 Pro license?

 

[Upsidedown Fuji]

I am relieved to know I don't need to reinstall 8 or 7 if I am already on the Insider Preview but I am now interested in what version Insiders will be getting. I hope is Pro, I would be bummed if I got bumped down to Home, although I guess I could always reinstall my Professional version of 8 if that's the case. It just adds another step is all.

 

[M3d10n]

I'm confused by this news.

I'm currently running Windows 10 Insider Preview. It wasn't a clean install, I upgraded from my Windows 8.1 Pro.

So, when July 29th comes, what will happen? I'll receive an update to the full Windows 10 Pro final version? But what if I want to do a clean install of W10? Which key will I use?

And what happens with my Windows 8.1 Pro license?

They just sent out an email about this. After you upgrade from Preview to the RTM, you'll be able to use an ISO to do a clean install. You *need* to have your Preview linked to a Microsoft Account for it to work, however.

Users of 7 and 8 won't need a MSA, but 10 preview users do. Since they are "promoting" preview users to the full version, it seems the license gets assigned to your MSA somehow.

 

[captive]

Yes, it's a setting in the latest build.

Fantastic. Thanks.

 

[VoxPop]

my gpu seems to be super buggy with win10. keeps minimizing during my dota 2 games and runs pretty hot for no reason which it didnt used to before. need to reinstall 8.1 again or maybe even 7

 

[TheLegendOfMart]

I read that this is supposed to RTM in late June ready for July release.

This OS is so not ready. I haven't tried the latest leaked build, I'm still running 10130 but it has annoying bugs that have been in previous builds. The Theme has steadily got worse and worse as well. I don't want pure white window chromes.

Unless they have a significantly more advanced build they aren't releasing to public this is going to be Vista level bad for me.

 

[Mr_Zombie]

There are more advanced builds. You don't think the whole Windows team is sitting in MS offices playing Xbox games for the last month, do you? There's 10146 build floating around the net right now and according to this site the current build (from June 18th) is 10152 (although I have no idea how trustworthy the site is).

Unfortunately, the white window chrome is here to stay. Only the active window has a color border around it.

 

[TheLegendOfMart]

I hate the new UI it looks very amateurish. There was nothing wrong with letting people choose what colour they wanted instead of forcing some horrible white theme with 2 pixel borders that mess up in quite a few apps.

 

[Mr_Zombie]

"Amateurish" isn't the word I would use. The UI is clean, consistent and with each build it's more and more polished. I haven't noticed it messing up any apps.

However, I do prefer the more colorful UI of Windows 8.1. I also miss being able to set up a background in start screen.

I just hope that they will change the navigation pane in File Explorer. Ever since Win8 (or maybe it was 8.1) it's a mess with everything: OneDrive, User Docs, Libraries, Network, HDD and DVD drives thrown under one group: Desktop; you have one big folder tree. I much more preferred the Win7 approach where all those were separate groups.

 

[kruis]

There are more advanced builds. You don't think the whole Windows team is sitting in MS offices playing Xbox games for the last month, do you? There's 10146 build floating around the net right now and according to this site the current build (from June 18th) is 10152 (although I have no idea how trustworthy the site is).

It is a fact though that Windows 10 betas are currently buggier than for instance Windows 7 betas ever were. I used the Windows 7 beta for almost a year and that was a solid OS.

We're so close to RTM that current versions should be rock stable for general use. Windows 10 should have been feature complete months ago, all that needed to be done was squashing the tens of thousands of small and little bugs. From all I read about Windows 10 this is an alpha version that needs many, many more months in the oven before it's good enough to use on an enterprise level. I suspect the RTM is the real beta and SP1 will be RTM.

Windows 10 simply isn't ready yet on July 29. No way.

 

[EloquentM]

Would it affect performance much it I used an external drive to install the preview build on?

 

[Damon Bennet]

"Amateurish" isn't the word I would use. The UI is clean, consistent and with each build it's more and more polished. I haven't noticed it messing up any apps.

However, I do prefer the more colorful UI of Windows 8.1. I also miss being able to set up a background in start screen.

I just hope that they will change the navigation pane in File Explorer. Ever since Win8 (or maybe it was 8.1) it's a mess with everything: OneDrive, User Docs, Libraries, Network, HDD and DVD drives thrown under one group: Desktop; you have one big folder tree. I much more preferred the Win7 approach where all those were separate groups.

Please give that feedbck to Microsoft, they've listened on the past. And that's why they do the whole windows insider thing to begin with

 

[TheLegendOfMart]

"Amateurish" isn't the word I would use. The UI is clean, consistent and with each build it's more and more polished. I haven't noticed it messing up any apps.

It makes the UI look unfinished. That's not even touching on the problems I am having with margins and padding in apps, Firefox wont stay snug with the edge of the screen, every time I close it and re-open it there is a gap along the left edge and bottom edge that irritates the hell out of me.

I've been using Windows since 3.11 and even ME and Vista didn't put me off but the direction they are going with Windows 8 started making me consider other options. Now Windows 10 is nearly out and imho looks worse than Windows 8 has me seriously thinking about switching to OS X. I've been using Yosemite for the past month or so on and off and the UI is night and day better than Windows.

 

[FyreWulff]

Would it affect performance much it I used an external drive to install the preview build on?

Unless it's USB3, definitely. USB2 you'd feel it when launching heavier programs and switching to idle programs

 

[EloquentM]

Unless it's USB3, definitely. USB2 you'd feel it when launching heavier programs and switching to idle programs

Okay, thank you =}

 

[Lima]

Shouldn't the RTM be out any day now? This seems to be the shortest time frame going from RTM to public release. Makes me worried that it just isn't quite ready for that July 29th launch.

 

[C.Dark.DN]

Do we know if we can do a clean install after upgrading?

 

[moka]

Apparently in order to qualify for the free upgrade you need to install the Technical Preview sometime before the release. Read the article.

Nope, I have a small Windows icon on my task bar which allowed me to register myself for the free upgrade. I'm currently on a fully updated version of Windows 8.1.

 

[José Mourinho]

I haven't been using the 10 insider builds for a while now, but I installed the 10130 build on a HP Stream 7 yesterday and it is completely unusable for me. I appreciate that the Stream 7 is one of the lowest speced Windows machines out there, but I expected it to at least be serviceable. I'm not willing to put the preview on my XPS 13 or Surface 3 -- although I believe there is a bug which stops it working on the latter anyway. Apps won't open, start menu won't open etc. Not a great impression this close to launch.

 

[TheLegendOfMart]

Nope, I have a small Windows icon on my task bar which allowed me to register myself for the free upgrade. I'm currently on a fully updated version of Windows 8.1.

He means the free upgrade from Technical Preview to final. Not from another OS.

I haven't been using the 10 insider builds for a while now, but I installed the 10130 build on a HP Stream 7 yesterday and it is completely unusable for me. I appreciate that the Stream 7 is one of the lowest speced Windows machines out there, but I expected it to at least be serviceable. I'm not willing to put the preview on my XPS 13 or Surface 3 -- although I believe there is a bug which stops it working on the latter anyway. Apps won't open, start menu won't open etc. Not a great impression this close to launch.

It's been that way for past few builds, if you untick some of the options in Start menu customisation then the start menu will never open for you until you go and retick those options.

I've been using Windows 10 as my main OS since the first Technical Preview and lately it has been steadily getting worse and worse. They are going to launch this unfinished and patch it up over the coming months.

 

[RiverBed]

Do we know if we can do a clean install after upgrading?

Yes. Everyone on the preview program will get a copy of Win 10. Those people can decide to continue staying on that program after Win 10 launches and continue with their feedback and what not, or they can do a clean install of Win 10.
And I think even people without a current Win license will still get 10 if they are in the preview program before Win 10 officially launches on July 29th. But I did read today that a fresh install will be available to everyone if they anybody wants to do that.

What I wonder is can I use my laptop Win license on a PC or not. You see, I have a Win 8 laptop that broke downa nd it is way too expensive to fix. So I'll be using my old PC soon. If I can use my laptop's Win key on my PC it would be fantastic. I think it can happen since my laptop will never work again anyway, but I'll find out after July 29th.

 

[moka]

He means the free upgrade from Technical Preview to final. Not from another OS.

Ahhh my bad.

 

[Bullza2o]

Anyone know if I can install the technical preview on my Macbook Pro via Bootcamp directly (without installing Win7/8) first and do this upgrade to a genuine Windows 10? I have a Windows 7 upgrade key/disc but since my MBP doesn't have a CD drive I'll have to find some iso online and install Windows 7 first via USB. Seems like a hassle, especially some drivers might get messed up unless I could just install Windows 10 right away.

 

[Opus Angelorum]

Anyone know if I can install the technical preview on my Macbook Pro via Bootcamp directly (without installing Win7/8) first and do this upgrade to a genuine Windows 10? I have a Windows 7 upgrade key/disc but since my MBP doesn't have a CD drive I'll have to find some iso online and install Windows 7 first via USB. Seems like a hassle, especially some drivers might get messed up unless I could just install Windows 10 right away.

You can create a bootable USB image and install Windows 10 directly, and yes it will upgrade to a genuine version.

The Windows Developer Preview web site has 32-bit/64-bit ISOs.

 

[FloatingDivider]

Does anyone know why the upgrade icon vanished from my taskbar? It spent weeks down there annoying me, reminding me I had succesfully registered for the upgrade, and last night post reboot it was gone all of a sudden. I'd hate to admit it but I kind of miss the little fella now. I've tried running all of the scheduled tasks in relation to the process that launches it, and I've tried running the .exe from the system32 folder. Is this normal/supposed to happen? Windows update tells me I've succesfully registered for the upgrade but when I click view information nothing happens, whereas previously it'd launch the windows upgrade information screen. Is this normal? Has anyone else been struck with the vanishing icon thingy?

 

[Mr_Zombie]

Please give that feedbck to Microsoft, they've listened on the past. And that's why they do the whole windows insider thing to begin with

I already did. I usually send (or me-too) all noticed bugs and/or possible improvements after every upgrade. That's what the Preview version is for after all.

We're so close to RTM that current versions should be rock stable for general use. Windows 10 should have been feature complete months ago, all that needed to be done was squashing the tens of thousands of small and little bugs. From all I read about Windows 10 this is an alpha version that needs many, many more months in the oven before it's good enough to use on an enterprise level. I suspect the RTM is the real beta and SP1 will be RTM.

Windows 10 simply isn't ready yet on July 29. No way.

Now that you've mentioned it I've just checked and Windows 8 RTM was released on August 27 while the officially release was three months later. Windows 10 is planned to be released on July 29 and we still haven't seen the final, RTM, version. It is worrisome.

It's even worse that after recent updates Calendar and Mail app are very crash-prone. Ever since the update I haven't been able to set up my Google account in neither of them :|

 

[Diablohead]

Because of the preview builds becoming full versions next month I decided to jump in early, windows 8.1 was always having issues with updates but I was able to install windows 10 rather easily.

Honestly so far it feels like windows 8.5, that's not a bad thing but it's like a huge fix for what was windows 8.

 

[M3d10n]

I'm also worried about the July 29 launch date. It feels too close with the amount of issues still present. I know they'll follow a more regular update schedule compared to past Windows versions, but I still think it's too hasty.

For example, I reported a bug that's very worrisome: if explorer.exe crashes or is restarted, all modern apps are taken down with it. That includes Spartan, which will lose all open tabs when that happens. If this is a design problem (modern apps depending on explorer or something) it puts the whole idea of using primarily modern apps for productivity in jeopardy.

 

[Bullza2o]

You can create a bootable USB image and install Windows 10 directly, and yes it will upgrade to a genuine version.

The Windows Developer Preview web site has 32-bit/64-bit ISOs.

Great, thanks! Hopefully it's a permanent genuine version. If not, then I'll have to somehow install Windows 7 and register it using an upgrade key if it's even possible.

 

[BIGWORM]

So, I think I found a bug. Everytime I log off/shut down, I have to reapply the speaker configuration back to stereo. Sound keeps defaulting to a 5.1 setup and I get no sound because of me having a Soundblaster Z sound card. Any way to force it to save properly?

 

[OraleeWey]

My buddy installed windows 10 preview and he says no games work. Any ideas what could be wrong ?

 

[BIGWORM]

My buddy installed windows 10 preview and he says no games work. Any ideas what could be wrong ?

Drivers? All my games work for me fine, and I have A LOT.

 

[Poodlestrike]

My buddy installed windows 10 preview and he says no games work. Any ideas what could be wrong ?

What, none of them? At all?

My money's on driver issues.

 

[Syphon Filter]

My buddy installed windows 10 preview and he says no games work. Any ideas what could be wrong ?

Drivers? All my games work for me fine, and I have A LOT.

Some games have issues,usually older titles. The framerate is worse than if you use windows 7 on the same exact machine for some reason. MS seems to know about the issue since they mentioned it in the windows forum and the recent update improved things a bit but more work is needed.

Here is a link to the issue. if you want go ahead and give it a vote for more exposure.

https://windows.uservoice.com/forum...he-frame-rate-issue-that-has-been-in-since-wi

 

[clav]

My buddy installed windows 10 preview and he says no games work. Any ideas what could be wrong ?

Missing video driver.

 

[OraleeWey]

Drivers? All my games work for me fine, and I have A LOT.

What, none of them? At all?

My money's on driver issues.

Some games have issues,usually older titles. The framerate is worse than if you use windows 7 on the same exact machine for some reason. MS seems to know about the issue since they mentioned it in the windows forum and the recent update improved things a bit but more work is needed.

Here is a link to the issue. if you want go ahead and give it a vote for more exposure.

https://windows.uservoice.com/forum...he-frame-rate-issue-that-has-been-in-since-wi

Missing video driver.

Thanks y'all. I'll pass on the information.
Edit: he swears that it isn't the drivers.

Not sure at this point. Maybe they aren't updated or something? But none of his steam games work.

 

[clav]

Thanks y'all. I'll pass on the information.
Edit: he swears that it isn't the drivers.

Not sure at this point. Maybe they aren't updated or something? But none of his steam games work.

If he's not competent to fix it, tell him to roll back to Windows 7/8.1.

I don't understand why people are jumping on the beta build now for personal use unless they have extra machines. The software is clearly labeled beta.

RTM build is soon. Do the upgrade once only unless you have too much time on your hands.