Report: Windows 10 upgrade may turn retail OS into OEM version

[Batu69]

Microsoft's free upgrade offer to Windows 10 stands until July 2016. Customers who work on genuine Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 systems may upgrade those systems to Microsoft's newest operating system Windows 10 free of charge.

 

It does not matter whether the source operating system is an OEM or Retail version, as both upgrade just fine to the new OS.

Retail versions offer the advantage that they allow you to change hardware of the PC without losing your license. The operating system will either activate automatically after the hardware swap or after contacting Microsoft.

 

OEM versions on the other hand allow only some hardware changes, say an increase in RAM, but not major replacements like a new motherboard.

A report on the German tech news site Ht4u suggests that the free upgrade to Windows 10 will turn retail licenses into OEM licenses that are linked to the machine.

 

I tried to verify this by checking the status of a retail system that I upgraded to Windows 10, but at least for the moment, it shows as a retail copy.

The only explanations I have for this is that there was some sort of miscommunication between the magazine and Microsoft, or that retail is shown during the "free upgrade" period only.

 

If we accept the information as true for a moment, it would mean that Windows 10 users who upgraded from Windows 7 or 8.1 would not be able to upgrade core hardware of the computer after July 2016 regardless of whether they have upgraded from a retail or OEM version of the OS as their copy of Windows 10 would be an OEM copy effectively.

 

Previously revealed information, on Win Super Site for instance, claim the opposite. According to the information there, retail licenses upgraded to Windows 10 remain a retail license, and can be moved to a new computer (which also means that hardware changes are okay). This falls in line with the fact that retail versions show up as retail when you check them after the upgrade to Windows 10.

 

Check your system

 

 

You can verify the activation and license state, as well as the version of your operating system in the following way:

1. Tap on the Windows-key, type cmd.exe, hold down Shift and Ctrl, and hit the Enter-key.
2. Confirm the UAC prompt.
3. Run the command slmgr.vbs -dli
4. A window appears on the screen after a moment that lists the information.

 

Closing Words

Microsoft revealed previously that it has no intention to prolong the free upgrade offer after its first year but provided little information on its plans to go forward.

 

Article source

[straycat19]

12 hours ago, Batu69 said:

Microsoft revealed previously that it has no intention to prolong the free upgrade offer after its first year but provided little information on its plans to go forward.

 

Good then we don't have to worry about them trying to foist this bullshit OS on us any more.  Who cares if Microsoft supports Windows 7 or 8.1 anymore, especially since their support sucks any way.

[steven36]

No were says there not going to keep supporting windows 7 or 8.1 tell eol  only thing it says it you buy  skylake by 2018  you will to have upgrade to keep getting all updates.  people on old hardware it dont concern them . And people are living in a fantasy world  thanking  free windows 10 that you are  going  to ever be able to  transfer it to another PC or do hardware upgrade after its not free anymore  are insane .  No it dont turn you're  Windows 7 or windows 8.1 key into a OEM  key if its retail  only the free Windows 10 part is OEM  because they dont give you a new key really . it just activate windows 10 to you're  hardware ID  so it auto activates to lifetime of you're hardware .  If you need to put it on another machine  or do a hardware upgrade  after ifs no longer free you will have to install  what you bought the key for  Windows 7 or 8.1 or buy windows 10 or pirate it  . 

 

If you plain to upgrade hardware or buy a PC in the future  in some years from now you will have to buy or pirate windows 10 unless you plain to switch to MAC OSX  Or Linux . They will no longer make hardware to support Windows 7 and Windows 8.1.  You will be stuck  with no new advancement  considering 75%  of windows users live in there Web Browser anyway this would not matter to most unless there hardware goes out .

 

Quote

Windows 10 will be the only supported Windows platform on Intel's upcoming "Kaby Lake" silicon, Qualcomm's upcoming "8996" silicon, and AMD's upcoming "Bristol Ridge" silicon.

 

You cant  be depended on something or someones  software  and expect  to keep advancing on it and not  update at it's eol . Linux is much worse than windows  about this  once  a LTS  release  runs out  all the developers  only make new software for supported releases and updates  and to get driver updates you have update the kernel when needed  .

 

The reason people are still floating  on that zombie O/S XP  is because software developers put peoples money 1st before they do there  security. That shit dont float on Linux  you would be stuck using outdated software programs . People say Windows 7 will be the next XP but it want be  and Microsoft  is going make sure of that..  XP  got two extra years  of support  Windows 7 will be  lucky  to get its 10 years 2020 max. people staying on xp  and not buying windows 8 caused Microsoft to make windows 10 the way it is  and them to try to force it on us .