Windows 10: upgrade information

ignatzatsonic said:

Imagine it's a year from today. Win 10 has been released. The "free upgrade" offer is in effect.

You've got a pile of new unused parts on your desk and intend to build a new PC running Win 10.

You want a clean install if at all possible.

What's the method?

Build, install retail Win 7, and then "upgrade" to 10 via Windows Update? No free-standing ISO that could be burned and installed directly, no DVD disc. Any later reinstallation due to failed hardware would be limited to image restoration or something similar since you don't and won't have an ISO/DVD?

Is that presumed to be the nearest thing you can get to a clean install on new hardware without paying?

That is my presumption if you go with the free update.
I'm sure the WIM / ESD gurus will figure out a way to create an ISO - we're just not there yet.

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ignatzatsonic said:

In that scenario, can the retail Win 7 ever be activated on another unrelated pile of hardware, for instance as a "backup" PC?

My guess, being a retail key, would be yes.
Win7 could be installed on another machine since you would only be running that license on one machine.

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ignatzatsonic said:

Offhand, it looks like I may well prefer to pay to get a DVD/ISO that can be clean installed and readily re-installed, rather than use the "free upgrade".

Or does all of this remain a gray area, with no known answers as yet?

You nailed it - that remains a gray area - until MS works out the details.

The big question is: How will Win10 handle keys ... will users receive a printed key or will Win10 have some intelligent method of key / authentication. Who knows? Microsoft and maybe not even them yet.

Good questions. I'm more than happy to answer questions here, I'm just one person though.
Have you visited TenForums? There are lots more members over there who have more information.

There is a lot of supposition at this point of the Preview. Our answers are biased on our experience. Win10 is a new thing, not Win7, not Win8 - When I answer a question, I have to stop and think
"Is this how it works in Win10 (current release), how it worked in Win10 (a previous release), how it works in Win8 or how I want Win10 to work".

The January preview release really makes Win10 a different animal - and that, IMO, is great news. Mindsets have to change with this change to Windows. Win10 is a paradigm shift and while MS is doing a good job trying to keep Windows familiar, there are changes required to move Windows forward.

Lots of things will change throughout the preview releases.

And now ... back to our regularly scheduled program.
Microsoft is offering a free Win10 upgrade - upgrade being a key distinction.

Bill
.

You're welcome ignatz,

Yep, check Tenforums (they seem to get and report news fairly fast)
And the other Microsoft Win10 pages (Indsider, TechNet evaluation, MS foums (Tech Preview), Indiser Hub, eMail from the insider program...).

It's always a good thing to plan and there's plenty of time to plan. The bad thing is that plans might fall apart when things change - not too bad really, you just have to change the plan. I guess what I'm saying is: It's too early to plan much in great detail.

What's new with the Windows 10 Technical Preview

The video on this page tells some of the stuff you and others might be interested in (hard facts from Microsoft)

The funny thing is, I couldn't watch it in Win10

Jesse Williams said:

Okay. Both of my PC's have 4 GB of memory (RAM).

If there is a 32-bit Windows 10, 4 GB would have to work OK. That is all that 32-bit supports. I feel sure there will be a 32-bit.