Solved Free Win 10 Still Possible?

[Mellon Head]

I think I saw recently here on this forum that the free Windows 10 upgrade was still being allowed by MS.

I searched and can't find the post, but the post was by a long time member. Is it actually true? I would assume at this point that it would require a fresh install and application of the Win 7 key if it is still allowed.

Can anyone shed any light on this, please?

 

[AddRAM]

Yes, as far as we know it`s still possible.

 

[Anak]

the free upgrade offer has been extended, indefinitely, at least for people who use assistive technologies

That's near the bottom of the article that Ed Bott wrote on ZDNET May 26, 2017 Here's how you can still get a free Windows 10 upgrade

And I found this on a July 30th 2016 Lifehacker page:

Update: Microsoft delivered a statement to ZDNet stating that this tool is not designed to be a workaround for users who don’t use assistive technology and missed the deadline. However, there’s no indication on exactly how or if Microsoft verifies that an upgrader uses assistive tools.

Source: http://You Can Still Get Windows 10 For Free If You Use Assistive Technologies | lifehacker.com

 

[tetraps]

As far as MS is concerned, anybody switching from an older Windows to 10 through a workaround is still a net positive for them.

 

[Mellon Head]

Thanks Anak. That is exactly what I was wanting to know.

 

[SIW2]

Curious why you would want to downgrade to win10.

 

[FerchogtX]

I heard the free upgrade only works with valid Keys, and only if you upgrade to ver 1607, and then later to CU if you want to.
Seems that upgrading an older Windows directly into CU makes the upgrade process fail at the activation part... I can be totally wrong as I only heard that...

I made a test in a virtual machine, and you can still activate a Windows 10 copy from a Windows 7 copy, fully activated...

 

[FerchogtX]

Curious why you would want to downgrade to win10.

You haven't tried ver 1607 or 1703 yet, I assume. Those two work like a charm, have so neat features (I'm in love with Cortana and her jokes, I'm asking MS her hand) and work really smooth... of course, if your hardware is newer than 2012 at least, if not, the drivers are kinda bad.

My newest laptop came with Windows 10, works nicely

 

[Mellon Head]

Curious why you would want to downgrade to win10.

It's not really something that I'm crazy about doing, to be really honest.

The problem is that Windows 7 does not handle USB device enumeration very well, and at work we have to plug in numerous (dozens) of different USB devices into the PC each day. Windows 7 goes through the agonizing procedure of attempting to get drivers from Windows Update each time, rather than loading the drivers from the machine. It sees each new USB device as an actual new hardware device, rather than just another device that it has already loaded drivers for. I have tried everything I can to get Windows 7 to simply load the drivers from the PC when the new device is plugged in with no luck.

Windows 10, on the other hand, deals with the drivers in a different way. You plug the device in, and it is available immediately, once the drivers have been loaded for the first device. Subsequent devices load the driver from the PC and it is almost instantaneous. I don't have to wait two or three minutes per device watching the spinning donut as it tries, and fails, to load the drivers from Windows Update. As much as I don't really like Win 10, I am forced to admit that in this case, it is superior to Win 7.

 

[Lance1]

The Media Creation Tool Is another option for Win 10.

 

[johnhoh]

I have tried everything I can to get Windows 7 to simply load the drivers from the PC when the new device is plugged in with no luck.

try this

start > run > sysdm.cpl > hardware > device installation settings > choose never install from WU OR install from WU if not found on computer

also, this may possibly help

control panel > indexing > disable indexing for usb drives OR
start > run > services > windows search > disable

 

[Anak]

Thanks Anak. That is exactly what I was wanting to know.

You're welcome.

 

[Foxtrot]

I know it's August but I was wondering if the upgrade from Win 7 Pro was still possible using the article from ZDnet instructions.

 

[Anak]

The only way to find out is to download the media creation tool wizard and see how it goes.

From my ZD link in post #3 scroll down a bit to:

To get started, go to the Download Windows 10 webpage and click the Download tool now button. After the download completes, run the Media Creation Tool.

Then follow the next five paragraphs to see if it will take. Use the first paragraph to just do the upgrade or the second to save the ISO and do it later.
One thing you might want to look into before you start is how your assistive technologies is set and turn some of those settings on if you don't already use some of the tech to enhance your window's experience, like magnifier, on-screen-keyboard or narrator it may influence MS's decision to allow the upgrade.

I have a win7 desktop and when it's EOS runs out in January of 2020 that's what I plan on doing, if it doesn't work I'll go to zorin.

 

[TechnoMage2016]

If I live to be 100, and I probably won't, I'll never understand the angst over an OS reaching its end of service date.

It doesn't die, or explode, like a dying star, it just sits there quietly running like it has for years.
I still have PC's running Windows XP and one running Windows ME....and they all run just fine, get on the internet, receive my email, and play solitaire just like they did the day they were created. No problem.

So I just don't get all this tearing of hair and wringing of hands over an OS that's just doing what we all do,
'Getting Old'.

As a retired PC tech, i love just playing around with different OS's. I still have every OS from Windows 98 to Windows 10/64 on bootable install DVD's. Dozens of them, actually. If I want to play around with an OS, I simply grab a spare HD and install it. Yesterday, i installed Windows XP Black Elegant on a spare HD and it works great! It does everything that I could want an OS to do. It even does things that Win-10 either can't or won't do. Like, run my old 16 bit Mah Jongg game.

The OP's ? was, "can you get a FREE install of Windows 10" (paraphrased).
Well, "all things are possible for him that believes".

Hang in there Bro!

PS: In 30+ years, I've never upgraded from one OS to the next. I will only do Clean Installs, preserving my old OS for posterity.