Windows 10 - free upgrade to those with PC using Windows 7 or 8

[AnotherCat]

Originally Posted by wodin

...That leads me to believe that the ISO for Pro is different than that for a Home machine. The difference may be only the version flag or it could be more extensive, I did not do a file comparison to see, nor will I wast my time just to satisfy my curiosity.

See my post back a bit, it explains that that is so and which MCT download will upgrade which Windows Edition. It also mentions that the MCT downloads are also different sizes according to the edition one chooses, and both are again smaller than the installation iso that contains both editions.

[AnotherCat]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

...Maybe Microsoft has decided that only linux users who can't run Windows executables are allowed to download the ISO direct. ...

As far as I know they get a free Donald Duck movie instead of Windows though .

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by AnotherCat

As far as I know they get a free Donald Duck movie instead of Windows though .

That computer has been making odd (quacking?) noises lately...

[DustyDisks]

Despite some reported avians in some systems!

Win10 seems to be very fault tolerant almost to a extreme. The system so far has recovered itself, on a order of magnitude better than any other flavor of Ms from the past.

Still a tad buggy in some very small ways!. But overall this op system may be the best one yet that Ms has released.

Time will tell!

[alanHd]

The only bug in my system is the quiet time being set to on when I start windows, if it wasn't for this thread I wouldn't have even noticed.

[Dulin's Books]

Originally Posted by kennyc

Admittedly I didn't try to install Pro on Home or vice verse because I didn't want to risk screwing up my upgrade, but I have one of each. And separate USB (and DVDs) I created for each -- Home and Pro.

that doesn't work but it is easy to upgrade to Pro from after your upgrade to Win 10 Home

http://www.windowscentral.com/how-up...windows-10-pro

and for those wondering about the differences between Home and Pro

Join a Domain or Azure Active Directory: Easy connect to your business or school network
BitLocker: Help protects your data with enhanced encryption and security management
Remote desktop: Sign in and use your Pro PC while at home or on the road
Hyper-V: Create and run virtual machines
Private Catalog: Access your company's apps through your own section in the Windows Store

[Pulpmeister]

My local store tells me it's not available any way except on-line, which is cool for those with fast broadband (not universal), large gigabyte plans (not always) and a means of paying on-line (also not always).

It may eventually be available on disc to special order... through perhaps your local store. So maybe I'll wait a year or so until it is thoroughly proven and debugged, and then buy a new box with the OS preloaded; but will i get a disc with the preloaded PC so I can re-install if needed? Doubtful.

Oh well, progress.

[Josieb1]

Originally Posted by Pulpmeister

My local store tells me it's not available any way except on-line, which is cool for those with fast broadband (not universal), large gigabyte plans (not always) and a means of paying on-line (also not always).

It may eventually be available on disc to special order... through perhaps your local store. So maybe I'll wait a year or so until it is thoroughly proven and debugged, and then buy a new box with the OS preloaded; but will i get a disc with the preloaded PC so I can re-install if needed? Doubtful.

Oh well, progress.

I thought it was available to buy on USB stick?

[Dulin's Books]

Originally Posted by Pulpmeister

My local store tells me it's not available any way except on-line, which is cool for those with fast broadband (not universal), large gigabyte plans (not always) and a means of paying on-line (also not always).

Oh well, progress.

which local store?

meh doesnt matter, unless it was a Microsoft store that said that, if you want media you can buy it on USB stick at a Microsoft Store or online at places like Amazon etc

http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/...ctID.319937100

http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/...ctID.319935900

http://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-Wind.../dp/B01019T6O0

http://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-Wind.../dp/B01019TDJ8

[fjtorres]

It looks like the activation process is indeed changed, which is why the upgrades report generic keys:

http://www.zdnet.com/article/microso...tag=TRE17cfd61

For more than a decade, one of the keys that Microsoft's activation servers have relied on is a unique ID, which is based on a hash of your hardware. That hash is reportedly not reversible and not tied to any other Microsoft services. So although it defines your device, it doesn't identify you.

Here's how that ID works with Windows 7 or Windows 8:

When you activate for the first time, that hashed value (let's call it your installation ID) is recorded in the activation database alongside the product key you entered with the installation. Later, when you reinstall the same edition of Windows on the same hardware, with the same product key, it's activated automatically. (Conversely, if you try to use that product key on a different machine with a different hardware ID, you'll probably be denied activation.)

Windows 10 goes one very large step further.

When you upgrade from Windows 7 or Windows 8.1, the Windows 10 setup program checks your current activation status and reports the result to the activation servers. If you're "genuine" (that is, properly activated), the Windows activation server generates a Windows 10 license certificate and stores it in conjunction with your installation ID and the version you just activated (Home or Pro).

It didn't need a product key to do that activation. All it needed was the proof from the Software Licensing Manager utility that your underlying activation was legit.

You can now wipe that hard disk completely, boot from Windows 10 installation media, and install a squeaky clean copy.

The Setup program asks you to enter a product key, but in a major change from Windows 8 and 8.1, it allows you to skip entering that key.

More at the source, with screen caps and all.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by Dulin's Books

which local store?

meh doesnt matter, unless it was a Microsoft store that said that, if you want media you can buy it on USB stick at a Microsoft Store or online at places like Amazon etc

http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/...ctID.319937100

http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/...ctID.319935900

http://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-Wind.../dp/B01019T6O0

http://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-Wind.../dp/B01019TDJ8

Or at Micro Center my local store.

http://www.microcenter.com/product/4...ssional_64-bit

[Yolina]

On the SP3 I can no longer get the pen top button to open the desktop version of OneNote
It says it's set up to open the desktop version but what it actually does is open the non-desktop version

[wodin]

Originally Posted by Yolina

On the SP3 I can no longer get the pen top button to open the desktop version of OneNote
It says it's set up to open the desktop version but what it actually does is open the non-desktop version

Bummer, I haven't tried that (yet), but actually I'd like to disable the top button altogether. Several times it was accidentally pressed which kicked off OneNote while the tablet was in the bag, and drained the battery.

Imagine my consternation when I went to a meeting, dug out my SP3, found it hot with 7% battery that had to last through a 90 minute meeting.

The only way I've been able to figure out how to disable it is to remove the battery, and I think that would also disable the other two buttons.

[danwdoo]

Originally Posted by Andanzas

Good luck!

I upgraded my Surface Pro to W10 without issues here, but I am little bit confused. The Sleep function seems to have disappeared. It's still there, in the configuration options, and when I close the cover or select Sleep, apparently it should go to sleep. But it doesn't. It just turns off the screen. And it gets hot, as it doesn't stop running all the programs I was running. I can turn it off, but that's not ideal in certain situations.

Does anybody else have this issue? Is there a way to fix it?

Not sure if someone else answered this. Stepped away from the PC for a few days of vacation time and have to wade through pages and pages to catch up!

I encountered this during the beta and it was the video driver (AMD in my case). I know it seems unrelated but I was seeing this exact symptom (and an inability to change screen brightness that you may or may not also see). Try installing the latest driver from your video chipset manufacturer and see if this resolves the issue and sleep comes back.

[Josieb1]

I tried tonight to finally update my W7 Acer laptop. I stopped when I got a message to say Windows would change my display and I would need to reload the language pack.

Does anyone know what that means? I don't have any langague packs loaded its just english that way its been since I started the laptop the first time.