Windows 10 upgrade still free?

[trents]

Can't find the thread now but awhile aback there was a question about whether on not you could still upgrade to Windows 10 for free from Windows 1/Windows 8/8.1. Some posters said they thought the window had now finally been closed.

Well I just now did an in place upgrade on a customer's Windows 8.1 upgrade to Windows 10 and it automatically activated. This machine had not previously had Windows 10 installed. The customer informed me that when 10 debuted people had advised them against upgrading so they never had.

 

[Kenrou]

Ended 31 December 2017 - https://www.cnet.com/how-to/microsoft-windows-10-free-upgrade-offer-assistive-features/

 

[trents]

Apparently not.

 

[Kenrou]

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/accessibility/windows10upgrade

 

[mackerel]

Trent's observation matches one of mine recently. When the April Update came out, I downloaded it to a USB stick, with the intention of using that to update my Win10 systems to save on re-downloading it every single time. I got careless and updated one Win7 system. Oops. Afterwards, I had an activated Win10 install. The system never had and never was intended to go to Win10.

 

[Kenrou]

For all intents and purposes it’s supposed to have stopped by now, maybe it’s a glitch ? In that case could this be considered a good or a bad glitch...

 

[mackerel]

I think MS don't want to publicise it so people still go the official route, but I suspect they're not going to turn down upgraders from older Windows to Win10.

I don't know if it still works, but in the past you can "activate" a Win10 install using a Win7 key even after the free upgrade scheme had ended.

 

[trents]

I think Microsoft wants everyone to upgrade to Windows 10 bad enough that they aren't enforcing their publicized deadlines. If they can get everyone on the same page it will save them money in that they don't have to train and pay so many personnel to support older OS products.

 

[Alaric]

I think Microsoft wants everyone to upgrade to Windows 10 bad enough that they aren't enforcing their publicized deadlines. If they can get everyone on the same page it will save them money in that they don't have to train and pay so many personnel to support older OS products.

And the data mining revenue. LOL

 

[Kenrou]

And the data mining revenue. LOL

QFT

 

[EarthDog]

I think Microsoft wants everyone to upgrade to Windows 10 bad enough that they aren't enforcing their publicized deadlines. If they can get everyone on the same page it will save them money in that they don't have to train and pay so many personnel to support older OS products.

Interesting take.

Regardless if this was going on or not, w7 is still under support until 2020 so they need people manning the phones on this os anyway.

 

[Alaric]

Yeah, but not needing as many has to be a plus.

 

[EarthDog]

Im sure its a pool of people using scripts that can help anyone with nearly anything. They roll people from place to place etc is what i imagine.

So, as w10 took off, they trained from the pool to support the new os while they keep enough to cover. Less os to support is better, but i dont see it as a # of rep deal.

 

[deathman20]

As far as I'm aware its still active just hush hush as others mentioned. MS was really quiet on publicized dates for this stuff for a while so and was brought up again quickly, faded and again, and faded.
I do think they are just trying to push the market share of the OS and get everyone off older versions for various reasons, including yes keeping track of usage.

 

[petteyg359]

As far as I'm aware its still active just hush hush as others mentioned. MS was really quiet on publicized dates for this stuff for a while so and was brought up again quickly, faded and again, and faded.
I do think they are just trying to push the market share of the OS and get everyone off older versions for various reasons, including yes keeping track of usage.

Keeping track of how many people are smart enough to stop running zombie botnet magnets compared to previous version OS sales is a good thing, IMHO.

 

[Alaric]

It should be, considering how many lies M$ has told and how many people they've screwed. http://www.hardocp.com/news/2018/06..._windows_7_support_for_older_intel_computers/