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Omniman
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Windows 10 Free Upgrade Expired?

Tue Jan 02, 2018 12:25 pm

I know it's only been two days since the free upgrade supposedly has finally come to a close. Has anyone still tried to get a free upgrade since the so called deadline of December 31st, 2017?
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Walkintarget
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Re: Windows 10 Free Upgrade Expired?

Tue Jan 02, 2018 12:50 pm

Looking for an answer on this one as well. I had a failed Win7 to 10 upgrade go through last week in one last effort to get it upgraded, but altho the OS looked to be running fine, any game I launched would complain about missing a hardware rendering device and exit. I tried it twice, second time with my A/V suite uninstalled, and found a lot of corruption when I ran an SFC /scannow on the OS.

Looks like I will have to run the Windows Easy Transfer app and save my apps/files, then do a clean install of Win10 and easy transfer my settings/files/docs back to that PC.
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Dposcorp
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Re: Windows 10 Free Upgrade Expired?

Tue Jan 02, 2018 1:52 pm

This link seems to work for the download at least as of the time of this post.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/accessi ... s10upgrade

I dont have anything to upgrade so I cant try it
 
FroBozz_Inc
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Re: Windows 10 Free Upgrade Expired?

Thu Jan 04, 2018 10:23 am

Here's a trick that still works, I've done it dozens of times, the last being a month or two ago.

Step 1: Obtain and prepare a Win10 Build 1511 install disk (what I have always used for workaround)
Step 2: Disconnect network connection, disable wireless, etc.
Step 3: Set the clock to July 28th, 2016
Step 4: Run the upgrade from within Win7/8 - choose upgrade

Don't plug/enable network connection until the upgrade completely finishes and you are about to see the login prompt

Once network connection is re-established and you login, you'll see the clock update itself and in a minute you should be able to check settings and see you have obtained the digital license.

All that remains is to do updates. If you have a current build ISO you can run it from within the OS to update and save yourself some time.
 
The Egg
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Re: Windows 10 Free Upgrade Expired?

Thu Jan 04, 2018 11:31 am

FroBozz_Inc wrote:
Here's a trick that still works, I've done it dozens of times, the last being a month or two ago.
....

Step 2: Disconnect network connection, disable wireless, etc.
Step 3: Set the clock to July 28th, 2016.......

The free upgrade offer was supposed to end 12/31, so two months ago isn't relevant to what the OP is asking. In any case, you need an internet connection to get your copy activated, and I'd put up a fair wager that it'll go by the date/time on the activation server rather than each individual machine.
 
FroBozz_Inc
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Re: Windows 10 Free Upgrade Expired?

Thu Jan 04, 2018 12:08 pm

The Egg wrote:
The free upgrade offer was supposed to end 12/31, so two months ago isn't relevant to what the OP is asking. In any case, you need an internet connection to get your copy activated, and I'd put up a fair wager that it'll go by the date/time on the activation server rather than each individual machine.


My suggested workaround had nothing to do with the OP method, (or it's associated cutoff time) which is to use the "assistive technologies" version of the installer (and pretend that you are someone that needs it).

No, I'm not certain that my method still works, but I am certain that it has nothing to do with that aforementioned "cutoff" date either, as far as I know that's just for that assistive tech site.

I've been doing these steps with success since August 2016. Of course you need the network connection to get your digital license, perhaps you didn't fully read my post.
 
Walkintarget
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Re: Windows 10 Free Upgrade Expired?

Thu Jan 04, 2018 12:14 pm

There was also an issue over the last week of December, specifically the Windows 10 Upgrade assistant utility, that I ran into on the 28th. If you downloaded and ran the utility to upgrade to Win10, it would fail with a specific error. After looking that up, the workaround was to use an earlier version of the Win10 upgrade assistant (found in the root folder of the boot drive) which I had available on my AMD FX rig, which upgraded with no problem whatsoever. I was able to upgrade to Win10 on my main rig on Dec. 28 after using that, but again, my games would not work at all due to a number of corrupted files reported when I ran an SFC /scannow (most of them referenced DirectX or AMD drivers).

I can try the upgrade just for **** n giggles tonight to give us an answer, but I know at least in my case a full wipe and reinstall of the OS is clearly in order. I built this rig in 2012, so it obviously needs a good refresh.
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Bauxite
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Re: Windows 10 Free Upgrade Expired?

Thu Jan 04, 2018 12:36 pm

Messing with your system clock or pretending to be disabled is not needed.

Installing with default 10 pro key* then using a 7/8 pro-upgrade-eligible key (aka almost anything retail/oem/technet/msdn besides home) to activate still seems to work, I did a fresh one on monday. Nuking business pcs, putting on a hypervisor and running the oem key in a VM instead is a very frequent activity for me.

*Yes really, no pirating required, right there on microsoft's site, installs but does not activate: https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/win ... 50d?auth=1

This method has always worked since the 1511 version added stuff to system key management, yet people are still jumping through hoops for the assistive tech thing after the first "expiration" which was really only discontinuing their joe blow automatic web method. You all can stop doing that now, this way is easier, faster and doesn't potentially abuse something meant to help people who need it.

I wouldn't wish or help foist the home version on anyone, so no idea and don't care if there is a default key for it. The already limited control on updates/features/etc with pro is bad enough.
TR RIP 7/7/2019
 
Omniman
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Re: Windows 10 Free Upgrade Expired?

Thu Jan 04, 2018 12:41 pm

Good to hear. As for the activation I was really just curious on clean installs using Windows 7/8 keys instead of doing the software upgrades. Anyhow, anyone who has problems with the update assistant it seems the workaround is to put your browser into developer mode and make it act like a Linux or MAC OS. The update assistant page will then send you to a time limited ISO download link.
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simbant
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Re: Windows 10 Free Upgrade Expired?

Fri Jan 05, 2018 12:12 am

According to Hexus, I think you still can.
http://hexus.net/tech/news/software/113 ... ades-live/
 
The Egg
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Re: Windows 10 Free Upgrade Expired?

Fri Jan 05, 2018 10:13 am

FroBozz_Inc wrote:
No, I'm not certain that my method still works, but I am certain that it has nothing to do with that aforementioned "cutoff" date either, as far as I know that's just for that assistive tech site.

I've been doing these steps with success since August 2016. Of course you need the network connection to get your digital license, perhaps you didn't fully read my post.

If no official upgrade method still exists, MS could have decided to use that date to shut the door for ALL upgrades. They could've also just been spreading FUD to encourage stragglers. Third option is that they still plan to follow through, but after an arbitrary grace period (or just whenever they get around to it). Overall, my point was that what worked 2 months ago is irrelevant to what the OP was asking, and we don't know when/if/to what degree MS will change things. Whether an installation is successful is also only dependent on whether it activates via the activation server, so chances are your "method" would have worked anyway whether you changed dates, unplugged cables, performed the secret dance moves in front of a Kinect camera, etc.
 
Bauxite
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Re: Windows 10 Free Upgrade Expired?

Fri Jan 05, 2018 10:40 am

Omniman wrote:
Good to hear. As for the activation I was really just curious on clean installs using Windows 7/8 keys instead of doing the software upgrades. Anyhow, anyone who has problems with the update assistant it seems the workaround is to put your browser into developer mode and make it act like a Linux or MAC OS. The update assistant page will then send you to a time limited ISO download link.


Just clean install with the default pro key: VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T Source: Microsoft employee, public website. Seriously folks, stop inventing hoops to jump through.
https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/win ... 50d?auth=1

Their usb download tool will let you make media with the latest mainline release version regardless, don't use any update assistant or similar convoluted method. In fact, if you have certain really new hardware this is the only way to get 10 up and running without serious problems, earlier versions will fail. Then there is no upgrade, and "upgrading" windows has always been a bad choice since they first came up with the concept. Much better to use your current version and back up the profile for import afterwards.

Activation with your 7/8 pro keys is a separate step you can do anytime later in the control panel: after the install, patching, drivers, import etc are all done and you know it works properly. Then you can finally change your desktop background lol ;)
TR RIP 7/7/2019
 
Omniman
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Re: Windows 10 Free Upgrade Expired?

Sun Jan 07, 2018 1:04 pm

I gave it a test last night using a Windows 7 Ultimate key on my Hyper-V server and it activated Windows 10 Pro just fine.
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DeadOfKnight
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Re: Windows 10 Free Upgrade Expired?

Sun Jan 07, 2018 1:44 pm

I upgraded Windows 7 to Windows 10 and I was able to use my Windows 7 key to install Windows 10 from a flash drive onto a new PC. Dunno if this helps OP out at all, but I thought it was interesting. It probably only worked for me because I have a full license instead of an OEM version of Windows 7.
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SoM
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Re: Windows 10 Free Upgrade Expired?

Sun Jan 07, 2018 2:53 pm

made a new flash of it today, did a fresh install for a friend with his win 7 home key.

works

Win 10
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just brew it!
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Re: Windows 10 Free Upgrade Expired?

Sun Jan 07, 2018 3:00 pm

Probably a calculated move on Microsoft's part. They don't want a repeat of the situation they had with Windows XP, where millions of people were still using it when security patches ended. By unofficially continuing the practice of allowing free upgrades, they get more people off of Windows 7 before it goes EOL.
Nostalgia isn't what it used to be.
 
ozzuneoj
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Re: Windows 10 Free Upgrade Expired?

Sun Jan 07, 2018 5:25 pm

I'm surprised that people have such over complicated methods of doing fresh upgrades of Windows 10. Every time I've installed Windows 10 I've just used the latest installer ISO, extracted to the root of a bootable flash drive, boot from the flash drive, input Windows 7, 8 or 10 key, complete installation, Windows is activated. If the key doesn't work or it is an OEM install with no key available (and the original motherboard), tell it you don't want to type the key yet. Once the installation is complete, input the key (if necessary) when asked, then Windows will be activated.

I have never had an issue with this.

Judging from the comments posted here, it sounds like nothing has changed in 2018 either.
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ludi
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Re: Windows 10 Free Upgrade Expired?

Mon Jan 15, 2018 10:39 pm

Going away tomorrow 1/16, No Really, We Mean It This Time:

https://www.pcworld.com/article/3247661 ... hours.html
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odizzido
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Re: Windows 10 Free Upgrade Expired?

Mon Jan 15, 2018 11:22 pm

MS doesn't gain anything by not giving away 10 to 7/8 holdouts. I imagine you will be able to switch(not upgrade) to 10 forever.

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