Next big Windows 10 release will simplify activation procedures

by Hilbert Hagedoorn on: 10/14/2015 09:27 AM | source: | 28 comment(s)

The latest preview release of Windows 10 includes the first glimpse of a new feature designed to eliminate one specific activation headache. When this change rolls out to the general public next month, you'll be able to use your Windows 7 or 8.1 product key to complete a Windows 10 upgrade.

We have received a lot of feedback from Insiders on making it easier to activate Windows 10 on devices that take advantage of the free upgrade offer to genuine Windows by using existing Windows 7, Windows 8 or Windows 8.1 product keys. If you install this build of the Windows 10 Insider Preview on a PC and it doesn't automatically activate, you can enter the product key from Windows 7, Windows 8 or Windows 8.1 used to activate the prior Windows version on the same device to activate Windows 10 by going to Settings > Update & security > Activation and selecting Change Product Key. If you do a clean install of Windows 10 by booting off the media, you can also enter the product key from prior Windows versions on qualifying devices during setup.

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riardon
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Joined: 2014-05-03

#5172522 Posted on: 10/14/2015 09:54 AM

This is what it should have been from the beginning. The current process is not that friendly for simple users nor very clear on how it works plus the problems on many ppl who can't upgrade from the notification tray because of errors. This also ensures a fresh clean install without the errors of the simple upgrade which works but kinda messes the files. Better late than never.

Extraordinary
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#5172529 Posted on: 10/14/2015 10:31 AM

They did the same with Win 8.1, 8 keys didn't work for install for a long time after 8.1 arrived, they do now

Twiddles
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#5172566 Posted on: 10/14/2015 12:37 PM

Thank god! This is going to save so much headaches during repairs and cloning

Extraordinary
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#5172567 Posted on: 10/14/2015 12:40 PM

Yea, I got a laptop to repair a couple weeks back, and it had an unfixable unbootable 7 on it, tried every trick to get it to boot without any luck, really could not be bothered installing 7 then upgrading to 10, then clean installing 10, so KMS'd it with 10 instead

This will make things a lot easier

slyphnier
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#5172598 Posted on: 10/14/2015 02:17 PM

well ms giving free win10 to every win7/8/8.1 user including OEM (pre-installed system)

say if ms go with this method (activating by using windowskey) from the beginning, even easier for people that have serial key
but without current activation method, how about people without serial key (preinstalled system) upgrading to win10?

i cant say current activation system bad as i dont have any issue with current activation (it simply you just need to upgrade using windows-upgrade and dont need to do anything else)
but indeed it need some improvement

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