Windows 10 Insider Preview - how long for free?

[nenforcer]

As you can see from the above corner grab of my desktop I've been running Windows 10 Pro Insider Preview since it was first released in October 2014 and then the rerelease once Windows 10 was published in July 2015. I did a clean install and tied it to one of Microsoft Accounts. In fact, I've done this on 2 machines one with my old Hotmail account and the other with my newer Outlook.com email address.

However, I have never supplied it with a valid Windows 7 or 8 license. As far as I understand the Microsoft EULA Windows 10 will be a free upgrade until July 29, 2016 as long as a you provide a valid previous Windows license. That is why it is saying 'Evaluation Copy'.

My question is, and I haven't been able to find an answer, will the Windows Insider program expire on July 29, 2016 as well I'm guessing? With the release of Windows 10 Anniversary edition it sounds like all of the free editions will be ending so I'm guessing I would have to supply a valid license before this time?

The reason I ask is because my activate screen appears to be final with a digital entitlement to my Microsoft Accounts?

 

[freeskier93]

There have been no indications that Microsoft will be ending the insider program anytime soon, as long as you're in the insider program you can continue to use Windows at no cost.

Windows 10 will continue to evolve past the anniversary edition and Microsoft will continue to push new builds to be tested.

 

[postmortemIA]

It will work until they change their mind, and that's something you have always with Microsoft.

If you try latest insider build but without upgrading from insider builds before RTM, the latest will not activate.

 

[Evander]

I had downloaded one of the Win 10 ISO generated by the Microsoft tool. I don't remember exactly when, but it was a release that stated it could read the PCs embedded Win 8 key and do a clean install and activate without installing Win 8. I had that running for several months and thought I had an activated Windows 10 but then I very recently saw the "evaluation build" message rear its head on the bottom right of the screen

Was I mistaken about the nature of the build being able to do a clean install and activate/upgrade from the embedded Win 8 key? Can I convert this system into a regular Windows 10? If not, is there a build that WILL let me do a clean install and upgrade from the embedded Win 8 key?

I really don't wanna go through the trouble of putting this laptop's included Win 8 back on and then doing a bunch of downloads to upgrade to Win 10

 

[nenforcer]

I had downloaded one of the Win 10 ISO generated by the Microsoft tool. I don't remember exactly when, but it was a release that stated it could read the PCs embedded Win 8 key and do a clean install and activate without installing Win 8. I had that running for several months and thought I had an activated Windows 10 but then I very recently saw the "evaluation build" message rear its head on the bottom right of the screen

Was I mistaken about the nature of the build being able to do a clean install and activate/upgrade from the embedded Win 8 key? Can I convert this system into a regular Windows 10? If not, is there a build that WILL let me do a clean install and upgrade from the embedded Win 8 key?

I really don't wanna go through the trouble of putting this laptop's included Win 8 back on and then doing a bunch of downloads to upgrade to Win 10

Is your laptop newer and does it have a UEFI BIOS? The two computers of mine I'm using both have a newer UEFI BIOS but I've never installed a prior licensed version of Windows 7 / 8 on them. I also just did a clean install from a ISO. Windows 10 records a stamp of the hardware / network / motherboard to identify that computer as uniquely receiving a valid license from a prior Windows 7 / 8 key code. There are no longer key codes unless you buy retail I believe.

This is the exact same reason why I created this thread - My Windows 10 appears to "activated" with a digital entitlement tied to my Microsoft Accounts but I'm concerned about the "Evaluation Build" in the bottom right corner. It is my understanding from reading the notes from Gabriel Aul that Windows 10 is free only for valid previous Windows 7 /8 licenses so at some point we would have to enter one of these in order to keep Windows 10.

 

[Evander]

Is your laptop newer and does it have a UEFI BIOS? The two computers of mine I'm using both have a newer UEFI BIOS but I've never installed a prior licensed version of Windows 7 / 8 on them. I also just did a clean install from a ISO. Windows 10 records a stamp of the hardware / network / motherboard to identify that computer as uniquely receiving a valid license from a prior Windows 7 / 8 key code. There are no longer key codes unless you buy retail I believe.

This is the exact same reason why I created this thread - My Windows 10 appears to "activated" with a digital entitlement tied to my Microsoft Accounts but I'm concerned about the "Evaluation Build" in the bottom right corner. It is my understanding from reading the notes from Gabriel Aul that Windows 10 is free only for valid previous Windows 7 /8 licenses so at some point we would have to enter one of these in order to keep Windows 10.

I dunno much about UEFI but yes it's a newer system I think from 2013 - i7 3000 series CPU laptop: y500 ideapad series:
http://shop.lenovo.com/il/en/laptops/lenovo/y-series/y500/


I thought the permanent activation status was resolved. When I first installed that ISO I did get the 'evaluation build' text on the desktop bottom right, then it went away for several months, now all of a sudden it's back. I don't wanna be jerked around - if it's gonna expire I'd want to put Win 8 on there and do the upgrade before the free upgrade offer ends in August

 

[nenforcer]

Here's what I've read about - if you attempt to back out of the Insider Preview program and just go "mainstream" - Windows 10 at that time will ask for a valid license key from either Windows 7 / 8 assuming you never provided one like I did. Your Lenovo laptop should have a COA sticker attached or you would have a Windows 8 installer disk with sticker / key code attached.

Your not on the Insider Preview release like I am though, are you?

 

[Evander]

Here's what I've read about - if you attempt to back out of the Insider Preview program and just go "mainstream" - Windows 10 at that time will ask for a valid license key from either Windows 7 / 8 assuming you never provided one like I did. Your Lenovo laptop should have a COA sticker attached or you would have a Windows 8 installer disk with sticker / key code attached.

Your not on the Insider Preview release like I am though, are you?

Hopefully that info is correct. Not ideal though - there's no COA sticker on my Lenovo or install disk - it came w/ a hard disk partition. The original hard drive (where 8.1 is installed) is dying and crash prone and slow and I did the clean install on a replacement drive. And yes, I am part of the Inside Preview program and my Win 10 installation reflects this.

 

[ViRGE]

If the laptop came with Win8.1, then the key will be burnt into the BIOS, hence the lack of a COA sticker. Which is great for you as it simplifies matters significantly.

Best advice: Backup & Wipe Win10 Preview, restore Win8.1, upgrade install to Win10 to lock in your hardware ID on the MS activation server. Then you can restore the Win10 Preview.

 

[nenforcer]

If the laptop came with Win8.1, then the key will be burnt into the BIOS, hence the lack of a COA sticker. Which is great for you as it simplifies matters significantly.

Best advice: Backup & Wipe Win10 Preview, restore Win8.1, upgrade install to Win10 to lock in your hardware ID on the MS activation server. Then you can restore the Win10 Preview.

Yes this makes the most sense. You want to definitely do this before July 29th, 2016 if you want Windows 10 free. I've got 2 newer machines running Windows 10 Insider Preview and 2 older machines running Windows 7/8 I don't necessarily want to upgrade. I'm going to see if I can use my Windows 7 / 8 keys on the newer Windows Insider Preview machines and just keep the older machines running Windows 7 / 8.