Yes, this still works, as a Microsoft rep has confirmed. If you already have a Windows 7, 8 or 8. You activate it by using the key from one of those older OSes. But note that you can only use a key on a single PC at a time, so if you use that key for a new PC build , any other PC running that key is out of luck. To do this with a Windows compatible PC after backing up your important data, of course download Windows When asked, select " Upgrade this PC now. Note that if you've recently changed your PC's hardware, such as the motherboard , Windows may not find the license for you device.
That means you'll have to reactive the OS. Here are Microsoft's instructions for reactivating Windows 10 after changing PC hardware. When using an older Windows key to activate Windows 10, you may run into complications if Microsoft isn't sure whether you're eligible to update or not.
However, that seems to be happening less in recent months and years. I have colleagues who have used non-activated versions of Windows for years without Microsoft ever shutting it down. Microsoft brands PCs running an unactivated version of Windows 10 with a watermark in the bottom-right corner of the screen.
A Microsoft spokesperson told me that activating Windows 10 ensures you have a legitimate copy of Windows 10, and the watermark is an attempt to alert consumers that their version could be false.
However, if you downloaded your ISO directly from Microsoft, there's no way your copy can be a fake. That means you can't choose personal desktop wallpapers, slideshow backgrounds, Start, taskbar, Action Center or title bar colors, light or dark color schemes, font choices or lock screen options.
The lack of custom aesthetics can be a downer, especially if you like to liven things up by changing colors and images. However, we checked, and you can still change your wallpaper if you right-click an image from the web or a personal photo and set it as your wallpaper. And if you have a wallpaper tied to your Microsoft account, it will appear if you sign into Windows with that account.
Microsoft offers students attending certain universities and high schools the ability to get Windows 10 for free by allowing them to activate Windows 10 Education for free. You can see if your school is eligible and download your free Windows 10 key here. The key is yours even after you graduate.
But is Windows 10 Education any different from Windows 10 Home? Windows 10 Education is the same as Windows 10 Enterprise, which Microsoft calls the most robust version of Windows The OS has features targeting security, device control and management and deployment that Windows 10 Home lacks.
In addition to ethical concerns, if you get caught, Microsoft can make you pay up anyway. And while some turn to Microsoft for this purchase, there are third-party websites selling keys for much cheaper than Microsoft. Be sure to check their refund policy before buying. Now, let's address the elephant in the room. While we can't vouch for all of them, websites selling lower-priced Windows keys are likely selling legitimate codes.
One popular site, Kinguin, has 37 merchants worldwide selling Windows keys. It's just another marketplace. However, we've encountered reports of customer dissatisfaction, including from users who wanted a specific type of key like non-OEM only , ended up with something different like an OEM version and could only get a refund, rather than the type of key they originally tried to buy.
We've also heard reports of slow customer service. The latest release brings back the Start Menu, though with a Windows 8 twist: live tiles keep you up-to-date with the latest news while also providing an easy way to launch apps. Don't worry if you prefer the Start Screen, it's still there and you can boot into it if you prefer. Apps now work much more like regular desktop programs. They have minimise, maximise, restore and close buttons, and can be resized to a degree and organised however you like.
If you've still lost track of a program in the mass of open windows, a new Task Spaces feature can help. Click its taskbar button and you'll see thumbnails for everything running now, a little like OS X's Mission Control - just click something to switch to it.
Better still, Task Spaces also supports virtual desktops. Add extra desktops as required and it'll display thumbnails of each one, making it easy to identify whatever you're after and switch to it. Most system performance issues are often a result of other software clashing with your brand new software. For instance, security software can clash with a background process, such as a system maintenance tool or defragmentation software.
Another cause of system slowdown, is a result of two software applications performing a similar task. As an example, Windows includes a firewall switched on as a default. Your new security suite is likely to include a firewall. You might also be able to get a hint of the preinstalled Windows Edition from Dells original system configuration, its worth quickly checking this out before committing to download a 4 GB.
See if System Configuration mentions anything about the original installed Windows Edition. In some cases Dell fill in the Original System configuration very well in other cases they do not. The important take home note regarding the Windows 8. If the incorrect Edition of. To continue installation either input a Windows 8. If you do not know what Edition you have you may need to use a bit of trial and error to get the correct Edition to install.
For instance try Windows 8. For the retail license, its easy to determine your edition from your physical media or confirmation email. If however during installation you enter a Retail key for the wrong Edition you will get the error message:. Enter a Different Product Key. The unofficial workaround was to use the Windows 8. This flawed digital distribution was fixed with Windows 10 which offers Windows 10 installation. These new Windows 8. Product activation will occur automatically upon first connection to the internet.
This new set of installation media does not discriminate between Windows 8 product keys which were sold as Upgrade Only and Windows 8. My clean installation with a Windows 8. The tool itself does not require entry of a product key to download the installation media. There is thus no longer any need to use a third party utility to obtain your product key. You will then be prompted for your Windows Edition — in this case I am going to select Windows 8.
Then you will be prompted for your architecture. The 32 Bit version should only be used for legacy applications or weaker hardware such as tablets.
Saving the. Should something go wrong with the USB creation or you format the USB by mistake accidentally you will need to download the media again. Taking the additional step to save the. If you want to download another Edition or Architecture simply launch the media creation tool again. If you had no problems determining your Edition, making the. It requires installation of the base Windows 8. When Media Center is installed the base Windows installation cannot be determined using System you will be in a similar case to users who cannot boot see Determining your Edition when Windows cannot Boot.
After installing your original Edition. The easiest way of adding the product key is via system by right clicking the start button or pressing [Windows] and [x] and then selecting system:. In system you should first check at the bottom that your old version of Windows is activated otherwise you may run into an issue upgrading to media center.
At this stage I do not recommend paying for media centre as you will lose it when you take the free upgrade to Windows 10 therefore the cost is not worthwhile:. Theoretically the following pathways to Media Center are possible with the ones crossed out being a complete waste of money and time:. After upgrading you will be unable to determine your original version using System.
You can also obtain your product keys using Berlarc Advisor.
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