Windows 10 activation as Insider

[Worzx]

Hi!

During the Windows 10's test phase, there was a thing, that Windows insiders who tested the system will get the final version of Windows 10 for free. However, I did not find any documents or help about this is true, and if it is, what do i have to do to get a CD key. As far as I know, if you keep your current Insider preview updated, you will get the normal updates like you have a newly installed and activated Windows 10. My problem is, that my motherboard crashed 2 days ago, so I'm currently waiting for my new motherboard and CPU. Since I'm switching from AMD to Intel, regarding to my experience there is no way I wouldn't get a BSOD on boot because of the new main components.

So my question is: Do insiders really get it for free, and if yes, what should I do after installation to activate Windows 10?

Thanks for your help.

 

[tgp]

I installed the Windows 10 Technical Preview on an extra desktop I had sitting around way back at its beginning. It was a clean install on a clean hard drive. Sometime after the 10240 update, I noticed that it says that it is activated. I had the same question you do. We were talking about it at work today, and a colleague said that he found information that said that the Insiders get it for free.

I don't use the desktop for much of anything except testing, so I'll just leave it as is and see what happens. Will the activation be gone sometime in the future after an update or something? The desktop is several years old and shipped with Windows 7 Pro, so it does not have the product key embedded in the motherboard like computers that shipped with Windows 8. Since I installed the W10TP on a clean hard drive, there is no way it can have my original Windows product key. I'll leave it as is and see if anything comes up in the future. If it turns out I need to activate it, I have the Windows 7 Pro product key that the desktop shipped with originally.

 

[ncbartschi]

I believe, if I remember correctly, that Windows Insiders will be able to continue using Windows 10 for free as long as they are enrolled in the slow or fast ring. As soon as you check to stop receiving insider builds, you must enter a valid product key to activate and continue using.

Microsoft said they will release more information about Insider members soon, so I'm assuming we'll hear more in the coming days after the upgrade mania settles.

 

[Worzx]

This sucks, I can't do anything to run the same system.

 

[NeoDerGrosse]

Did you realy expect to get a free copy of Windows? Why should Microsoft sell it if everyone could get it for free?

 

[Worzx]

I'm expecting what they said. They said insiders can continue to use the public version of Windows 10. Also got an email about this.

 

[Grumpy yorkie]

I installed the preview on a bare drive, it is now updated to build 10240. If you start a command prompt and type in slmgr /xpr (space between the r and /) it opens up a script box telling you the activation, in my case permanently. Next in the search box type Winver and it says who it is registered to again in my case registered to me so I take that to have the same rights as retail even though it was without a qualifying operating system.

 

[psyke45]

I had planned on doing a proper update on my yoga to make sure, but I noticed a couple things; before going back to windows 8.1 and my proper license, I left the insider track and it gave me a message that install was still governed under the standard windows licensing terms... so it didn't de-activate at all. But, all the same, I started from scratch. To start, I tried to install Win10 Home, and it said that my license wasn't valid for activation. so, I went back to 8.1 and it activated no problems, and I then did the in place upgrade to 10 home, and it again activated fine.

The next thing I did was I wanted to see what an upgrade to 10 Pro would cost... when I went to the store, It gave me the option to upgrade now....so I did, it did its thing, and I'm now running Pro instead of Home, which is what I should have had, do to 8.1 being a home version as well... Just to make sure, I went to check my GFs machine, and she's showing 99.99 to upgrade to pro...

Unfortunately I can't check on my other machines as they were already pro devices..... So it's possible they did go ahead and give full licensed copies to those in the insiders program....

Cheers!
Steph S