Convert to Consumer Windows 10?

[Arizona Willie]

My Vive Virtual Reality gizmo won't work under Windows 10 Insider Edition.

The company says Insider Editions are the problem.

How do I convert to Consumer Edition of Windows 10?

 

[Pete]

Take yourself out of the insider programme.

Then use the "Recovery" screen in the settings app to reset to a previous build.

 

[Arizona Willie]

Can I just opt back in to Insider Editions if rolling back to Windows 8.1 doesn't work?

 

[Pete]

You didn't say you wanted to go back to Windows 8.1. You said an earlier version of Windows 10.

 

[Arizona Willie]

No I asked if I could < convert > to Consumer Windows 10 --- BUT I am willing to go back to 8.1 which this drive has on it. I was running 8.1 when Windows 10 Insider Edition was installed so I should be able to roll back to 8.1 if you can't convert Insider Edition to Consumer Edition.

I suspect that eventually I will have to buy Windows 10 although it's strange that people running Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 are being forced to take Windows 10 unless they jump through some hoops and Microsoft is not charging THEM for Windows 10.

Perhaps if I roll back to Windows 8.1 it will try to install Windows 10 Consumer for me --- I dunno.

But I want to make my Vive work properly and it will not under Insider Editions, at least those released so far. Perhaps someday they will release an Insider Edition that is compatible but I'm not going to hold my breath.

Now I'm trying to figure out how to dis-enroll from Insider Editions. Went into settings and update etc. and don't find a way there. I did find out how to turn off updates to Insider Editions but not how to quit completely.

I wonder if I quit completely if it will remove Insider Editons from my Surface tablet too. Hope not cause my ownere uses it and she hates change. Raised enough hell about W10 anyway. Nah not really she took that fairly well but will not be happy if it changes again.

Perhaps it would be easier if I just went out and bought a copy of Windows 10 --- will it install over the Insider Editions? I would think it would.

 

[VigneshB]

Using the recovery options, you would go back to 8.1 as you installed this build over it.
You won't need to buy Windows 10 as you can use the free upgrade offer since you were running 8.1 on your PC.
You can install Windows 10 production build(10586.318 as of now).
Un-enrolling from Insider builds will un-enroll only this specific device and not account wide. The setting is under Advanced option in Updates & Security. It's strange that you didn't find it there.

 

[Arizona Willie]

Under Rollback it says I can't because this PC was upgraded over 10 days ago.

Apparently there was / is a 10 day grace period where if you don't like 10 you can roll back but if you use it past 10 days you can no longer roll back.

 

[andrew bainbridge]

Under Rollback it says I can't because this PC was upgraded over 10 days ago.

Apparently there was / is a 10 day grace period where if you don't like 10 you can roll back but if you use it past 10 days you can no longer roll back.

You're gonna get 10 anyway through various updates. You can't escape it. Just use it and get used to it.

 

[VigneshB]

After 30 days Automatic maintenance deletes the Windows.old, $Windows.~BT and $Windows.~WS folder preventing you to go back to the previous version(unless you saved it yourself somewhere else).
One option for you is to clean install Windows 10 using an ISO made from media creation tool or downloaded from Techbench. Or clean install Windows 8.1 from it's ISO. It would be tedious to setup everything again.

 

[Talderon]

If you read the agreements and warnings when opting into the insider program, the only way to go back to Consumer Edition is to reinstall the OS.

I normally do fresh installs (hate upgrades) so I can't speak to the rollback options in recovery.

 

[BaritoneGuy]

Check under advanced start up options. If there is still an 8.1 recovery image on the drive you may have an option to go back to the version of Windows that the device shipped with. My Dell DV8P has this capability still available.

 

[Arizona Willie]

I don't really < want > to get rid of Windows 10. But my Vive does not work properly with Insider Editions. There is no guarantee they will EVER fix this but people running Consumer Windows 10 are not having the same problems people with Insider Edition have so I wanted to try going to Consume Windows 10 or rollback to Windows 8.1.

Won't let me roll back so the only option would be to go to Consumer Windows 10.

and I'm about to ask a question about Consumer Windows 10 and people who are on Insider Edition.

 

[Arizona Willie]

Can I download a free Consumers Windows 10 from Techbench?

I presume it's URL is techbench.com is that right?

edit: went to techbench.com and nothing but an ad for Go Daddy and techbench.org doesn't look right either. Could be but I don't see any discussions of Windows or download place, so I dunno.

 

[Arizona Willie]

Do I understand this right?

People using Windows 7 and Windows 8 get a free copy of Windows 10 up until the end of the month.

But people who are in the Insider Program have to BUY Windows 10 if / when we leave the Insider Program?

 

[VigneshB]

Can I download a free Consumers Windows 10 from Techbench?

I presume it's URL is techbench.com is that right?

edit: went to techbench.com and nothing but an ad for Go Daddy and techbench.org doesn't look right either. Could be but I don't see any discussions of Windows or download place, so I dunno.

Here it is - https://forums.windowscentral.com/e...Fsoftware-download%2Ftechbench&token=aa-dN8IT
Or use this (media creation tool) - https://forums.windowscentral.com/e...Fsoftware-download%2Fwindows10&token=9BsijCoM

Do I understand this right?

People using Windows 7 and Windows 8 get a free copy of Windows 10 up until the end of the month.

But people who are in the Insider Program have to BUY Windows 10 if / when we leave the Insider Program?

You are right for the first point that people using genuine activated Windows 7/8/8.1 can get Windows 10(appropriate edition) for free.
If you upgraded your Windows 7 / 8 / 8.1 to Windows Insider, when you leave Insider Program, you still have a Windows 10 license(Digital entitlement same as the above scenario).
Scenario 1 - If you had clean installed / upgraded Windows Insider build after July 29, 2015, and you had it activated, you have a Windows 10 license, since Windows 10 Insider would not activate on a clean install since then, unless the device was previously activated.
Scenario 2 - If you clean installed the Insider build before July 29, 2015 on a PC running eligible previous OS, you can activate Windows 10 using your Windows 7 / 8 / 8.1 key.
Scenario 3 - You upgraded from previous eligible OS on any date, you have a Windows 10 license.

 

[Arizona Willie]

I have my Windows 8.1 key and Windows 7 also. Can't find the install disk for Windows 8.1 though. Got the envelope with the key but can't find the disk. I know it's here somewhere. < sigh >

So I can download an .iso file and use my Windows 8.1 key --- is that correct?

I hate clean installs too because it takes months to get everything back again. I always keep the old SSD handy but disconnected in my tower so I can go grab anything I missed. I have backups up the wazoo from Acronis True Image. I need to make a rescue disk for the latest edition of Acronis though.

But I usually buy a brand new SSD and put the OS on and then install programs and grab their data from the old SSD and don't mess with restoring the backups. That way I get rid of old accumulated little problems that seem to build up over time and you never notice them until something goes haywire.

EDIT: Just check those links (thank you very much) and I think I better buy a new SSD first. Means more research to find the best and fastest SSD's --- think I will get PCI-E this time they seem to be much faster.

 

[VigneshB]

So I can download an .iso file and use my Windows 8.1 key --- is that correct?

Yes, exactly.

I hate clean installs too because it takes months to get everything back again. I always keep the old SSD handy but disconnected in my tower so I can go grab anything I missed. I have backups up the wazoo from Acronis True Image. I need to make a rescue disk for the latest edition of Acronis though.

But I usually buy a brand new SSD and put the OS on and then install programs and grab their data from the old SSD and don't mess with restoring the backups. That way I get rid of old accumulated little problems that seem to build up over time and you never notice them until something goes haywire.

That's a good strategy. Starting from zero would iron out all the niggles from the previous installation. Though, as you stated, it is an annoyance to get back everything all over again.
I guess, we would be performing clean installs once every six months with a major upgrade coming up during July and November.

EDIT: Just check those links (thank you very much) and I think I better buy a new SSD first. Means more research to find the best and fastest SSD's --- think I will get PCI-E this time they seem to be much faster.

PCI-E generally tends to faster, since M.2 uses the SATA controller. But, I have seen some OEMs like Samsung who use controller chip in their drives which makes M.2 as fast if not faster than their PCI-E counterparts. Case in point would be the Samsung 950 Pro vs the Intel 750 series.
But, it would again depend on the connections on your motherboard. Whether the M.2 slots are shared or not. Also, if you're getting the PCI-E one, get one with a high bandwidth. Most of them in the market are the low bandwidth ones.

 

[Arizona Willie]

How about the Samsung SSD 950 Pro (512GB)?

 

[VigneshB]

That's a beast. I would go for it any day eyes closed.

 

[Arizona Willie]

It is supposed to arrive today in the mail.