Free or Cheap Windows 10 still available

randytsuch · « **on:** 14 Dec 2016, 04:21 pm »

Wanted to post you can still get the "free" windows 10 upgrade.

There is a loophole, described in the link.
http://www.howtogeek.com/265409/you-can-still-get-windows-10-for-free-from-microsofts-accessibility-site/
You have to say you use "assistive" technologies, and then you can still get the free upgrade.

So the details, I recently put a new PC together, so needed an OS.

Bought a very cheap Windows 7. Its a download version, but you really just need the key, they email you the key.
https://www.dealscube.com/listing/microsoft-windows-7-professional-32-64bits-for-1-pc/20345?gclid=CjwKEAjwps2_BRC5jduHor-h8xESJADGT-Ltjy5vgcdO6ch1TvybflH1Fv33OU7rn3P7n2owtEoywRoCvCbw_wcB

Get the Windows 10 media creation tool
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10/
EDIT: You may need to use this link instead
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/accessibility/windows10upgrade

Note that the tool didn't work for me, it wouldn't make a bootable stick, but it gives you the option to download the windows 10 iso.

So I downloaded the ISO. Then I used Rufus to make a bootable stick with the ISO file. Rufus is pretty easy to use.

Then just install Windows 10 from the ISO, and use the Windows 7 key when it asks, and it installed no problems for me.

Randy

charmerci · « **Reply #1 on:** 14 Dec 2016, 05:00 pm »

For me, I have W7 on an older laptop. Is the latest version of W10, worth a free download? I'm not downloading any new software on it.

FullRangeMan · « **Reply #2 on:** 15 Dec 2016, 10:57 am »

Quote from: charmerci on 14 Dec 2016, 05:00 pm

For me, I have W7 on an older laptop. Is the latest version of W10, worth a free download? I'm not downloading any new software on it.

Im very picky and certainly it worth get W10, much more fast than W7/8, it even installed the driver from web to my video card for me when it damaged.

Phil A · « **Reply #3 on:** 15 Dec 2016, 02:52 pm »

If it were my main PC, I certainly would update it. I have two Windows music servers that I updated from 8 to 10. I didn't bother with my old Windows 7Pro machine as it was 5 years old a couple of months back and I bought a new Windows 10Pro machine as my main PC. I had lots of programs on the old PC and it will sit in the bedroom as a back-up so I didn't want to go thru any hassle with the many programs I put on it over the years. These days mostly what I use the old PC for is for documents on it that I need.

Scott F. · « **Reply #4 on:** 15 Dec 2016, 04:02 pm »

Great find Randy

After a few months running 10 on my work machine and Surface tablet, I'd wished I could have upgraded the rest of my machines around the house to 10. Problem now solved

randytsuch · « **Reply #5 on:** 15 Dec 2016, 04:10 pm »

I did it for a PC I'm using to record my security cam feeds.
CPU utilization went down maybe 20% after installing windows 10, I was surprised how much difference it made.

The other issue with 7 is Microsoft is going to stop supporting it, so there won't be patches to fix security problems.
EDIT: Just checked, support will stop eventually, but it Windows 7 SP1 will be supported until Jan 14, 2020.

Glad this helped you guys.

Randy

charmerci · « **Reply #6 on:** 15 Dec 2016, 05:12 pm »

Okee dokee. Will do. Roger! (And other cliches!) Thx!

FullRangeMan · « **Reply #7 on:** 16 Dec 2016, 05:43 am »

Although W10 is fully connected w/microsoft servers w/Onenote, Cortana, IE, Defenser etc they will know everything you do and store.

charmerci · « **Reply #8 on:** 17 Dec 2016, 01:00 am »

Actually, I can't stand what MS did with their photo editing program in their recent W10 update so I'm thinking about it.

jpm · « **Reply #9 on:** 17 Dec 2016, 06:11 am »

I hear that never used Win7 and Win8 keys will still activate Win10, though it's been several months since I last verified that myself. In other words, not an upgrade to an existing machine or a key that has ever previously been activated. God, I miss the Action Pack ...

FullRangeMan · « **Reply #10 on:** 17 Dec 2016, 10:20 am »

Quote from: charmerci on 17 Dec 2016, 01:00 am

Actually, I can't stand what MS did with their photo editing program in their recent W10 update so I'm thinking about it.

Try Irfan View.

ctviggen · « **Reply #11 on:** 17 Dec 2016, 01:36 pm »

Windows 10 is a huge privacy issue. You really have to turn everything off, and even then there are things you cannot turn off. Plus, this whole "write once, run everywhere" idea may seem good to Microsoft, but I use my computers as, well, computers. I don't want "apps", I don't want to rent software instead of buy it, and I don't have anywhere but computers to run my software. Often, I don't understand the duality Win 10 wants to force on me. And, as with every other iteration of windows, they keep dumbing it down and hiding things. I can't tell you how many times I've had to search to find something I could easily find under Window 7.

FullRangeMan · « **Reply #12 on:** 17 Dec 2016, 02:21 pm »

Most times custumer have to be a Sherlock Holmes to find commands screens.

YoungDave · « **Reply #13 on:** 19 Dec 2016, 03:17 am »

I tried it yesterday and today. I found win10 to be entirely without merit. It is far too net-centric in its behavior; it has no media center (as has been reported often); it is hard to find commands and to navigate its functions; many win7 drivers do not work with it so much updating of peripherals is needed; and YOU CANNOT SCHEDULE UPDATES.

The product offers no discernible benefits in exchange for the above.

I, like many people worldwide, have metered bandwidth and must do my heaviest downloading late at night. WIN7 let me schedule updates for 3AM and this miserable product does not permit that.

I am rolling back to WIN7 - and, in true Microsoft fashion, the rollback is not smooth. I say stay far away from win10! Perhaps by the time win7 support ends, something useful will be out as a replacement.

Cheers!

FullRangeMan · « **Reply #14 on:** 19 Dec 2016, 09:55 am »

The W10 updates are huge.
Processing are faster than W7 in my Intel 5 core.

jpm · « **Reply #15 on:** 19 Dec 2016, 02:55 pm »

Quote from: YoungDave on 19 Dec 2016, 03:17 am

... YOU CANNOT SCHEDULE UPDATES ...

I, like many people worldwide, have metered bandwidth and must do my heaviest downloading late at night. WIN7 let me schedule updates for 3AM and this miserable product does not permit that.

Cheers!

Some of the things you can do are:

- Tell your computer it's on a metered network so that it doesn't automatically download any updates
- Download updates once to a local computer and use that computer as the source for others on your local network
- Specify active hours so that you're not interrupted by an automatic reboot

Change is hard - no question about that - and there are still aspects of Win10 that are transitional from the old non-touch to touchscreen worlds, but they no longer rise to the level of un-usability that caused me to switch to OSX which Win8 did.

Give yourself a few months with it and every time you notice negative energy ruling your mind, be aware of the likelihood of creating a self fulfilling prophecy. Then, there's every chance you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Top tip: Use Cortana (the search box in the task bar) to find basic settings that seem impossible to find any more.
Biggest continuing annoyance: Persistent promo's for MS Office and, lately, Edge.

randytsuch · « **Reply #16 on:** 19 Dec 2016, 04:23 pm »

I did not intend this to become a debate on Windows 10, but I guess its inevitable

.

I always end up skipping some windows versions, I went from XP to 7 and now to 10.
Vista, 8 and some other forgettable versions were skipped.

10 appears like it will be the version everyone uses eventually.

I am getting a new work PC soon, and it will have 10, so I will be forced to learn it.

So far, I only put it on the PC that does my camera recording, which I don't use much.
But I may upgrade my audio PC soon.

Randy

Don_S · « **Reply #17 on:** 19 Dec 2016, 04:35 pm »

Quote from: jpm on 19 Dec 2016, 02:55 pm

Some of the things you can do are:

EDITED:

Top tip: Use Cortana (the search box in the task bar) to find basic settings that seem impossible to find any more.
Biggest continuing annoyance: Persistent promo's for MS Office and, lately, Edge.

Top tip indeed. I am not especially computer literate but can generally find what I need to do on my computer by using the Cortana search box. I have turned off as much of the personal Cortana tracking as I could.

I find W10 much faster to boot than W7. That alone has made it worth the pain of change and growth.

srb · « **Reply #18 on:** 19 Dec 2016, 04:44 pm »

Quote from: jpm on 19 Dec 2016, 02:55 pm

Biggest continuing annoyance: Persistent promo's for MS Office and, lately, Edge.

Go to Settings > System > Notifications & actions

and turn off notification for "Get tips, tricks and suggestions as you use Windows"

Steve

FullRangeMan · « **Reply #19 on:** 20 Dec 2016, 06:34 am »

Dont let OneNote or Cortana peruse your computer, disable all them for your privacy. For tune updates digit upd in the search at task bar left, it will show you the updates screen command.