Buy W10 key or buy W7/8.1 key and then upgrade? Any difference?

[Juanchioo]

Hi, right now im using a non official version of windows. I would like to have a geniune one.


I have the following options:

Buy a Windows 10 Pro key and do a clean install.

Buy a Windows 7/8.1 Pro key for cheaper, download that windows, then force the update to Windows 10, and then with that key generated do a clean install.


I have the following requeriments, in the future i will change my motherboard, and i want to be able to use my copy of Windows when that happends.

My question is: If i get the Windows 7/8.1 key, and the upgrade it to Windows 10. Will i experience any difference in the future when wanting to reinstall Windows with a new motherboard? Or will it be exactly the same?

Some people on a forum im on also have this question, i hope this can help others in my place, and i can give the people on my forum an awnser.


Thank you.

 

[TechyInAZ]

the upgrade to windows 10 is OEM no matter what, so replacing your motherboard will make you loose your current windows 10.

I suggest buying the windows 10 RETAIL version. that way you can put it on any PC you want.

 

[Baumy15]

my firend bought a windows 8.1 pro key for $40 and he got windows 10 pro through the free upgrade he notices nothing different well apart from saving $230 AU.
I would say find the cheapest windows 7/8/8.1/10 key possible

also when replacing the motherboard give Microsoft a call beforehand and get them to give you a new code or see if hey can work something else out.

 

[Juanchioo]

the upgrade to windows 10 is OEM no matter what, so replacing your motherboard will make you loose your current windows 10.

I suggest buying the windows 10 RETAIL version. that way you can put it on any PC you want.

are you sure about this, i think i read that if you upgrade from an oem 7 or 8.1 the win10 will be oem, but if you upgrade from retail win10 will be retail!

 

[fkr]

if you buy a retail key you will be fine and you will be able to use it over and over.

here is a thread with a bunch of mods to better explain

http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-1853445/changing-motherboard-affect-license.html

 

[Darkbreeze]

the upgrade to windows 10 is OEM no matter what, so replacing your motherboard will make you loose your current windows 10.

I suggest buying the windows 10 RETAIL version. that way you can put it on any PC you want.

NO. If you have a Pro version of Windows 7, 8 or 8.1, you will get the Win10 Pro version, not the OEM version.

http://www.cnet.com/news/which-edition-of-windows-10-will-you-get-for-free/



The difference between 8.1 Pro and 10 Pro is three bucks. I'd get the 10 Pro, if you really feel you need the Pro version, which just as with prior windows versions doesn't really offer much in the way of additional features that would be relevant to anybody aside from corporate users and those that need serious security capabilities, and avoid having to bother with the entire upgrade scheme since you have to buy SOMETHING anyhow.

 

[Darkbreeze]

the upgrade to windows 10 is OEM no matter what, so replacing your motherboard will make you loose your current windows 10.

I suggest buying the windows 10 RETAIL version. that way you can put it on any PC you want.

are you sure about this, i think i read that if you upgrade from an oem 7 or 8.1 the win10 will be oem, but if you upgrade from retail win10 will be retail!

Yes. Retail = Retail. OEM = OEM. Pro = Pro. End of story.

 

[TechyInAZ]

the upgrade to windows 10 is OEM no matter what, so replacing your motherboard will make you loose your current windows 10.

I suggest buying the windows 10 RETAIL version. that way you can put it on any PC you want.

NO. If you have a Pro version of Windows 7, 8 or 8.1, you will get the Win10 Pro version, not the OEM version.

http://www.cnet.com/news/which-edition-of-windows-10-will-you-get-for-free/



The difference between 8.1 Pro and 10 Pro is three bucks. I'd get the 10 Pro, if you really feel you need the Pro version, which just as with prior windows versions doesn't really offer much in the way of additional features that would be relevant to anybody aside from corporate users and those that need serious security capabilities, and avoid having to bother with the entire upgrade scheme since you have to buy SOMETHING anyhow.

So your saying, if I upgrade my motherboard on my PC (just an example) I can still use windows 10 pro? Because I was told I couldn't. Thus it has to be OEM.

 

[Juanchioo]

the upgrade to windows 10 is OEM no matter what, so replacing your motherboard will make you loose your current windows 10.

I suggest buying the windows 10 RETAIL version. that way you can put it on any PC you want.

NO. If you have a Pro version of Windows 7, 8 or 8.1, you will get the Win10 Pro version, not the OEM version.

http://www.cnet.com/news/which-edition-of-windows-10-will-you-get-for-free/



The difference between 8.1 Pro and 10 Pro is three bucks. I'd get the 10 Pro, if you really feel you need the Pro version, which just as with prior windows versions doesn't really offer much in the way of additional features that would be relevant to anybody aside from corporate users and those that need serious security capabilities, and avoid having to bother with the entire upgrade scheme since you have to buy SOMETHING anyhow.

What prices are you taking in consideration?

Im thinking of getting the key from ebay from a seller with perfect reputation or from reddit: microsoftsoftwareswap

you are right i dont need the pro things, ill get the home version, its 5 u$s cheaper if i go windows 7, and 10u$s cheaper if i go 10

i would like to claryfy this and ill make the pruchase.

IF i get the 7 home premium retail, and upgrade to 10, will i be able to do everything i could do with a windows 10 home key? or will i have a harder time when changin motherboard for example?

thank you for your time, this is the only thing i dont finish to understand

 

[fkr]

when you have an OEM (original equipment manufacturer) OS it means it came from a manufacturer and it was subsidized at a cheaper price because it was bought in bulk by the manufacturer of that computer.

If you buy it in retail then you paid full price and you have full rights to install that on any computer and as many computers as you want as long as it is one at a time.

Please check my earlier post link for details

 

[Darkbreeze]

the upgrade to windows 10 is OEM no matter what, so replacing your motherboard will make you loose your current windows 10.

I suggest buying the windows 10 RETAIL version. that way you can put it on any PC you want.

NO. If you have a Pro version of Windows 7, 8 or 8.1, you will get the Win10 Pro version, not the OEM version.

http://www.cnet.com/news/which-edition-of-windows-10-will-you-get-for-free/



The difference between 8.1 Pro and 10 Pro is three bucks. I'd get the 10 Pro, if you really feel you need the Pro version, which just as with prior windows versions doesn't really offer much in the way of additional features that would be relevant to anybody aside from corporate users and those that need serious security capabilities, and avoid having to bother with the entire upgrade scheme since you have to buy SOMETHING anyhow.

What prices are you taking in consideration?

Im thinking of getting the key from ebay from a seller with perfect reputation or from reddit: microsoftsoftwareswap

Suffice to say, without posting the very in depth moderator discussion that's been going on, there are HUNDREDS, if not THOUSANDS, of people trying to do the same thing you're suggesting, including the microsoftsoftwareswap, G2A and ebay keys, and are finding those keys are blacklisted or just plain not valid.

I'm talking about this:

http://pcpartpicker.com/parts/compare/microsoft-os-fqc04649%2Cmicrosoft-os-fqc06950%2Cmicrosoft-os-fqc08930/


Any other method is rolling the dice with your money.

 

[Juanchioo]

when you have an OEM (original equipment manufacturer) OS it means it came from a manufacturer and it was subsidized at a cheaper price because it was bought in bulk by the manufacturer of that computer.

If you buy it in retail then you paid full price and you have full rights to install that on any computer and as many computers as you want as long as it is one at a time.

Please check my earlier post link for details

my only doubt left is if windows 10 upgraded from windows 7, will be the same as a windows 10 bought as windows 10 and wont be harder to reinstall when i change motherboard!

 

[Juanchioo]

the upgrade to windows 10 is OEM no matter what, so replacing your motherboard will make you loose your current windows 10.

I suggest buying the windows 10 RETAIL version. that way you can put it on any PC you want.

NO. If you have a Pro version of Windows 7, 8 or 8.1, you will get the Win10 Pro version, not the OEM version.

http://www.cnet.com/news/which-edition-of-windows-10-will-you-get-for-free/



The difference between 8.1 Pro and 10 Pro is three bucks. I'd get the 10 Pro, if you really feel you need the Pro version, which just as with prior windows versions doesn't really offer much in the way of additional features that would be relevant to anybody aside from corporate users and those that need serious security capabilities, and avoid having to bother with the entire upgrade scheme since you have to buy SOMETHING anyhow.

What prices are you taking in consideration?

Im thinking of getting the key from ebay from a seller with perfect reputation or from reddit: microsoftsoftwareswap

Suffice to say, without posting the very in depth moderator discussion that's been going on, there are HUNDREDS, if not THOUSANDS, of people trying to do the same thing you're suggesting, including the microsoftsoftwareswap, G2A and ebay keys, and are finding those keys are blacklisted or just plain not valid.

I'm talking about this:

http://pcpartpicker.com/parts/compare/microsoft-os-fqc04649%2Cmicrosoft-os-fqc06950%2Cmicrosoft-os-fqc08930/


Any other method is rolling the dice with your money.

i will risk it, retail is $120 vs $15

if it fails i will lose the $15, im ok with that, i just have that last doubt !

thank you again for your time

 

[fkr]

I have not done it yet but I am sure it will be the same as it always has been. you will just extract what your windows 10 or 7 key is from your current system then when you install windows 10 again and it will ask for your key and you can input it.

further it should be even easier now as it will all be tied into your windows account and it should be discovered from there.

 

[Darkbreeze]

It's too soon to know with any absolute certainty, but from what I've found so far, this seems to be accurate:


A post on answers.microsoft.com suggests that only those who have upgraded from OEM versions of Windows 7 and 8 will need to buy a new Windows 10 license after replacing a computer's motherboard. Those upgrading from a retail version of Windows 7 or 8, the post says, would be able to transfer their copy of Windows 10 to a new machine or PC with a new motherboard.

 

[alphahpla]

According to this Microsoft Community thread:

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10-windows_install/how-do-i-transfer-windows-retail-license-after/6ee1dfe0-8adc-4cce-a46a-748963cf56d1?rtAction=1438237655029

if we upgrade Retail Win 7/8.1 to Win 10, we don't actually get a Win 10 retail license that would allow us to install Win 10 on a new machine (assuming current machine with upgraded Win 10 breaks down completely after 2 years)

 

[fkr]

According to this Microsoft Community thread:

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10-windows_install/how-do-i-transfer-windows-retail-license-after/6ee1dfe0-8adc-4cce-a46a-748963cf56d1?rtAction=1438237655029

if we upgrade Retail Win 7/8.1 to Win 10, we don't actually get a Win 10 retail license that would allow us to install Win 10 on a new machine (assuming current machine with upgraded Win 10 breaks down completely after 2 years)

still a crap answer from MS

Hi Peter,

Thank you for posting in Microsoft Community.

You can’t transfer Windows 10 to new computer. However you can create recovery disk and install Windows 10 on the same computer multiple times.

Hope this information helps.

Thank you.

what constitutes a new computer. what if I RMA a motherboard and they send me a new motherboard that is not the same as I RMA'd as they do not have an identical replacement. it is still the same computer. MS should still provide a genuine copy I would imagine. we will see.

it is a risk I guess for now

 

[Darkbreeze]

EULA for Windows 10 (4.b) explicitly allow us to transfer license to another PC if we upgraded from Retail copy of Windows 7/8.1. Here is the quote:

"If you acquired the software as stand-alone software (and also if you upgraded from software you acquired as stand-alone software), you may transfer the software to another device that belongs to you".

 

[alphahpla]

Yea, that is correct but we are not seeing any clear answers from Microsoft.

Quote from the moderator in the link i provided earlier: http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10-windows_install/how-do-i-transfer-windows-retail-license-after/6ee1dfe0-8adc-4cce-a46a-748963cf56d1?rtAction=1438237655029

"So how do you actually do the transfer? It would work like this:

1) You have a computer with a full retail copy (not pre-installed and not upgraded) version of Windows 7 or 8.1.

2) You upgrade it to Windows 10.

So, if you want to take that to a new computer, you would:

3) Remove the OS from the original computer. This would mean removing Windows 10, but you can't put Windows 7 or 8.1 back on it, because that's the license you want to transfer.

4) Install Windows 7/8.1 (the full qualifying version) onto your brand new computer. Activate it. You might need to call the hotline to activate, and explain to the agent that you are installing it on a new computer now and that the old computer no longer has it installed.

5) Upgrade it to Windows 10. Note that upgrades from previously-qualifying versions are only free until July 29, 2016. After that date, you'll need to buy an upgrade. Note that if you complete steps 4/5 in these instructions before that date, you can install forever for free onto the same computer but your ability to transfer and install again for free would be lost after that date."

If the above is true, then the upgraded retail license only last till the day Microsoft's free upgrade offer ends. After that, you are stuck with an OEM license lol.

 

[Darkbreeze]

Moderators are not all knowing, I can vouch for that, and that one is mistaken, clearly. The truth of the matter is posted further down in that same thread, as I posted above. Clearly Microsoft needs to do a better job of clarifying things, and more importantly, making sure the moderators on their forums are educated/informed/not stupid.

 

[g1abhi]

There is also lack of clarity what happens after 1 year for those who upgrade from windows 7/8 , since their initial statements were to provide support until 1year :http://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain/2015/01/21/windows-10-will-be-a-free-upgrade-for-one-year/
while now its free forever , but kinda not officially stated : http://www.forbes.com/sites/gordonkelly/2015/06/17/windows-10-free-for-1-year-what-happens-next/

 

[Darkbreeze]

How long they provide support, and the amount of time you can use the OS for free are two entirely different things. Support should be the same as if you bought it, which is until whenever Microsoft decides it's end of life, just as with all previous operating systems. Whether you use the product beyond that, and thus beyond the "support period", is completely up to you. Windows XP has long since been unsupported by Microsoft for non-corporate users, but there are clearly still a lot of people and businesses using it.

 

[TechyInAZ]

Yea, that is correct but we are not seeing any clear answers from Microsoft.

Quote from the moderator in the link i provided earlier: http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10-windows_install/how-do-i-transfer-windows-retail-license-after/6ee1dfe0-8adc-4cce-a46a-748963cf56d1?rtAction=1438237655029

"So how do you actually do the transfer? It would work like this:

1) You have a computer with a full retail copy (not pre-installed and not upgraded) version of Windows 7 or 8.1.

2) You upgrade it to Windows 10.

So, if you want to take that to a new computer, you would:

3) Remove the OS from the original computer. This would mean removing Windows 10, but you can't put Windows 7 or 8.1 back on it, because that's the license you want to transfer.

4) Install Windows 7/8.1 (the full qualifying version) onto your brand new computer. Activate it. You might need to call the hotline to activate, and explain to the agent that you are installing it on a new computer now and that the old computer no longer has it installed.

5) Upgrade it to Windows 10. Note that upgrades from previously-qualifying versions are only free until July 29, 2016. After that date, you'll need to buy an upgrade. Note that if you complete steps 4/5 in these instructions before that date, you can install forever for free onto the same computer but your ability to transfer and install again for free would be lost after that date."

If the above is true, then the upgraded retail license only last till the day Microsoft's free upgrade offer ends. After that, you are stuck with an OEM license lol.

That makes perfect sense thank you.