[SOLVED] Is windows 10 free? What's with the iso image?

[G4M30V3R]

Do you like purchase it AFTER you install it like an activation key or something?

 

[COLGeek]

Free? No.

Can you download and install for no cost? Yes.

To activate, you need to purchase a valid, legit product key.

You can run, indefinitely, un-activated with only a few features not available to you.

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us...ndows-10/d7420644-fb2d-4c19-8948-0c7199e90e35

 

[USAFRet]

Do you like purchase it AFTER you install it like an activation key or something?

The install is free, direct from Microsoft.

The license key is what you pay for.
You can install it and skip entering the license key. It will run just fine. Until such time as you purchase a valid license. Around $100.

 

[USAFRet]

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

How To - Windows 10 clean install tutorial

If you are looking for the Windows 11 Clean install tutorial, you can find that here: Windows 11 Clean install tutorial (Click here) Otherwise, welcome to the Windows 10 Clean install tutorial This tutorial is intended to help you, step by step, to perform a clean install of Windows...

forums.tomshardware.com

 

[lynx1021]

I installed 10 on my new build earlier this year and skipped the activation and all the junk stuff until I got it set up the way I wanted, then I bought a key and activated it. I also upgraded my old Core 2 duo computer from 2010 from windows 7 to 10 this year for free.

 

[G4M30V3R]

The install is free, direct from Microsoft.

The license key is what you pay for.
You can install it and skip entering the license key. It will run just fine. Until such time as you purchase a valid license. Around $100.

I don't understand. It will run fine "until i purchase a valid liscence"? So if i don't buy a liscence it is the full windows home version? What does it become after i do buy it?

 

[USAFRet]

I don't understand. It will run fine "until i purchase a valid liscence"? So if i don't buy a liscence it is the full windows home version? What does it become after i do buy it?

Yes, it is the full version. With some small restrictions.

A sometimes/usually appearing watermark at bottom right. No customization of the Taskbar.
That's about it.

I have a long running test of a Win 10 Pro, installed in a VM, to test exactly this. First installed on Dec 8 2016. It will be 4 years old in 2 weeks.
Still running just fine.

But, this falls under "Paying for what you use".

 

[howtobeironic]

I have used my gaming computer with an unactivated Windows 10 (retail sellers are price gouging here, so nobody buys retail from a store in this country, if they have OEM on their PC's, that's it) for at least two years. Nothing except an "Activate Windows" watermark, and no customization options (which you can do some using registry), not even the kind of nagging Windows loves to do once in a while by showing a huge screen at every boot or something. It's definitely up to your ethics to buy it after using, but we recommend so.

Also, if you have a computer with an activated Windows 7/8/8.1, you can upgrade that PC to Windows 10 for free.