Question About Windows 10 Activation Grace Period

Burning Sunset

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Nov 17, 2015
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I know old versions of windows gave you a grace period of 30 days to put in your activation key and let you use windows until then. Is that the same for Windows 10 with a clean install, or has that changed any?
 
Solution


Since this is only for a few days, and this is only a 'test...no install needed. Would run directly off the DVD. And you would not be able to install/run any of your Windows applications.

But, it does require a bit of investigation into running it.


There is no grace period. If you do not enter the license key during the install, it will start with reduced functionality. Before long, it will reboot every hour or so.
 


How much reduced functionality? I can pretty much deal with that. I had to download the media creation tool to do a fresh install on an old computer I upgraded to Windows 10 since it kept freezing up at the select Keyboard Layout screen since I will be giving it away in a couple days when I order my parts for a new computer I'm building. Was hoping to use the USB again to put Windows on the new build to make sure it works and get the thermal paste burned in until I get paid the following week and can buy the license. (Which reminds me, from what I can tell I would be better off with a retail version and not an OEM version because I've heard the OEM dies if the motherboard dies, but the retail I can reuse if that happens. Do you know if that is true?)
 


You'll be giving it away in a couple of days? Giving what away?
What are you doing?

Retail vs OEM? Buy the Retail. Y9ou can move that to new hardware without issue. Only one PC at a time, of course.
OEM license, MUCH more hassle.
 


I'll be giving the computer I am using right now away to my brother who needs one just for internet and and email since I'm planning on building a new one. It was a windows 7, but I got the free upgrade for it when it first came out. I wanted to do a fresh reset to get rid of all of my junk on here, but it kept freezing at the Select Keyboard page. So I was told to download the media creation tool and create a bootable USB key with a completely fresh copy of Windows 10 that would activate on this computer, which thankfully it has with no problems.

My problem is I'm probably going to end up a little short so was hoping to use the USB key to install it on my new build long enough to make sure there is no problems and get the paste burned in until I get paid again the next week to buy the Windows 10 Retail Key. I just wante dto know if it was allowed (Grace period) and if it would even work.
 


I don't know anything about linux, are they hard to use? Would it be as easy to install and how do I know which one to download and use? Thank you so much for all of the help.
 


Since this is only for a few days, and this is only a 'test...no install needed. Would run directly off the DVD. And you would not be able to install/run any of your Windows applications.

But, it does require a bit of investigation into running it.
 
Solution


Thank you, I'm going to look into it and see what I can find out about it.
 


Go here:
http://linuxmint.com/

Look around...:)
 


Thanks again, I'm downloading it now so I can have it ready for my new pc.