Microsoft has been sending numerous mixed
messages about Windows 10 upgrade paths and licensing, and on Monday it
once again tried to take an unambiguous stance. The firm updated
Friday's blog
post
another time in an effort to clear up the "unintended confusion" it had
caused.
Gabriel
Aul, General Manager for Operating System Group's Data and Fundamentals
Team at Microsoft, said that Windows 10 Insider Preview users will only
retain genuine and activated Windows 10 copies if they opt-in for
future pre-release updates on either the Fast or Slow cycle. Users will
need to continue updating to the latest preview build, or have the
pre-release software licence of their build expire.
If users
decide to opt-out of the updates, their builds will no longer be
"activated under the terms of the Windows Insider Program", and they
will be eligible for the same free upgrade offer
as genuine Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 users, while new users (including
those coming in from Windows XP or Windows Vista) will have the paid
upgrade path.
In other words, if you opt out of the Windows Insider program, you will no longer have a licensed Windows 10 copy.
Aul
says in the blog, "Let me start by restating very clearly that Windows
10, whether you get it on 7/29 or whether you got it in a preview form
through the Windows Insider Program is intended to be installed on
Genuine Windows devices... This is not a path to attain a license for
Windows XP or Windows Vista systems."
He adds, "If your system
upgraded from a Genuine Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 license it will remain
activated, but if not, you will be required to roll back to your
previous OS version or acquire a new Windows 10 license. If you do not
roll back or acquire a new license the build will eventually expire."
Microsoft's Windows Insider Preview Is Now Business-Friendly10 April 2017
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