Windows 10 also comes on USB stick

Preorders just appeared on amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-Wind…dp/B01019T6O0/
http://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-Wind…dp/B01019TDJ8/

As was already known, prices are $120 for Home version and $200 for Professional version.
For $80 of difference you get these features in Pro version:
http://www.techradar.com/news/softwa…lained-1299310

If you use your PC for business, Windows 10 Pro has extra features over Windows 10 Home – the most important of which is being able to join a domain, including Azure Active Directory for single sign-on to cloud services (and have group policy applied as part of that).

You also get Hyper-V for virtualisation, BitLocker whole disk encryption, enterprise mode Internet Explorer, Remote Desktop, a version of the Windows Store for your own business, Enterprise Data Protection containers (a feature that comes later in the year) and assigned access (which locks a PC to running only one modern application, to use like a kiosk). Pro users can get updates from Windows Update for Business, which includes options for scheduling updates so they don't reboot PCs at important business times.

There are ways of connecting Windows Home PCs to a server, but if you want the familiar business PC experience, Windows 10 Pro is what you need. It will be a free upgrade from the Pro versions of Windows 7 and 8.1 (which includes Windows 7 Ultimate as well as Professional, and Windows 8.1 Pro and Pro for Students), you'll be able to upgrade to it from Windows 10 Home, and some desktops and notebooks designed for business will come with Windows 10 Pro.

Two feature differences are important to users who're not running home business IMO:
1. you can't disable/postpone windows updates on windows 10 home, but I suppose this will be possible with some 3rd party tool in the future
2. if a game refuses to work on win10, you can't use HyperV virtual environment to bring up older OS, but this can be dealt with with other solutons (for example vmware).


Important notes:

Windows 10 free upgrade on every existing win7/win8 will be available at the end of this month - digitally.

This official USB installation version for those who want it, will be released at the end of next month.

Current insider version, build 10240, is widely suspected to be RTM version as there is no more time left for DVD releases. As some other previous builds, this one doesn't have to be used as an upgrade but is possible to make a clean install out of it.

The official word from Microsoft is that your win7/8 key can NOT be used to activate win10 on clean installation, but you should perform an upgrade instead. Seems it's not true, at least not in all cases as this person managed to activate win10 build 10240 with their win8 key:
http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?p=1041739908


Most important note:

Remember that you can upgrade from win 7/8 to win10 for free during next 12 months. After that period expires, if you didn't upgrade, you will have to buy a new license.
The activation process works different than with win7 and win8. After you upgrade for free, you may reinstall (clean install) win 10 on that very same machine as much times as you want, windows 10 won't ask you anything but will be automatically activated on every new install!
http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/i…c-3320f8422f4a

When you install Windows 10, it checks to see if your computer is running a qualifying earlier version of Windows. If it is, the upgrade proceeds and your computer will activate. There is no need for a license key.
Microsoft has announced that is no longer activating Windows 10 installations until July 29, so there's no point to installing Windows 10 now.
Going forward, license keys are only needed to install Windows 10 on computers that don't have a qualifying earlier version of Windows. Activation is now based on the system hardware, so once Windows 10 is activated, you'll never need that license key again.

What does this mean? It means, unless during next 12 months you desperately want the USB key from the thread title, you shouldn't buy win 10 but win7 or win8 license on a new PC you plan to buy (take FreeDOS option if it's not a custom build). Or a PC that still runs winXP or Vista (and I know some people still do this!).
Win8 licenses are dirt cheap on those shady key resellers, but if you don't want to risk that, you may always go for a bargain prices on Amazon:
http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/get-che…ndows-10-free/

Hardware based hmmmmm, I wounder how that works technically…. ?

Ok, let's say that I will upgrade to W10 within 12 months… and, let's say, 2 years from now I will build a new machine. Do I need to buy a new copy or is there a way to clean install "old" W10 on a new comp?

Originally Posted by zahratustra
Ok, let's say that I will upgrade to W10 within 12 months… and, let's say, 2 years from now I will build a new machine. Do I need to buy a new copy or is there a way to clean install "old" W10 on a new comp?

As I understand it that is exactly the hook MS uses to make money with Win10. Theyre giving away 100m+ free licenses, but when these people upgrade to a new PC, they need a new license. And going back to the old stuff is no serious option.

It's a generous offer for those who want to upgrade within the next year though.

Based on my understanding, If you change your motherboard, then its considered a "new device" and you will need to buy new copy of Win 10 and you can't move the current key. However people are saying that if you call MS phone line, then they will activate it for you …

I believe they key is not tied to the CPU, RAM, GPX etc. So you can change them and the current key will work.

Originally Posted by zahratustra
Ok, let's say that I will upgrade to W10 within 12 months… and, let's say, 2 years from now I will build a new machine. Do I need to buy a new copy or is there a way to clean install "old" W10 on a new comp?

You will need a new license for that machine you'll buy in 2 years.

Originally Posted by lostforever
Based on my understanding, If you change your motherboard, then its considered a "new device" and you will need to buy new copy of Win 10 and you can't move the current key. However people are saying that if you call MS phone line, then they will activate it for you …

This part actually so far wasn't disclosed in detail by Microsoft.
There are still unanswered questions on M$ twitter and forum where people ask what if your HDD farts and you bought a new HDD after 12 months passed. As you didn't get any key from the free upgrade to use again.
It's IMO silly to pay $120 (or more) for a new license just because your HDD died, but without an official answer, I'm not sure.

Originally Posted by lostforever
Based on my understanding, If you change your motherboard, then its considered a "new device" and you will need to buy new copy of Win 10 and you can't move the current key. However people are saying that if you call MS phone line, then they will activate it for you …

I believe they key is not tied to the CPU, RAM, GPX etc. So you can change them and the current key will work.

For win 7 at least, even changing the hard drive will be detected and the reactivation will be denied. However just call MS and they will issue you an activation code. I assume Win 10 will be the same.

I've never had problems with disks, but i've had to replace motherboards twice. No problems calling MS, last time there even was just an automatic phone service guiding me through the procedure.

Pibbur who was pretty as a baby, but then pirates came and replaced him.

Windows 10 is actually very elegantly designed and the Edge browser is a major improvement. A good surprise.

However I'm sure it will be even better with Classic Shell or with Stardock's suite of UI tools. I don't want those stupid tiles with data streamed from Microsoft sites in the start menu.

Errr, sorry HHR, I can't to go into actual OS vivisection as I didn't have a chance to test it thoroughly.

One thing I do know. You got SSD? If you do, all browsers are good. On any OS.
Which is kinda sad to say, a piece of hardware needed to have something run fast that should have been fast by default without SSD.
But that's also the effect SSD has on numerous unoptimized games. Which has nothing to do with OS really.

Win10's major improvement is actually supposed to be DX12.

Have to add that win10 won't instantly recognize/install all possible drivers on all machines. And we can't use SlimDrivers as that util is not win10 compatible yet.
If you'll upgrade soon, bookmark the util on http://www.drivethelife.com/ which is supposed to take care (also) of broken/missing win10 drivers.

Some girl just called up and said "7 days" to me, then hung up. I presume she's talking about the Win 10 update.

A company-level Windows store actually sounds interesting to me. We're using a boatload of ClickOnce applications at work right now.

Originally Posted by Zloth
Some girl just called up and said "7 days" to me

You sure it wasn't some japanese horror thing that's actually happening to you?

Of course not! I'm sure my character is always fuzzy in my recent screenshots because Risen 3 is buggy.

Buggy? ROTFL
Risen 3 left only two bugs unpatched.
I wish all games were like Risen 3.

Wait… This ain't Risen 3 thread!!!

I've brought my win 8 to every new computer I've built or new hd or MB upgrade. Which has been quite a few.

You just call the number and answer the automated questions and it will spit out a new code.

I'm assuming win10 will be the same but I guess I don't know for sure.

Eh?
Not sure what are you about…

It works like this. You "reserved" win10 upgrade?

If no, great!
You'll download it when you want. The RTM build leaked a week or so ago and M$ will for sure make it available for download on their site just like they did with win8 installation.

If yes…
Starting tomorrow it'll download the installation in background on your PC. Slowly, don't expect it to be superfast unless M$ took HumbleBundle's example and suddenly decided peer2peer torrent system is superb when it comes to fast distribution.
When it fully downloads it'll ask if you want to upgrade right away or later. The choice is yours.


When you start the upgrade, it'll ask you what to keep. Apps/settings. Your choice.
For what I know, the only thing you can't possibly keep is currently incompatible AV software. So you'll say yes, and the upgrade will run, on rubbish PCs (read: toasters with 1Gb RAM) up to two hours, on PCs with SSD about 15 mins.
When it's done it'll ask you to set privacy settings. Basically, you'll turn off every single option that says "sending data to Microsoft". We don't want NSA spying on us, right?

After that win10 will start. You'll get superbig icons. Worry not. Just leave it running (or see what's happening inside settings/updates) about 10 mins till it downloads and installs all needed drivers/updates. Then you're good to go.

Did you notice something? I didn't mention keys anywhere. Yes, you don't enter any key nor any code.
Forget the code, forget the phone, it's PC, not phone. If you do the upgrade before 29.07.2016. you get your win10 license for free and you have nothing to care about.

For those who want know more about win10 key and when it does appear as an installation question during free upgrade year:


.
Since the upgrade possibility officially starts tomorrow (although you can upgrade right now), just to repeat a few things I said previously. My personal opinion and I don't really care if you disagree.

- If you're on windows 7, there is absolutely no need to rush on win10, be patient and stick to your good old OS, let others betatest it.

- If you're on windows 8, do the upgrade immediately.

- After you upgraded, feel free to "play" with new windows for a month. If within that month happens you dislike or hate windows 10, you can revert it back to windows 7/8 at any time. The process is easy and is superfast.

Originally Posted by joxer
Eh?
Not sure what are you about…

It works like this. You "reserved" win10 upgrade?

If no, great!
You'll download it when you want. The RTM build leaked a week or so ago and M$ will for sure make it available for download on their site just like they did with win8 installation.

If yes…
Starting tomorrow it'll download the installation in background on your PC. Slowly, don't expect it to be superfast unless M$ took HumbleBundle's example and suddenly decided peer2peer torrent system is superb when it comes to fast distribution.
When it fully downloads it'll ask if you want to upgrade right away or later. The choice is yours.


When you start the upgrade, it'll ask you what to keep. Apps/settings. Your choice.
For what I know, the only thing you can't possibly keep is currently incompatible AV software. So you'll say yes, and the upgrade will run, on rubbish PCs (read: toasters with 1Gb RAM) up to two hours, on PCs with SSD about 15 mins.
When it's done it'll ask you to set privacy settings. Basically, you'll turn off every single option that says "sending data to Microsoft". We don't want NSA spying on us, right?

After that win10 will start. You'll get superbig icons. Worry not. Just leave it running (or see what's happening inside settings/updates) about 10 mins till it downloads and installs all needed drivers/updates. Then you're good to go.

Did you notice something? I didn't mention keys anywhere. Yes, you don't enter any key nor any code.
Forget the code, forget the phone, it's PC, not phone. If you do the upgrade before 29.07.2016. you get your win10 license for free and you have nothing to care about.

For those who want know more about win10 key and when it does appear as an installation question during free upgrade year:

Spoiler

You'll be asked for a key if:
- you're upgrading a nongenuine "noncracked" windows7/8*
- you're trying to upgrade win7home/basic or win8core to win10pro
- you're performing a clean install

In every case here, you can skip entering the key but in the end your win10 will not be activated unless you buy the license or it was a clean installation AFTER you've upgraded and got your free license previously.

————————————————————-
*
- The upgrade doesn't ask for key if the nongenuine OS was activated with so called "activators" or through slmgr commands that pointed old windows to an illegal site, but upon the upgrade, the win10 key displayed will *not* be the one genuine windows receive but something else. Microsoft did announce they'll make an offer for users of nongenuine OS to buy the legal license so this is probably it.
- If nongenuine OS was "cracked" with so called WAT remover, something like that, the upgrade *will* ask for key during the upgrade process.

.
Since the upgrade possibility officially starts tomorrow (although you can upgrade right now), just to repeat a few things I said previously. My personal opinion and I don't really care if you disagree.

- If you're on windows 7, there is absolutely no need to rush on win10, be patient and stick to your good old OS, let others betatest it.

- If you're on windows 8, do the upgrade immediately.

- After you upgraded, feel free to "play" with new windows for a month. If within that month happens you dislike or hate windows 10, you can revert it back to windows 7/8 at any time. The process is easy and is superfast.

Not sure if this post was directed at me but I've been running win 10 for a month now and won't go back to anything else.

My last post was just addressing people's concerns about needing a new license with new hardware.

It's directed at anyone who mentions phones.

New license with a new hardware is needed if your windows 10 is OEM version.
Except in Germany where the court ruled that OEM idiocy is Microsoft's nearscam bullshit and as such is illegal in that country thus if in Germany, once you buy windows 10 or upgrade for free, you don't need to by any new win10 license. Ever.

Might not have to deal with forced updates after all.

http://www.zdnet.com/article/microso…ws-10-updates/

Posted that link yesterday.