How many times can you install licensed Windows 10. Types of Windows licenses

Is the update real?

If in Windows 7 an integrated authentication mechanism was used, then with the development of the “ten” Windows Genuine Advantage disappeared. But Microsoft also took a different path, limiting users who installed unlicensed Windows 10 (for which there is no key) only slightly. And the main difference is that during an update from a “seven” or “eight”, the new operating system asks for a key, without which the procedure is impossible. Without entering the key, the “Next” button is not activated, and the user has no choice but to complete the installation of the update. So the authors of any pirated assembly do nothing more than promote their creations, although it is possible to bypass the license key, but in very rare cases.

But the problem is quickly solved by disconnecting the network connection when installing the update to Windows 10. If the key was in the old system, it will be activated automatically the first time you log into your account.

Installing pirated "top ten"

Installing Windows 10, for which there is no key, begins by downloading the operating system image. To download an ISO file, you need to use the Media Creation Tools.

• We go to the Windows 10 downloads section of the Microsoft website and click “Download Tool” to download a tool that allows you to get an image with the Tens installation files and deploy it on a flash drive.

• Select the first option and click “Next”.

• We select the Russian language, in the “Edition” line it is better to choose the Pro edition, and decide on the bit depth of the future “ten”.
• Click “Next”.

• In the window for creating a flash drive with installation files, select creating media for another PC, that is, move the checkbox to the first position to create a flash drive for installing Windows 10 without a key.

When you download the image, you can, in the first case the flash drive will be formatted and the installation files will be written to it.

• Select the drive and click “Next”.

Subsequently, the distribution will begin downloading and deploying to the removable drive, which may take time.

When the recording is complete, a window will appear symbolizing success.

Installation

The installation process is unremarkable, but we will still consider it due to the presence of one feature.

• We restart the computer and go to the “Boot Menu”, called by F2, F9, F11 or another key after initializing the BIOS.
• In it, select the “USB Hard Drive” or similar option (in different BIOS versions the name may differ, and it may contain the name of the manufacturer of your flash drive).

• We click on any key until the BIOS transfers control of loading the computer to the bootloader located on the HDD.

• Select the language options and click “Install”.

• Let's get acquainted and accept the terms of use of the new Windows.

• Select an acceptable OS installation option.

Here we come across a nuance for which it was worth considering the steps to install the “ten” without a key.

• In the window that appears, where you are asked to enter the key received by mail when purchasing the OS, enter it. If you don’t have it, which is the more common option, then simply click “Skip”, since the “Next” button is not active.

• Select the drive to which you want to unpack Windows 10 files.

For the next ~15 minutes, user intervention in the copying and updating process is not required.

• We indicate the key parameters of the new OS for which there is no key, or use standard parameters.

• Create an account.

After logging into your account, you will not notice any strange things: everything is updated and functioning properly, but after a few days a warning will appear in the lower corner that Windows requires a key.

When you go to “Control Panel” or “Settings”, the message “Windows is not activated” will appear.

Limitations in an OS without a key relate to its customization, that is, the ability to configure the appearance of the desktop, lock screen, window design, sound settings and unauthorized placement of desktop shortcuts is disabled.

But, as mentioned earlier, you can get around this ban quite simply - disconnect the connection to the network. As a result, you will have full access to the Personalization menu and can change anything. After access to the Internet appears, oddly enough, the settings are not reset, as was the case, for example, with deleting the screensaver in Windows 7 without a key.

In all other respects, your Windows 10 will be practically no different from the one purchased for several thousand rubles: everything will function properly, occasionally prompting the user to activate the operating system, reminding the user that it requires a key when entering the “Control Panel” and “Settings”, and also nowhere the inscription in the lower left part of the screen will not disappear.

Activation

If you want to support the non-distressed Microsoft corporation and purchase Windows 10, stop by the store. The Pro version will cost 4,600 rubles. In case you get the key to activate the “ten” in a different way, you can enter it in the “Activation” tab in the “Update, security” item of the operating system parameters.

Users who purchased the update through the store or are members of the Insider program will not need a Windows 10 key, as it is tied to the PC hardware.

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With the release of a new operating system from Microsoft, more and more PC users are interested in: how to get Windows 10 for free and is it possible to get a free license? This question is quite extensive, so in this article we will briefly consider all possible options.

How to get a Windows 10 license for free in 2017?

Gone are the glorious times when obtaining a licensed Windows 10 was absolutely free. Until July 29, 2016, anyone could upgrade to ten without any problems. But don't despair! There is still a legal loophole, which we will talk about in this article. If you still have a burning question about how to register Windows 10 for free, then do not run far from your monitor screens and call your friends if they are also interested in this.

1. You need to have a licensed seven or eight.
2. Go to the official Microsoft page, where you can download a special Windows for people with disabilities. Don’t be scared by this wording, the operating system is completely normal, it just has additional features, for example, a virtual keyboard or a magnifying glass. You don't even have to turn them on.
3. Click “Update now” - the installation file is downloaded to your desktop.
4. Click on the file and follow the instructions - click “I Accept”, “Next”, etc.

All! You are the owner of ten!

More details in the video:

How could you get licensed Windows 10 for free before 07/29/2016

Option #1: “normal”

In the “standard” situation, every user of the previous version of Windows received “top ten” for free. But this state of affairs was relevant only for those who purchased the previous version in the store or received it along with their PC. Unfortunately, the vast majority of users in our country actively use a variety of pirated versions or, even worse, numerous “assemblies”, looking at which any IT specialist can instantly demonstrate all the signs of severe food poisoning at the same time.

However, if you were what is called a “proper” PC user, then getting a free copy of Windows 10 would not be difficult. All you had to do was click on the notification icon, answer a couple of questions and, after a few hours, get a fresh ten absolutely free.

If you have never spent money on an OS or have erased the original Windows from your computer, you should consider one of the following options. For each of them, we have prepared small instructions designed to speed up the process.

Option number 2: insider

The second method made it possible to get an answer to the question of how to get Windows 10 for free, without having a licensed seven and without investing a penny. The fact is that for participants in the preliminary testing program, Windows 10 was absolutely free. To take advantage of all the benefits of such an offer, you had to act as follows:

1. Go to the Windows Insider website and register for the testing program;
2. Find the original Windows 10 Insider Preview image on numerous Torrent trackers (preferably one of the later ones);
3. Install it on your PC and activate it with the original key;
4. It is absolutely free to use.

In addition, this method of obtaining a Windows 10 license allowed you to become the owner of newer versions of the OS, as well as update much earlier than ordinary users, so you wouldn’t have to figure out every time how to speed up getting a new “build.” However, you had to pay for such efficiency with reliability - there was a risk that the next update would hit your PC with an error. However, at the time of writing this article, no such situation had arisen.

Option No. 3: folk

Finally, when trying to figure out how to get free Windows 10 and a license for it, you might have resorted to the most common, albeit not the most legal, method.

• Download a pirated or licensed image of Windows 10 from any popular torrent tracker;
• Install it on your PC;
• Activate using KMSNano or any other modern activator.

We can talk for a long time about the moral and legal part of such a decision, however, this option is still the most popular in our country. If you can’t find a license for Windows 10 for free, then many people choose pirated versions. I would just like to say that in this case it is worth choosing original images, and not assemblies, to which a bunch of unnecessary junk has already been added, as well as (in some cases) malware.

Option #4: hybrid

If you had a pirated Windows, you could update it in the same way as a licensed one, however, after the update, the OS would ask you for activation, which you could not complete due to the lack of a key. At this stage, one could resort to KMSNano or other activators. As a result, you would get a completely official image, in which there would be nothing superfluous and which did not require money from you.

In this article, we have discussed this in detail and can get a license for it for free. We hope you found it useful. Leave your comments and questions.

By the way, on our website you can find instructions on how to use the Media Creation Tool, thanks to which you can find the answer to the question: how to get Windows 10 without waiting in line.

After the release of Windows 10 at the end of July 2015, Microsoft generously allowed users of licensed Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 to upgrade to it free of charge for a whole year. However, not everyone took advantage of this - many liked the old system, many were not satisfied with the dampness and slowness of Windows 10 - in general, over the year the new system has not even come close to Windows 7, which currently occupies more than a third of the desktop OS market. However, times are changing - Windows 10 is no worse in stability than 7, and has several convenient features: the Cortana voice assistant, support for DirectX 12, the ability to create several virtual desktops, etc. - and more and more people want to upgrade, and Microsoft has made a loophole for them: the free upgrade option has been extended for users with disabilities. And here there is an interesting point - special features also include the use of an on-screen keyboard, which I think almost everyone who has worked with Windows has used at least once in their life (and for owners of Windows tablets, this is generally the only input method). In addition, Microsoft does not check in any way whether you are a person with disabilities or not, so you can safely use this update method.

What does it consist of? You need to go to the free update site and click the “Update Now” button, after which the download of the update program will begin. For it to work correctly, you will need a fully updated Windows 7 SP1 or Windows 8.1, as well as at least 10 GB of hard drive space. The size of the downloaded files will be about 4 GB. The update will be performed automatically; you can find out the version of Windows 10 you receive from the table below:

After the update, in order to assign the key to your computer, you need to sign in to your Microsoft account - this is done in the account settings:


That's it, after this the key is tied to your device, and even after a clean reinstallation of Windows 10, to activate you just need to log into your account again, after which activation will occur automatically.

• What should I do if after the update the system is slow, slow, programs crash or do not open at all? Alas, this happens, the update mechanism can work crookedly. In this case, you need to do a clean installation of Windows 10 (this will delete all files from the disk, so you should move them somewhere) - to do this, you need to go to this site and click the “Download tool now” button. In the downloaded program, you need to select “Create bootable media for another computer” and follow the program’s instructions. To create bootable media, you will need a flash drive with a capacity of at least 4 GB (not all are suitable, since it requires 3.88 GB on it - it is better to take 8 GB or more to be sure). After creating a bootable USB flash drive, you need to boot from it, select a custom installation of Windows and delete all partitions on the drive - the installer will create them again. As I already wrote above, after such installation and logging into your account, the system activates itself.
• What should I do if I bought a new device without Windows 7 or 8 pre-installed (or my device has a lower version of Windows 7, Linux or macOS)? First, you need to install, activate and completely update Windows 7 or 8.1 on it, and then follow the instructions above to update to Windows 10.

PC users have heard about the release of the new Microsoft Windows 10 operating system; there are also those who managed to update their device to it on their own or with the help of competent friends. Despite criticism over privacy, initial glitches and lack of drivers, it is a very balanced and optimized system.

The material below will help you understand how to install Windows 10 on a computer (any one, from a tablet to a desktop PC). All stages of installing Windows 10 and activating it through a previously obtained digital license are described here.

Why is “ten” better?

Experiments on rather weak PCs show that the optimized 32-bit “ten” shows better performance than the OS before it. And this can be seen both when working with office packages and when surfing the web. If you have a “light” third-party or standard antivirus (provides good basic protection), Windows 10 64-bit edition shows higher performance than version 8.1 or 7.

However, the benefits will be appreciated only by those who have installed this OS and configured it properly. Users, having read negative comments since 2015, fundamentally do not install this operating system, but now it is the best that Microsoft has.

Proper installation of Windows 10 from scratch allows you to get a stable and functional system even on a very weak device. This system has the same hardware requirements as Windows Vista, which means that all mid-priced PCs from 2006 (with dual-core processors and 2 GB of RAM) will run well on it.

To ensure that the gradual transition to a new OS is completed correctly, without losing your license and user data, you should follow the upgrade instructions.

Switch to Windows 10 while maintaining your license

Despite the fact that it was possible to upgrade to “ten” for free only until July 2016, many users can make the transition now, and without purchasing a new OS.

Thanks to the fact that Microsoft is using a new type of license - digital (starting from Windows 8), users have the opportunity to activate the “top ten” using their keys from older systems (Windows 7 and 8.1).

This method does not always work, but it’s worth a try: when installing from scratch, enter the key from the old version.

Perhaps, during the process of “forced transition” in 2015-2016, your computer was already updated to 10, if so, then the license was saved on the corporation’s servers and you were “remembered”. Even if you then “rolled back” to the old version, you can reinstall ten and automatically receive a license (the Internet must be turned on).

But how to install Windows 10 on a laptop with a license if the above steps were not taken? The easiest way to do this is to use a program for people with disabilities. Formally, no one will check your “limitations”; the wording of this concept is very vague, but the license comes (the main thing is that you have an official OS before this).

Is the update scary?

Many users know from experience the “features” of Windows when upgrading from older to new versions (usually accompanied by “glitches” and freezes). Here Microsoft has no changes - as before, a full installation of Windows 10 is preferable to an update (corporate employees write about this directly). However, the update is a must if you want to properly upgrade to the OS and get the license. The unpleasant procedure can be carried out only once in order for the corporation to enter your device into its database. All subsequent installations will receive a digital license automatically.

Don't know how to switch to a new OS? First, get a license or find a cracker, although its use violates the law. Remember, you need to switch only after thoroughly saving your data. When updating, all programs and files will be saved, but it is better to play it safe, since the “updated” OS works much worse than the one installed completely. Theoretically, the system can help itself by uninstalling the old version of the OS and performing automatic cleaning. But, as a rule, the performance of this version is still unsatisfactory.

Reasons for unsuccessful installation of Windows 10

Users often have difficulties, such as “I can’t install the system, drivers, program”, “I want to switch to another edition of my operating system (for example, from 32 to 64 bit)”, etc. Problems can be adequately solved only with experience or good instructions. During a clean installation of another edition of the system, the license is attached automatically. Problems with installation are associated either with bad installation media (flash drive, DVD), or with an incompletely downloaded, “broken” OS image, or unofficial drivers. These are the reasons why it was not possible to install Windows 10 on a PC.

Although there are rare cases of incompatibility, for example, on a laptop with a single-core processor the system will not install at all.

To install Windows 10 from scratch, you need to take into account a number of factors: you must have a dual-core processor with a frequency of 1 GHz, 1, or better yet, 2 GB of RAM and a drive of 20 GB or more. It is better to install 32-bit Windows on weak laptops and desktop PCs, otherwise working on them will be difficult. Although there is information on the Internet that some people managed to install ten on a Pentium 4 with 1GB of RAM, it is impossible to work on such a weak machine.

Where can I get the installation disk?

Initially, in order to install Win 10 without problems, you need to download its image from the corporation’s website. You can use the MediaCreationTool utility, which will not only download the latest edition among all the “dozens,” but will also help you automatically create a bootable USB flash drive or burn the image to a DVD. It is with the help of this utility that Windows 10 is installed automatically, although there is another way. The same utility or a separate website of the corporation will only help you download a “system image” in the ISO standard, which you will then burn onto your media with third-party applications. If earlier (Windows XP-8.1) this method was preferable, now, with constant updates to the “dozens”, it loses its meaning. It is not advisable to store the image for a long time; in the case of the “ten” it becomes outdated too quickly. If, nevertheless, you downloaded the image, then the UltraISO program will help you burn it onto installation media without any problems. There are other programs, there are plenty of them on the Internet, but this one, even in the trial version, allows you to perform all operations quickly, without restrictions, without violating the law.

System installation steps

As soon as the image is correctly downloaded and recorded on the installation media, proceed to installing the system. It is preferable to use a flash drive; with it, installing Windows 10 on a laptop or desktop PC is faster.

To begin with, you should set the boot order of the drives in the PC BIOS. To do this, when you start the computer, press F11 or F12, the boot menu will launch, in which you can select the boot order once. This method is the simplest: select the drive with the system (keyboard arrows) and agree by pressing Enter. Next, the system will reboot and boot from your drive. For Win 10, the step-by-step installation is no different from Vista-8.1 systems. You will need to select “System installation” - “Clean, for advanced users” in the menu, then a menu with disks will appear. It is advisable to format drive C and select it for installation by highlighting and clicking “Format”, then click “Next”. Next you will have to wait for the installation process. At the very end, you will be asked to connect to the Internet and enter your Microsoft account information.

Improving privacy on Win 10

In a civilized world, it’s quite normal to want freedom and maintain privacy, so users often configure their “top ten” to share less of their secrets with Microsoft. To do this, at the final stage of installation, they select the advanced privacy setting (do not select “Default”). By selecting the “advanced option” you can disable almost all spying tasks. It is also advisable not to enter your email or create a corporate account. After all, you can switch to Windows 10 from local. If you plan to deeply integrate Microsoft services, use the Store, Outlook, MS Office 365 and other applications, or synchronize with Windows Phone, then you will definitely need an account from Microsoft.

Registration there is quick, you need an email and a phone number or just the phone itself, the corporation will offer its email.

As soon as the installed Windows gains access to the network, it is automatically activated. If you have not previously obtained a digital license (via purchase or upgrade from Win 7 or 8.1), you will need a 25-character license key. It can be purchased from official Microsoft dealers.

How to activate Windows

Installing Windows 10 pro or home versions is not a problem; it is difficult to find a license if you don’t have one and don’t have the money to buy it. You can use the non-activated version. However, constant reminders and cyclical reboots will make the work unbearable. Trial test or corporate versions are also not an option, as they have many problems.

If you didn't have a license initially, there is an option that allows you to get a license for the new OS. You can buy a cheaper Win7 disk and use the program for people with disabilities to upgrade to Win 10. In 2015, it was even possible to install with a license after a pirated OS.

At the moment, the method is not always implemented and not on all activators, and it is illegal.

The safest way is to use the “gray” method and install Windows 10 on a laptop after activation through a program for people with disabilities (it works without time restrictions and does not require proof of disability). You will need to spend time updating (lots of traffic, hard drive space), but you will receive a license forever.

Hello friends! We recently introduced you to all the existing ones. In today's article we will continue this topic and talk about the typesoperating system licensing. This topic is very importantAfter all, Windows is not a free product and knowing all the capabilities of the Windows 10 license installed on your computer is very useful. According to my observations, 99% of ordinary users do not know all the capabilities of the operating system installed on their computer. For example, a license FPP can be sold and used in business activities, and OEM cannot be resold and itforever tied to a specific hardware configuration. License Upgrade can be updated to its newer version, and Evalution is issued free of charge for a certain period. There are many more similar nuances that you will learn about from today’s article.

Types of Windows licenses

Microsoft does not actively fight piracy among ordinary people, because it believes that the problem can only be solved at the level of consciousness of the people themselves. The company's experience more than 10 years ago showed the ineffectiveness of reducing the cost of Windows in order to make a profit by making the operating system available to the masses. When licensed Windows arrived on store shelves in China for just $10, the Chinese still didn’t buy anything. Those who used pirates continued to do so. For comparison: today Windows Home edition costs almost $150, and Professional edition costs a little less than $250. But no difference in numbers will convince someone who initially believes that there is no need to pay at all that they need to pay.

Licensing Basics and Principles

Microsoft, being the owner of Windows as an object of intellectual property rights, can set any conditions for the use of copies of its product and any prices for such use. We always agree to the licensing terms at the stage of installing the system, since without this step it will not be installed.

But rarely do any of us read these terms. Microsoft did everything possible to prevent us from reading them - it presented the text in complex legal language with its characteristic vagueness of concepts and lack of specifics. The company's licensing policy generally boils down to simple things: less responsibility, more restrictions for those who are too inquisitive and want to use the system to make money.

The essence of the license conditions for ordinary users (not merchants) is as follows:

• Microsoft does not sell us Windows, but only gives us the right to use the system;
• We do not have the right to bypass the technical limitations of the operating system, study its technology, or take actions to open the source code;
• We do not have the right to engage in fraud and theft on the Internet;
• We agree that Microsoft collects certain information about us;
• We agree to the implementation of updates to the system;
• We must use Windows only with a license, and we are prohibited from activating the system through pirated methods.

The form of licensing the right to use Windows is a license key, also known as an activation key. It is purchased either with the computer or separately. One of the key licensing conditions for custom editions of Windows (Home and Pro) is one license for a copy of the operating system installed on one device. This could be a PC, laptop, tablet, some kind of hybrid, virtual machine, etc. For corporations, there may be one license key for several computers, but this is already a sphere of economic contractual relations, where the keys are tied to certain organizations. More specific licensing conditions are established by license types.

• Note: License types determine the terms of use of Windows, but do not affect the functionality of the operating system. Functionality depends on the editions of specific versions of Windows. Some types of licenses may only be applicable to certain editions due to the specific user audience they are aimed at.

Types of licenses

For users who use a computer for personal needs and small entrepreneurs, there are three options.

FPP (Full Product Package), also known as Retail, also known as Box, also known as the boxed version, is an optical disk in early versions, and later a flash drive with the Windows installation process, a material product that can be bought on the shelves of specialized stores.

The packaging of the original installation media must contain a license sticker and the corresponding edition key. The boxed version has production costs, therefore it costs more than any other types of licenses. The boxed version can be sold, donated, or transferred to another computer. It is not tied to a specific device. If this type of license is used for business purposes, the box with the license sticker and key must be kept. It may be required by inspection authorities.

ESD (Electronic Software Delivery), also known as E-key, also known as an electronic key, is a license, like the boxed version, not tied to a specific device, but has a lower cost due to the absence of costs for packaging, media, transportation, etc. P. ESD is a completely virtual product, we purchase a license key and electronic documentation confirming the transaction. Entrepreneurs must print out this electronic documentation and present it to the competent authorities upon request. You buy an electronic key on the Microsoft website, and download the system distribution kit for installing it on your computer.

Friends, who are interested, in this publication you can see how the process actually happens. By the way, the key can only be purchased on the Microsoft website for the current “Ten”. Electronic keys for both new and old versions of the system can be purchased in various online stores.

OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) is the cheapest, but at the same time the most limited type of license in terms of use. Comes with pre-installed Windows on new PCs, laptops, tablets and other devices. Microsoft issues an OEM license not directly to end users, but to assemblers of computer devices - legal entities carrying out the relevant activities. And at the same time assigns part of the service responsibilities to them.

An exception to this rule is made only for individuals, not entrepreneurs. If we, friends, assemble a PC ourselves at home, we can count on a discount in the form of the right to purchase an OEM license.

Device assemblers are required to install the operating system, activate it, and affix a license sticker to the device body. Previously (up to version Windows 7 inclusive), this sticker indicated the product key in case of reinstalling the system. With the advent of OEM devices with pre-installed Windows 8, 8.1 and 10, the sales specifics have changed: the license sticker no longer contains the key, but it is embedded in the BIOS and, in theory, should be automatically inserted when the system is reinstalled.

An OEM license separately from the device can be purchased for next to nothing on various Internet trading platforms. But without a sticker, without a title document linking the OEM key and a specific device, such a cost reduction scheme is illegal. The only question is how deeply knowledgeable the specific inspection authorities are about Microsoft's licensing policy.

The OEM license key is permanently tied to the device, i.e. to a specific hardware configuration. When replacing components, OEM activation may be lost, but by calling Microsoft support and documenting the need to replace a particular component, activation can be restored. And so you can call several times, but until a certain time. For how long, this is up to Microsoft to decide. The company has a documented algorithm (for internal use) of how many things users can change inside the computer in order to have the right to restore activation. The OEM license is not reinstated if the motherboard is replaced. The only exceptions are cases with replacement under warranty. If it is not under warranty, the license is considered lost.

Corporate licenses

For legal entities, Microsoft offers corporate licenses that are limited to a specific organization, but are affordable if you take more keys. Modern Windows volume licenses typically come in the form of a dongle and documentation to support the transaction. Microsoft has a flexible approach to the commercial sector, and there are many volume licensing programs. Among them is the budget licensing program for the Windows 10 Education edition.