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[Trouble]

Just in case anyone is still wondering.

Getting the final release on July 29th
Windows Insiders running the Windows 10 Insider Preview (Home and Pro editions) with their registered MSA connected to their PC will receive the final release build of Windows 10 starting on July 29th. This will come as just another flight. I’ve gotten a lot of questions from Windows Insiders about how this will work if they clean installed from ISO. As long as you are running an Insider Preview build and connected with the MSA you used to register, you will receive the Windows 10 final release build and remain activated. Once you have successfully installed this build and activated, you will also be able to clean install on that PC from final media if you want to start over fresh.

SOURCE: http://blogs.windows.com/bloggingwi...changes-to-windows-10-insider-preview-builds/

I've been running Build 10147 and if the next Insider Preview that drops is anything close to that, I think most everyone will be happy to see that Microsoft is finally getting very close to something, relatively free of these common annoyances we've all been suffering through with Build 10130

 

[yodap]

Thanks, I was still wondering.
10130 has been awful but not unusable since a repair was done.

 

[davehc]

I still will not use windows build, or any other, as my primary OS, but, I am running 0130 daily and have not encountered any issues - so far. I have no use for Cortana or Edge, so have not ventured into that field.

 

[Trouble]

I still will not use windows build, or any other, as my primary OS

I'm almost there (again), if this next public build is as good as 10147 then I'll likely do it again, although of course I'll make a current system image of my Windows 8 machine before proceeding.
That makes it pretty easy to flip back over if it sucks.

 

[yodap]

Last week I got a Surface Pro 3 for my birthday and am considering the move to 10. This is the first time I've actually used 8.1 on a touch screen and after a week, am starting to get used to it. Still need figure a few things out but being unable to resize apps sucks and 10 will allow that.
Will I be able to revert back to an 8.1 image if I need to or will the license be borked forever?

 

[Dipsy]

Blue screens and errors once again this morning. Build 10130 seems to run quite well for awhile and then for seemingly no reason has numerous problems until it will suddenly begin working normally once again. Stuff such as Resource Not Owned, Critical Structure Corruption, System Service Exception, IRQL Not Less Or Equal, 0xc000021a and Win32Kfull.sys. Wonder what happened to the rapid fire updates that were supposed to be flighted out as the official release date is quickly approaching. I can tolerate the glitches knowing I'm still using a beta program but doggonit it's beginning to get bothersome and irritating with no updates to fix problems.

 

[Trouble]

Last week I got a Surface Pro 3 for my birthday and am considering the move to 10.

First... congrats on a nice birthday present. Second I believe that there is still some issues regarding Surface 3s and Windows 10 Insider Preview although I am not sure that the "Pro" version is included in those problems.
I think I would wait at least until the next public preview drops, which hopefully will be early this week maybe Monday or Tuesday. Or enjoy it for another 38 days until the GA drops on July 29th.

 

[Trouble]

Blue screens and errors once again this morning.

Those have almost certainly got to be linked to a driver issue and likely (as you've proposed in other posts) your GPU.
I know Nvidia is working fast to keep up with Windows 10. They have the 353.06 driver available as well as a resent hotfix 353.12 Beta Hotfix, which is suppose to address something called Gsync'd Windowed Mode, whatever that is.

 

[Dipsy]

Good morning Trouble. I check NVIDIA and EVGA usually a couple of times a day and don't see the drivers you mentioned posted. I search for my video card so possibly the drivers are not for the 980 card that I have. It's just kind of strange that I'll get a string of problems and the Win10 clears its throat and runs problem free for awhile until it begins again. No idea why it does this.

The only driver showing for my video card is 352.84.

 

[Trouble]

The only driver showing for my video card is 352.84.

Damn.... Sorry.
I keep forgetting that when I check for Nvidia Drivers it's on my Windows 8.1 64 bit machine which is where my Nvidia GPU is installed.
My apologies for the confusion.

I was reading this https://twitter.com/GabeAul/status/612462262847148032
Which includes a link which is suppose to prevent Windows 10 from upgrading to 352.84.
Not sure if it will work for you. There seems to be varied results with the script.

 

[Dipsy]

No problem Trouble. I appreciate your willingness to help out. I think I'll continue to live with the current driver and hope that Microsoft will hurry up 10147 to see if it will smooth things out.

 

[Trouble]

OK now....
Back to the Original intent of this thread.
I would seem that since yesterday when I posted that link in the first post they have altered it to include....
Of all things, an asterisks "*"

Getting the final release on July 29th
Windows Insiders running the Windows 10 Insider Preview (Home and Pro editions) with their registered MSA connected to their PC will receive the final release build of Windows 10 starting on July 29th. This will come as just another flight. I’ve gotten a lot of questions from Windows Insiders about how this will work if they clean installed from ISO. As long as you are running an Insider Preview build and connected with the MSA you used to register, you will receive the Windows 10 final release build. Once you have successfully installed this build, you will also be able to clean install on that PC from final media if you want to start over fresh. It’s important to note that only people running Genuine Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 can upgrade to Windows 10 as part of the free upgrade offer.*

SOURCE: http://blogs.windows.com/bloggingwi...changes-to-windows-10-insider-preview-builds/
Back to "confused" again. Boy, talk about a distinct lack of clarity!

 

[Dipsy]

I didn't know there was a home edition of the Insider Preview. The only one I've ever gotten is the Pro version. I've questioned which edition I would be offered since Windows 10 is the only operating system on both of my computers and my retail versions of Windows 8.1 are Home editions. I've been assured that I will be able to update directly from within the Windows 10 Insider Edition and the upgrade version downloaded will be the Pro edition. It remains a confusing process from information such as what you happened across.

 

[Trouble]

It remains a confusing process

Exactly... confusing to say the least.
I am tracking this information as often as possible and I noted that approximately 2 hours ago Gabe Aul doubled down on his insistence that it will remain as he earlier stated with respect to "Insiders".
https://twitter.com/ZacB_/status/612597994135924736

So who and what to believe remains "confusing" at least to me, and....
I'm not the only one.
http://www.winbeta.org/news/microsoft-backtracks-free-windows-10-insiders-again?

 

[clifford_cooley]

I made a post on Techspot saying the following.

Well the first article I read about win 10 said you have to have a genuine copy to get it for free, I don't see the controversy.

Yep, a free upgrade of a genuine Win7/8 license.
- - - - -
What confuses me is how that the Insider program is always brought up, as if it has the equality rating of a genuine license to be upgraded. It's not, it's equivalent to a pirated copy, that can be upgraded as an invalid license. MS does not want the Insider program to be equivalent to a license, or else the whole world will be installing Insider and upgrading for free.

 

[Trouble]

Not sure that this does any better job at clarification

It does appear that upgrading from the preview builds to RTM doesn't get you a valid license however. You will remain activated (and can clean install if you wish once upgrading), but you will not have a valid license. This isn't something normal users need to worry about though.

SOURCE: http://www.winbeta.org/news/microsoft-clears-confusion-reaffirms-free-windows-10-insiders?

 

[Dipsy]

I made a post on Techspot saying the following.

The problem there is for those of us who have been using the preview and have installed programs and have accumulated a lot of personal files, data, pictures, emails, etc. In the process we have provided Microsoft a valuable service by testing their software and providing feedback and recommendations. Also in the process we have been a benefit to the many people who will upgrade their systems to Windows 10. I realize that there were no guarantees when I signed on last October but I would very much appreciate it if Microsoft were to reward my efforts with a free upgrade to Windows 10 Pro directly from within the preview or at the very least a route to use my valid Windows 8.1 retail license to accomplish the upgrade. Otherwise it will be a process of gathering up and saving all my personal stuff from the preview and saving it to my separate backup drive, removing the SSD with the preview on it and reinserting my Windows 8.1 SSD to do the upgrade. It's certainly not an insurmountable task but merely an inconvenience. Microsoft knows when I signed up for the Insider's Program so there is no doubt about how long I have been actively testing for them. For many others who didn't follow the path I took and merely replaced their Windows 7 or 8 installs with the preview the upgrade will be more complicated if not allowed to upgrade from within the Preview build. I imagine that most, if not all, early adopters were aware of the warnings of installing the Preview but that shouldn't prevent Microsoft from providing an upgrade path from within the Preview.

Not long ago doing an upgrade vs purchasing a full copy merely required that you insert your previous disk as proof of owning an upgradeable OS. At the very least Microsoft could provide that as an option.

 

[clifford_cooley]

or at the very least a route to use my valid Windows 8.1 retail license to accomplish the upgrade.

That is the option! If you don't have a valid Win7/8 license, your upgrade install will be classified as invalid.

 

[Trouble]

your upgrade install will be classified as invalid.

So it seems.
Useable, activated, feature full (not deprecated), but without a valid license.
So now I'm wondering if that leaves you trapped in crash test dummy mode (Windows Insider) forever? IF, you decide at some later date to opt out of "future builds" (Stop insider builds" is actually an option on 10147) does that mean your OS will get an expiration date?
"May you live in interesting times".

 

[Dipsy]

That is the option! If you don't have a valid Win7/8 license, your upgrade install will be classified as invalid.

What I meant there Clifford was being able to use the license while upgrading from within the Preview build if it is the only OS present on the computer.