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Windows 7 Users Might Get a Free Upgrade to Windows 11
Tom's Hardware ^ | Jun 17, 2021 | Nathaniel Mott

Posted on 06/18/2021 10:04:12 AM PDT by dayglored

Windows 7 users might finally decide to upgrade soon. Windows Latest today reported that a leaked build of Windows 11 suggests Microsoft plans to offer a free upgrade to the next significant update to the operating system when it debuts.

A caveat: This is based on a configuration package in a leaked build of an operating system that hasn't officially been announced yet. Microsoft's plans could have changed, or it may have planned for the upgrade to be paid all along.

Windows Latest said its claim was "based on the configuration keys found within Pkeyconfig (product key configuration package) in the leaked build of Windows 11." Those keys suggest Windows 7, 8, and 8.1 users will be able to upgrade at no cost.

That upgrade path would make sense. Microsoft offers a free update to Windows 10, too, and that promotion is still valid even though it was supposed to end in 2016. Anyone with a valid key for Windows 7, 8, or 8.1 can take advantage of that offer.

Microsoft continues to sell licenses for Windows 10, of course, but the free upgrade from a prior version of Windows reinforces the platform's status as an operating-system-as-a-service on top of which the company's real money-makers are built.

Charging for Windows 11 when Windows 10 was a free update would come as a surprise. So would requiring systems running Windows 7, 8, or 8.1 to install a free upgrade to Windows 10 before installing a free upgrade to Windows 11.

Windows 7 users have been on borrowed time—Microsoft officially dropped support for the operating system in January 2020. Windows 8.1 will follow suit in January 2023, and Microsoft plans to stop supporting Windows 10 in October 2025.

We should know more about how Windows users, from those relying on a version released over a decade ago to those running the most recent update, will be able to upgrade to Windows 11 after Microsoft's announcement on June 24.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Computers/Internet; Hobbies
KEYWORDS: windows11; windows7; windowspinglist; windowsupgrade
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To: Bob434

There should be a M$ number to call where they will certify online.

On the other hand,(I’ve never heard of this happening, but it is possible) they may tell you that your OEM is for 1 computer only (they may check the hardware for serial/ID numbers to see if they match). If that is the case, just let them know that you have changed the HDD (or some other peripheral (like a WiFi card, which I have done before)).

I’ve known of people that all they had to do was just to make the call (no questions asked) and were certified on the spot (and they actually had pirated versions). I have never had to do it myself (thankfully).


81 posted on 06/18/2021 2:20:30 PM PDT by Bikkuri (If you're conservative, you're an "extremist." If you're liberal, you're an "activist.")
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To: Bob434
See if either of these help out:

Reactivating Windows 7 after a hardware change

Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7 | Tutorials
82 posted on 06/18/2021 2:25:53 PM PDT by Bikkuri (If you're conservative, you're an "extremist." If you're liberal, you're an "activist.")
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To: dayglored
I remember the lines outside of CompUSA. Those were the days.


83 posted on 06/18/2021 2:26:11 PM PDT by Libloather (Why do climate change hoax deniers live in mansions on the beach?)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Where would you suggest one look for Windows 7 keys if W7 came pre-loaded on an HP laptop? Thx in advance.


84 posted on 06/18/2021 3:11:47 PM PDT by Ahithophel (Communication is an art form susceptible to sudden technical failure)
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To: dayglored

Win11 will be the greatest personal information capture platform to date. It will exceed the limits of your imagination.


85 posted on 06/18/2021 3:26:03 PM PDT by StAnDeliver (Eric Coomer of Dominion Voting Systems Is The Blue Dress.)
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To: Mariner

“A lot of people like to treat their tools like toys.”

A pearl of wisdom indeed . Just follow the leader and all will be well. After all, we have no reason to be suspicious of the Global Gates Foundation for World Control, do we? Also, be sure to buy everything from Amazon, they will never let you down.


86 posted on 06/18/2021 3:54:59 PM PDT by NYAmerican
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To: George from New England

You know Bill Gates hasn’t had anything to do with Microsoft in over a decade, right?


87 posted on 06/18/2021 4:17:01 PM PDT by rarestia (Repeal the 17th Amendment and ratify Article the First to give the power back to the people!)
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To: Ahithophel

Control Panel >> System and Security >> System

Arrow/page down to Windows activation
Product ID: xxxxx-OEM-xxxxxxx-xxxxxx



88 posted on 06/18/2021 4:21:45 PM PDT by TomGuy
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To: Ahithophel

in the registry?


89 posted on 06/18/2021 4:55:02 PM PDT by Chode (there is no fall back position, there's no rally point, there is no LZ... we're on our own. P144:1)
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To: Bob434
mine is oem- and only has 20 numbers in it

That made me curious, so I checked the one on my Toshiba laptop running W8.1, and it too is only 20 digits long. Ends with AAOEM.

90 posted on 06/18/2021 4:58:40 PM PDT by deoetdoctrinae (Gun-free zones are playgrounds for criminals.)
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To: rarestia

Bill Gates was in charge when they released Windows XP and booby trapped it. As time passed, I had to make a hardware change on that desktop. The lack of support and the booby trap design of XP, locked me out, and made a perfectly good machine into a total brick.
The least an outfit should do when they abandon support is to unlock the piracy prevention traps they built into it.

This all was under Gates.


91 posted on 06/18/2021 6:11:02 PM PDT by George from New England
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To: dayglored

Wonderful! Next they’ll be telling me I might get a free tax audit. It’s hard to decide which I’d be more enthusiastic about getting.


92 posted on 06/18/2021 6:24:18 PM PDT by Paal Gulli
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To: dayglored
Those keys suggest Windows 7, 8, and 8.1 users will be able to upgrade at no cost.

I'm ready...

93 posted on 06/18/2021 8:08:36 PM PDT by GOPJ (Rape isn't penis violence. Arson isn't fire violence. Murder isn't gun violence. CriminalsRviolence )
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To: Bikkuri

o can keep installing the oem on different hard drives (I have it on several now as backups)- but i just can’t download it from the site (although i did speak with a tech awhile back, and he gave me a link to a premium version, BUT i can’t install it because of the oem license- i don’t have a premium license, so it does me no good really-


94 posted on 06/18/2021 9:00:13 PM PDT by Bob434
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To: deoetdoctrinae

I’m not sure now what i tried for the serial key- i found the actual product key, and it is 25 letters and numbers- the number i first tried, with the 20 numbers, had ‘oem’ as the second set of letters- but my actual product key does have 25 numbers- liek it’s supposed to-


95 posted on 06/18/2021 9:03:23 PM PDT by Bob434
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To: TomGuy

that key is different from the actual MS operating system product key- the key you posted was the one i tried first when trying to download windows- it didn’t work- (but neithger did my actual product key which has the required 25 letters/numbers)


96 posted on 06/18/2021 9:06:29 PM PDT by Bob434
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To: Bob434

#11 Get the free Oracle VM VirtualBox
Install Window 11 to that. I have Win10 installed in a Oracle VM VirtualBox.


97 posted on 06/18/2021 11:28:13 PM PDT by minnesota_bound (I need more money. )
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To: Don W

The “save changes/load defaults” popup is often triggered by a failing CMOS battery. Another indicator is the system clock being off.

Depending on the age of the computer and the sophistication of its BIOS your computer can provide you with diagnostics that can tell you of an impending battery failure.

The only “software” changes that could trigger this warning (that I can think of) would be a BIOS firmware upgrade. Did you try restarting your computer again and (if so) did the pop-up reappear?


98 posted on 06/19/2021 8:17:09 AM PDT by rockrr ( Everything is different now...)
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To: minnesota_bound

I do have that one. I was wondering deri g though if I needed windows 7 on it first in order to ‘upgrade/doengrade?’ It to 11 for free first. If not I’ll just install it without 7, but I think I. Order to get 11. For ‘free you need to show you have 7 I stalled and want to ‘upgrade/downgrade’


99 posted on 06/19/2021 8:32:21 AM PDT by Bob434
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To: dayglored

Microsoft is really exciting these days with Power platform, azura machine learning and synapse


100 posted on 06/19/2021 9:13:48 AM PDT by Cronos ( )
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