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.
Dunno, haven't seen evidence of it yet, but this is still in "rumor" stage.
Lol... The whole reason folks STILL use 7 is because they DO NOT want 10 or now 11.
Now I am reading that even these folks are actually entertaining the idea? Incredible...
Windows 7 was a far more stable and nonsense free operating system. It was easier to use and get around in.
Sadly software manufacturers stop supporting it. And no security updates. That is what forces people to change. You can’t even use tax software on windows 7 anymore.
bookmark
I do not care about the MS support for Win 7, have not done an “update” in years and do not ask MS for anything.
You misspelled 'downgrade'.
“constant & slow upgrade process of W-10.”
Yeah, my wife still gets pissed on her 10 laptop with all the slowdowns and failure to turn off.
Image your hard drive first. Prolly a good idea with any OS upgrade. If it breaks, restore the image.
thnaks, i do have it imaged with macrium reflect
LOL
Yikes. Something is rotten (in Denmark).
Same here. I will NOT part with my W7 machine.
They’re onto you!
Ask Sharyl Attkisson.
Do you have an unexplained van parked somewhere on your street?
Never.
I’ll run 7 until I die.
thx
that’s wherte i run into the problem- mine is oem- and only has 20 numbers in it- on the site you link to it must have 25 numbers- ie not an oem number
sorry- shopuld have said- it’s oem- and doesnt appear to work- here’s the error i get:
Error
The product key you entered appears to be for software pre-installed by the device manufacturer. Please contact the device manufacturer for software recovery options.
You know I’ve been to Redmond many times, and there’s always one thing that strikes me each time...
How young the typical employee is. Hardly any old guys like me. Even the program and project managers. Not too many were around 7-8 years ago when WaaS and 10 were being planned out...
Even Michael Niehaus left a few months ago.
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