[German]Microsoft has now technically ended the upgrade option from Windows 7 SP1 and Windows 8.1 for Windows 10 and Windows 11. This means that the previously still possible activation with a corresponding product key of Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 is no longer possible in the future. Microsoft has now officially announced this and at the same time also adapted or ended the activation via HWID (hardware ID) via corresponding servers.
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The old upgrade trick
Microsoft has offered a free upgrade for Windows 7 SP1 and Windows 8.1 users when Windows 10 was introduced. However, this free upgrade offer to Windows 10 officially expired on July 29, 2016. However, Microsoft was in no particular hurry to block this path.
Even after July 29, 2016, it was possible to install Windows 10 and activate it with a matching product key from Windows 7 or Windows 8.1. The same principle still works with Windows 11, where the installation could be activated with a suitable product key from Windows 7 or Windows 8.1.
For Windows 11, there was also the option of a free upgrade from Windows 10. But the automatic upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11 is only offered on compatible systems.
End of the upgrade path from Windows 7/8.1
Now Microsoft has pulled the plug on Windows 11 regarding the Windows 7/8.1 upgrade path. I came across this via a reader's tip as well as the following tweet from Tero Alhonen.
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Microsoft has already published the Techcommunity post Windows Ends Installation Path for Free Windows 7/8 Upgrade on September 20, 2023, in which they now announce the end of this "upgrade path". The announcement is not very spectacular, because it says that Microsoft's free upgrade offer for Windows 10 / 11 ended on July 29, 2016 anyway. Now they have removed the installation path for the free upgrade of Windows 7 / 8, which still worked till now.
I assume that Microsoft's "plan" will be implemented gradually in the coming weeks – possibly only when fresh Windows 10/11 builds are reactivated.
Upgrade from Windows 10 still works
In the same Techcommunity post, Microsoft writes that upgrades from Windows 10 to Windows 11 are still free and do work. To upgrade to Windows 11, devices must meet the minimum system requirements of Windows 11. Furthermore, Microsoft limits that some Windows 10 features are not available in Windows 11.
In addition, the warning comes that the system requirements for some Windows 11 features and applications exceed the minimum system requirements of Windows 11, which are already steep. Windows 11 specs, features, and computer requirements can be found on this page.
Those who have activated a Windows 10 with a key from Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 can still upgrade to Windows 11 for free. However, the question arises as to why one would want to do that – Windows 11 is becoming more and more of a hassle, and Linux is a nice platform as well. In addition, there may be the option to get a license for a Windows 10 IoT Enterprise LTSC, so you have until 2029 or 2031 – depending on the version – to decide on a new operating system.
Activation via HWID expired
The colleagues from deskmodder.de point out in this German article that Microsoft has also ended the activation via the HWID (Hardware-ID) servers, because these activation servers have been switched off. Activations of volume keys via KMS are rejected from now on and only work via MAS (Microsoft Activation Scripts). This means that volume license keys that may have been purchased from online resellers will be rejected during a new activation. Activation via MAS (Microsoft Activation Scripts) should therefore be retained.
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Suppose I upgraded my windows 7 to 10 a long time ago and I am an official user of windows 10.
Now my hard disk is breaking down. how can i get windows 10 a new hdd again? surely i can't lose a valid licence with the loss of hardware?
If you have a "digital entitlement" (it's Microsoft's wording) for your activated Windows 10 – it should work with activation after a reinstall. Also restoring a full backup should work.