[OFFICIAL] Windows 10 Insider Program

[Stoffel]

Gabe once said on twitter "Once you upgrade W10 w/ the free upgrade offer you will able to clean reinstall Windows 10 on same device any time" well, have we got any more detail on how exactly this will work since then? We have to do an upgrade then clean install after that, but what is the key then?

 

There is no more key for the user.

I think that is why you need to do the upgrade first.

It checks your current license and your pc. Somehow it stores this in your MSA I would guess.

Next time you install, you log in with your MSA and it checks if that pc is still valid for Win 10, if so you are good and Win 10 will activate

[xendrome]

Gabe once said on twitter "Once you upgrade W10 w/ the free upgrade offer you will able to clean reinstall Windows 10 on same device any time" well, have we got any more detail on how exactly this will work since then? We have to do an upgrade then clean install after that, but what is the key then?

 

You do a system refresh, it does a clean install and keeps the activation intact.

[ztnej]

I have 2 pc's I use with the same MSA.

Both got the little Windows flag in the system tray.

Both are now waiting for the update to arrive on the 29th

 

I also use this account to log in Win 10, in a VM

 

Good to know, thanks.

 

You do not need a MSA account (or you can have one...doesn't matter)...for the upgrade offer.  You just need a valid 7/8x license.  

 

Oh, so the thing with MSA's are only for the Insiders? Didn't knew that, thanks for the info.

[indospot Veteran]

I have a question. Say I want to stay in the Insider program but still get the free upgrade legally just in case. Can I install 7, update to 10 and then start using the preview again and opt out whenever I want?

[TAZMINATOR]

Good to know, thanks.

 

 

Oh, so the thing with MSA's are only for the Insiders? Didn't knew that, thanks for the info.

 

Yes MSA is for Insiders if you want to keep receiving the builds after RTM.

 

If you are not interested in Insider at all, then you don't need MSA as long as you reserved a copy of Windows 10 on your Windows 7 or 8.x device.

[Jim K Global Moderator]

I have a question. Say I want to stay in the Insider program but still get the free upgrade legally just in case. Can I install 7, update to 10 and then start using the preview again and opt out whenever I want?

 

Not sure why you couldn't.  Not sure why you would want to either.  I plan on staying in the Insider Program through VMware Player running on a Windows 10 box (just to see what changes might be coming to the main install).  Windows 10 on top of Windows 10.  

[ztnej]

Yes MSA is for Insiders if you want to keep receiving the builds after RTM.

 

If you are not interested in Insider at all, then you don't need MSA as long as you reserved a copy of Windows 10 on your Windows 7 or 8.x device.

 

Thanks, that was exactly what i'd like to know.

[indospot Veteran]

Not sure why you couldn't.  Not sure why you would want to either.  I plan on staying in the Insider Program through VMware Player running on a Windows 10 box (just to see what changes might be coming to the main install).  Windows 10 on top of Windows 10.  

 

Well, my machine isn't powerful enough to properly handle a VM, and I have a blog where I post Microsoft news, so I'd like to be able to use the newer builds and show them off in videos.

[patseguin Global Moderator]

I use my Technet Windows 8.1 key on my gaming pc and my htpc. What is going to happen when I try to upgrade both?

[Dot Matrix]

I use my Technet Windows 8.1 key on my gaming pc and my htpc. What is going to happen when I try to upgrade both?

Technically, one key is only good for one machine. So technically, only one machine is eligible for the upgrade.

[+Warwagon MVC]

I love the transparency on the start menu it looks great!

[timster]

I'm gonna be reloading an image on Windows 8.1 ProWMC later. I like Windows 10 and I want to use Windows 10, but I don't want builds forced on me through Windows Update, 10130 works just fine. Builds 10158, 10159 and 10162 have for whatever reason decided that the wireless card in my laptop is a Realtek that won't start.

 

I've tried forcing the proper drivers which doesn't work, I get a message about the latest Realtek drivers already being installed

 

 

here's my wireless card, working, on build 10130

 

[patseguin Global Moderator]

I love the transparency on the start menu it looks great!

 

Agreed. I'd love to see it used on windows too but I suspect MS isn't do anything more with the UI which is a shame because the solid white titlebars are a disaster.

*sigh*

 

From Gabe Aul himself [Emphasis mine]:

 

[TAZMINATOR]

I'm gonna be reloading an image on Windows 8.1 ProWMC later. I like Windows 10 and I want to use Windows 10, but I don't want builds forced on me through Windows Update, 10130 works just fine. Builds 10158, 10159 and 10162 have for whatever reason decided that the wireless card in my laptop is a Realtek that won't start.

 

I've tried forcing the proper drivers which doesn't work, I get a message about the latest Realtek drivers already being installed

 

[img snipped

 

here's my wireless card, working, on build 10130

 

img snipped

 

Try copy the folder in windows folder... not sure where the drivers are stored but copy those onto the thumbdrive then once you get on 10162, backup those folders first to elsewhere (a folder named backup) then copy those files from thumbdrive into that folder and see if that problem is solved or not. If not, then go back to 10130 for time being or get on 8.1 for now.

[Quillz]

I love the transparency on the start menu it looks great!

As do I, it seems to be using the blurred transparency that was trial ran in earlier builds. But does the method to switch to a non-blurred transparency still work via the Registry?

 

Agreed. I'd love to see it used on windows too but I suspect MS isn't do anything more with the UI which is a shame because the solid white titlebars are a disaster.

The title bars for both Win32 and Modern apps can be set to any color by the developer. Look at Mail, for an example, it has blue title bars. One of the past builds, might have been 10145 or so, showed some Win32 apps using a colored title bar, and there is presently a workaround where a custom theme will color the title bars. So it's not a glitch or bug or anything like that, the title bars are white by default (and by design). Frankly, I do think it looks a little drab, and I still think it's dumb we can't change a setting that has existed since... Win1.01? But at least we know now the option does actually exist.

[patseguin Global Moderator]

As do I, it seems to be using the blurred transparency that was trial ran in earlier builds. But does the method to switch to a non-blurred transparency still work via the Registry?

 

The title bars for both Win32 and Modern apps can be set to any color by the developer. Look at Mail, for an example, it has blue title bars. One of the past builds, might have been 10145 or so, showed some Win32 apps using a colored title bar, and there is presently a workaround where a custom theme will color the title bars. So it's not a glitch or bug or anything like that, the title bars are white by default (and by design). Frankly, I do think it looks a little drab, and I still think it's dumb we can't change a setting that has existed since... Win1.01? But at least we know now the option does actually exist.

 

Yeah not only is it dumb that we can't change it, but what kind of idiot do they have in charge of UI design? Making windows all white regardless of active state? For such a huge company, you'd think they would dedicate a team to making a nice UI like they did with Aero.

 

EDIT: And I love the black Edge theme. It would be nice to have that a system wide option. Still that theme needs to differentiate active and inactive windows.

[Quillz]

Right now, inactive windows are noted by: 1px border changing from [accent color] to gray/white, and the title bar text and widgets changing from black to gray/white. I also believe the drop shadow lightens a bit, but I'm not sure. It's not very obvious, but noticeable. Obviously, having a title bar of a color other than white would make the inactive state more obvious. (And, of course, the taskbar buttons also change visually, too.)

[Quillz]

I've noticed that cascading windows in Win10 now puts the origin point in the top-left center (i.e. the app windows are now centered on the display), as opposed to previous versions, where the origin point was always in the top-left, relative to the display. When was this change made? I don't remember seeing this change prior to 10162. I'm also surprised it was changed in the first place, since the origin point was a fundamental difference between Presentation Manager (which used bottom left) and the Finder (which uses top right).

[kala-kas]

I'm gonna be reloading an image on Windows 8.1 ProWMC later. I like Windows 10 and I want to use Windows 10, but I don't want builds forced on me through Windows Update, 10130 works just fine. Builds 10158, 10159 and 10162 have for whatever reason decided that the wireless card in my laptop is a Realtek that won't start.

 

I've tried forcing the proper drivers which doesn't work, I get a message about the latest Realtek drivers already being installed

 

 

 

here's my wireless card, working, on build 10130

 

 

 

I am quite sure you did not force them correctly, you should do something more like....  right click on the driver, then "Update Driver Software..." -> "Browse my Computer for..." -> " Let me pick from list" -> "Have disk" (here you point to correct driver) and then try to install it, it should force the selected driver without giving you the message that best is already installed, if they did not change something in 10

 

As for the windows... well, I guess they are trying to say that win32 is on its way out somewhat. Yeah, some legacy stuff will always be there, yet look at Microsoft, they do not seem to care about people using these, because people who use these are advanced users, not the majority. Look at the setup scren for example, still the same. Windows 10 is intented to be a consumer.

Yet in my opinion the whole Windwos 10 is a failure, so... yeah, there is that. At least the upgrade path lasts for a year, we'll see what the future brings to us, Redstone and whatnot

 

[HawkMan]

I use my Technet Windows 8.1 key on my gaming pc and my htpc. What is going to happen when I try to upgrade both?

 

I don't believe technet keys are valid for the free upgrade. 

[MikeM97]

Yes MSA is for Insiders if you want to keep receiving the builds after RTM.

 

If you are not interested in Insider at all, then you don't need MSA as long as you reserved a copy of Windows 10 on your Windows 7 or 8.x device.

 

And if you do a RTM clean install,you can choose from staying so or getting newer builds through MSA?

[The_Decryptor Veteran]

...

As for the windows... well, I guess they are trying to say that win32 is on its way out somewhat. Yeah, some legacy stuff will always be there, yet look at Microsoft, they do not seem to care about people using these, because people who use these are advanced users, not the majority. Look at the setup scren for example, still the same. Windows 10 is intented to be a consumer.

Yet in my opinion the whole Windwos 10 is a failure, so... yeah, there is that. At least the upgrade path lasts for a year, we'll see what the future brings to us, Redstone and whatnot

Win32 isn't going anywhere, the big change for store apps in 10 compared to 8 is that they can now access the normal Win32 APIs, they're no longer restricted to the WinRT stuff.

[George P Global Moderator]

Store apps can be win32 apps just wrapped inside a winrt sandboxed container if you will, no code has to be changed.   Also WinRT apps have access to some Win32 APIs and vice versa, there's some overlap but not 100%, there's still Win32 APIs that WinRT apps can't use which will probably always be the case, be it for security reasons or to just keep things clean and not giving them the ability to wreck havoc on your system.

[SnoopZ]

How can i stop the Mail app in build 10162 being synced with my outlook account, as i have a password set for my office outlook so it pops up a password box all the time, i need to turn off syncing or delete this account from the app as i don't use it although it already says syncing is off, but i can't get anything to work?

 

Turned the settings for syncing on and then off again and saved so i hope that fixes it.

[timster]

I am quite sure you did not force them correctly, you should do something more like....  right click on the driver, then "Update Driver Software..." -> "Browse my Computer for..." -> " Let me pick from list" -> "Have disk" (here you point to correct driver) and then try to install it, it should force the selected driver without giving you the message that best is already installed, if they did not change something in 10

I'll try that when I get home from work tonight.