Microsoft Licensing Primer
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@scottalanmiller said:
@brianlittlejohn said:
I remember a SW thread where Chris from Microsoft addressed this, and to upgrade your machines to 10 and image them, you have to manually run the update to 10, then go back and re-image.
To get the free upgrade, you mean? Since there is a free 8.1 -> 10 path, I could see that. Is there something similar to get from 7 -> 8?
It was my understanding that the free upgrade to Windows 10 did not include Enterprise. The upgrade to Enterprise still requires a VL agreement, so in that regard, nothing changed with the release of 10.
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@AVI-NetworkGuy Yea, you can't upgrade enterprise version, only professional
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@brianlittlejohn and home as well. Just to be thorough.
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@AVI-NetworkGuy said:
It was my understanding that the free upgrade to Windows 10 did not include Enterprise. The upgrade to Enterprise still requires a VL agreement, so in that regard, nothing changed with the release of 10.
Mostly companies that run Enterprise also do so under an EA and negotiate those upgrades anyway.
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You can't do a clean install of 10. You have to upgrade to 10 manually first for it to register the machine. THEN you can do a clean install using the key they give you.
Perhaps that is what he means?
THOUGH ... if a am technically allowed to run Windows 10, and get a VL key for 1 (buying 1 Windows 10 Upgrade VL), could I just go that route? Or is that what you are saying?
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@BRRABill said:
THOUGH ... if a am technically allowed to run Windows 10, and get a VL key for 1 (buying 1 Windows 10 Upgrade VL), could I just go that route? Or is that what you are saying?
That is not one that I know the answer to. If you could have manually upgraded and you have the reimaing rights, does that cover you? I believe that the consensus is "no", but I am not sure myself of the source of that information.
That might be a @chris question.
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@scottalanmiller said:
@BRRABill said:
THOUGH ... if a am technically allowed to run Windows 10, and get a VL key for 1 (buying 1 Windows 10 Upgrade VL), could I just go that route? Or is that what you are saying?
That is not one that I know the answer to. If you could have manually upgraded and you have the reimaing rights, does that cover you? I believe that the consensus is "no", but I am not sure myself of the source of that information.
That might be a @chris question.
You have reimaging rights with Windows 10 Pro, but your devices need to be licensed with Windows 10 Pro first before you use your Windows 10 Pro VL media/key as part of the free upgrade offer to Windows 10. The exception is for qualifying VL agreement customers. Select, EA and MPSA customers can skip the upgrade install step and go straight to using their VL media and keys to upgrade.
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@scottalanmiller said:
@brianlittlejohn said:
@Dashrender said:
Yeah, this is my current problem... I'm going to have to manually upgrade all of my win7 and win 8 to win 10... Then use my VL to roll images... What a pain!
I think he just has pcs on both win 7 & 8, not that he has to go through each version.
Oh okay.
Exactly - I have both Windows 7 machines and Windows 8.1 machines. I have to upgrade them individually from what they have directly to Windows 10 so they are assigned the Windows 10 license. Then, and only then can I blow them away and deploy my Win 10 VL image to them.
@Chris glad to know I am on the right track.
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My whole point for bringing up Software Assurance was for the savings on a single purchase vs the upgrade license. SA for an OEM licensed machine purchased within the past 90 days is cheaper than buying an VL Upgrade, Plus you'd be granted access to the new VL media during your term.
It was never my intention to imply that the OP should purchase SA for everything, as @Jason said, unless you're planning on keeping everything current on old hardware (rare), SA would be pretty pointless.
That said - I do personally believe in SA for the server side.
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@Dashrender said:
My whole point for bringing up Software Assurance was for the savings on a single purchase vs the upgrade license. SA for an OEM licensed machine purchased within the past 90 days is cheaper than buying an VL Upgrade, Plus you'd be granted access to the new VL media during your term.
How is it cheaper over the long term? You have to keep paying for SA. You buy a VL once.
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@JaredBusch said:
How is it cheaper over the long term? You have to keep paying for SA. You buy a VL once.
Maybe my understanding is wrong then.
Hopefully @Chris will throw his two cents in.
It's my understanding that anything that becomes available via SA is yours to continue using even after your SA expires.
So if you get Windows 10 VL during your subscription, you can continue to use it after it SA is over - you just don't get any new versions.
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The Windows 10 upgrade makes no sense to me, and causes a ton of extra work.
There has to be an easier way for them to do it.
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@BRRABill said:
The Windows 10 upgrade makes no sense to me, and causes a ton of extra work.
There has to be an easier way for them to do it.
Pay for the upgrade is the easier way.. If you want it free you have a little work.
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@BRRABill said:
The Windows 10 upgrade makes no sense to me, and causes a ton of extra work.
There has to be an easier way for them to do it.
It's not about them making it easier, it is about you choosing between paying for the easy way or putting up with the inconvenient way. An easy way is available if you want to license it.
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@scottalanmiller said:
It's not about them making it easier, it is about you choosing between paying for the easy way or putting up with the inconvenient way. An easy way is available if you want to license it.
I am learning that is the way of licensing.
Er, Microsoft licensing.
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The general idea of the free upgrade is for home users, not business users. We're lucky that business users can even take advantage of this upgrade. Microsoft could have said that this upgrade only applied to Windows 7 Home or Windows 8.1 Home editions. But they didn't, I consider myself lucky.
If you were on XP Pro and wanted to go to Windows 7 Pro, you had to either purchase a new machine with 7 Pro on it, or purchase Upgrade licenses (either FPP or VL). Paying though did allow you to use images instantly - but again... .you were paying.
As others have already mentioned, if you want that quick solution, open your wallet.
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That's all licensing. It is the basics of products. Someone makes a product that you want that you exchange money for. If they come up with more stuff to sell to you, you can pay more for it. No different than an upgrade on your car to get a nicer stereo or whatever. They make those options so that you can decide whether to save money and live with an anaemic stereo or to spend more and pump up the jam.
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@Dashrender said:
If you were on XP Pro and wanted to go to Windows 7 Pro, you had to either purchase a new machine with 7 Pro on it, or purchase Upgrade licenses (either FPP or VL). Paying though did allow you to use images instantly - but again... .you were paying.
That we get free upgrades of any kind is a very new thing and a big deal. Apple does this but only because you are buying their hardware, too. MS does not have that revenue advantage.
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It is really no different than Windows Desktop vs. Windows Server. We pay more for Server but it is just the desktop OS with functionality unlocked. All about paying for the features that you use.
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Many companies charge us extra for network licences from a license server (floating licences) vs a stand alone ones. Some of these are even $1,000-$1,500 more per seat than an normal standalone seat. It's about what they can sell the ease of use at.
