Windows 10 pro recovery media entitlement free
Looking for:
4 Methods to Fix Windows 10 Activation Error 0xCC.How to get a free Windows 10 upgrade for Windows 7 and Windows
Windows 10 pro recovery media entitlement free
It is the direct successor to Windows for professional users and Windows Me for home users. It was released to manufacturing on August 24, , and later to retail on October 25, Development of Windows XP began in the late s under the codename " Neptune ", built on the Windows NT kernel explicitly intended for mainstream consumer use. An updated version of Windows was also initially planned for the business market. However, in January , both projects were scrapped in favor of a single OS codenamed "Whistler", which would serve as a single platform for both consumer and business markets.
Upon its release, Windows XP received critical acclaim, noting increased performance and stability especially compared to Windows Me , a more intuitive user interface, improved hardware support, and expanded multimedia capabilities.
Mainstream support for Windows XP ended on April 14, , and extended support ended on April 8, After that, the operating system ceased receiving further support. After that, unofficial methods were made available to apply the updates to other editions of Windows XP. Still, Microsoft discouraged this practice, citing incompatibility issues. In the late s, initial development of what would become Windows XP was focused on two individual products: " Odyssey ", which was reportedly intended to succeed the future Windows and " Neptune ", which was reportedly a consumer-oriented operating system using the Windows NT architecture, succeeding the MS-DOS -based Windows However, the projects proved to be too ambitious.
In January , shortly prior to the official release of Windows , technology writer Paul Thurrott reported that Microsoft had shelved both Neptune and Odyssey in favor of a new product codenamed "Whistler", named after Whistler, British Columbia , as many Microsoft employees skied at the Whistler-Blackcomb ski resort. Thurrott stated that Neptune had become "a black hole when all the features that were cut from Windows Me were simply re-tagged as Neptune features. And since Neptune and Odyssey would be based on the same code-base anyway, it made sense to combine them into a single project".
At PDC on July 13, , Microsoft announced that Whistler would be released during the second half of , and also unveiled the first preview build, , which featured an early implementation of Windows XP's visual styles system and interface changes to Windows Explorer and the Control Panel. Microsoft released the first public beta build of Whistler, build , on October 31, Subsequent builds gradually introduced features that users of the release version of Windows XP would recognize, such as Internet Explorer 6.
Microsoft had originally planned to use the slogan "Prepare to Fly", but it was replaced because of sensitivity issues in the wake of the September 11 attacks.
During a ceremonial media event at Microsoft Redmond Campus , copies of the RTM build were given to representatives of several major PC manufacturers in briefcases , who then flew off on decorated helicopters. While PC manufacturers would be able to release devices running XP beginning on September 24, , XP was expected to reach general, retail availability on October 25, On the same day, Microsoft also announced the final retail pricing of XP's two main editions, "Home" as a replacement for Windows Me for home computing and "Professional" as a replacement for Windows for high-end users.
While retaining some similarities to previous versions, Windows XP's interface was overhauled with a new visual appearance, with an increased use of alpha compositing effects, drop shadows , and " visual styles ", which completely changed the appearance of the operating system. The number of effects enabled are determined by the operating system based on the computer's processing power, and can be enabled or disabled on a case-by-case basis.
XP also added ClearType , a new subpixel rendering system designed to improve the appearance of fonts on liquid-crystal displays.
The Start menu received its first major overhaul in XP, switching to a two-column layout with the ability to list, pin, and display frequently used applications, recently opened documents, and the traditional cascading "All Programs" menu.
The taskbar can now group windows opened by a single application into one taskbar button, with a popup menu listing the individual windows.
The notification area also hides "inactive" icons by default. A "common tasks" list was added, and Windows Explorer 's sidebar was updated to use a new task-based design with lists of common actions; the tasks displayed are contextually relevant to the type of content in a folder e. Fast user switching allows additional users to log into a Windows XP machine without existing users having to close their programs and log out.
Although only one user at the time can use the console i. Windows XP uses prefetching to improve startup and application launch times. All Windows licenses must be tied to a unique ID generated using information from the computer hardware , transmitted either via the internet or a telephone hotline.
If Windows is not activated within 30 days of installation, the OS will cease to function until it is activated. Windows also periodically verifies the hardware to check for changes. If significant hardware changes are detected, the activation is voided, and Windows must be re-activated. To enable running software that targets or locks out specific versions of Windows, "Compatibility mode" has been added.
The feature allows pretending a selected earlier version of Windows to software, starting at Windows While this ability was first introduced in Windows Service Pack 2, it had to be activated through the " register server " and was only available to administrator users, whereas Windows XP has it activated out of the box and also grants it to regular users. Some of the programs and features that were part of the previous versions of Windows did not make it to Windows XP.
Both editions were made available at retail as pre-loaded software on new computers and as boxed copies. Boxed copies were sold as "Upgrade" or "Full" licenses; the "Upgrade" versions were slightly cheaper, but require an existing version of Windows to install. The "Full" version can be installed on systems without an operating system or existing version of Windows.
Windows 98 or Me can be upgraded to either edition, but Windows NT 4. Two specialized variants of XP were introduced in for certain types of hardware, exclusively through OEM channels as pre-loaded software.
The OS is primarily aimed at first-time computer owners, containing heavy localization including wallpapers and screen savers incorporating images of local landmarks , and a "My Support" area which contains video tutorials on basic computing tasks. It also removes certain "complex" features, and does not allow users to run more than three applications at a time.
After a pilot program in India and Thailand , Starter was released in other emerging markets throughout As a result of unfair competition lawsuits in Europe and South Korea , which both alleged that Microsoft had improperly leveraged its status in the PC market to favor its own bundled software, Microsoft was ordered to release special editions of XP in these markets that excluded certain applications. Consumer interest was minuscule, with roughly 1, units shipped to OEMs , and no reported sales to consumers.
A service pack is a cumulative update package that is a superset of all updates, and even service packs, that have been released before it. Service Pack 3 is slightly different, in that it needs at least Service Pack 1 to have been installed, in order to update a live OS.
It contained over minor, post-RTM bug fixes, along with all security patches released since the original release of XP. SP1 also added USB 2. This feature was added to comply with the settlement of United States v.
Microsoft Corp. The security improvements codenamed "Springboard", [78] as these features were intended to underpin additional changes in Longhorn included a major revision to the included firewall renamed Windows Firewall, and now enabled by default , and an update to Data Execution Prevention , which gained hardware support in the NX bit that can stop some forms of buffer overflow attacks.
Raw socket support is removed which supposedly limits the damage done by zombie machines and the Windows Messenger service which had been abused to cause pop-up advertisements to be displayed as system messages without a web browser or any additional software became disabled by default. Additionally, security-related improvements were made to e-mail and web browsing. Service Pack 2 also added Security Center , an interface that provides a general overview of the system's security status, including the state of the firewall and automatic updates.
Third-party firewall and antivirus software can also be monitored from Security Center. This was done so that the browser would not violate a patent owned by Eolas.
The third and final Service Pack, SP3, was released through different channels between April [3] and June , [83] about a year after the release of Windows Vista , and about a year before the release of Windows 7.
Service Pack 3 was not available for Windows XP x64 Edition, which was based on the Windows Server kernel and, as a result, used its service packs [84] rather than the ones for the other editions. It began being automatically pushed out to Automatic Updates users on July 10, In incorporating all previously released updates not included in SP2, Service Pack 3 included many other key features.
Windows Imaging Component allowed camera vendors to integrate their own proprietary image codecs with the operating system's features, such as thumbnails and slideshows. NET Framework version 1. Allen, was a former Microsoft employee in Software Quality Assurance and would comb through the Microsoft Knowledge Base articles daily and download new hotfixes Microsoft would put online within the articles.
Microsoft publicly stated at the time that the SP3 pack was unofficial and users should not install it. The maximum amount of RAM that Windows XP can support varies depending on the product edition and the processor architecture.
However, XP supports a greater number of logical processors : bit editions support up to 32 logical processors, [] and bit editions support up to 64 logical processors. Several Windows XP components are upgradable to latest versions, which include new versions introduced in later versions of Windows, and other major Microsoft applications are available. These latest versions for Windows XP include:. Support for the original release of Windows XP without a service pack ended on August 30, Analysts felt that the move was primarily intended to compete against Linux -based netbooks, although Microsoft's Kevin Hutz stated that the decision was due to apparent market demand for low-end computers with Windows.
However, Microsoft advised Windows XP users against installing these fixes, citing incompatibility issues. On April 14, , Windows XP exited mainstream support and entered the extended support phase; Microsoft continued to provide security updates every month for Windows XP, however, free technical support, warranty claims, and design changes were no longer being offered.
Extended support ended on April 8, , over 12 years after the release of Windows XP; normally Microsoft products have a support life cycle of only 10 years.
Plans were being made by several ATM vendors and their customers to migrate to Windows 7-based systems over the course of , while vendors have also considered the possibility of using Linux-based platforms in the future to give them more flexibility for support lifecycles, and the ATM Industry Association ATMIA has since endorsed Windows 10 as a further replacement. These holdouts were influenced by several factors; prices of genuine copies of later versions of Windows in the country are high, while Ni Guangnan of the Chinese Academy of Sciences warned that Windows 8 could allegedly expose users to surveillance by the United States government , [] and the Chinese government would ban the purchase of Windows 8 products for government use in May in protest of Microsoft's inability to provide "guaranteed" support.
As such, government officials formally requested that Microsoft extend the support period for XP for these reasons. While Microsoft did not comply with their requests, a number of major Chinese software developers, such as Lenovo, Kingsoft and Tencent , will provide free support and resources for Chinese users migrating from XP. On March 8, , Microsoft deployed an update for XP that, on the 8th of each month, displays a pop-up notification to remind users about the end of support; however, these notifications may be disabled by the user.
Despite the approaching end of support, there were still notable holdouts that had not migrated past XP; many users elected to remain on XP because of the poor reception of Windows Vista , sales of newer PCs with newer versions of Windows declined because of the Great Recession and the effects of Vista, and deployments of new versions of Windows in enterprise environments require a large amount of planning, which includes testing applications for compatibility especially those that are dependent on Internet Explorer 6, which is not compatible with newer versions of Windows.
Similarly, specialized devices that run XP, particularly medical devices , must have any revisions to their software—even security updates for the underlying operating system—approved by relevant regulators before they can be released.
For this reason, manufacturers often did not allow any updates to devices' operating systems, leaving them open to security exploits and malware.
Despite the end of support for Windows XP, Microsoft has released three emergency security updates for the operating system to patch major security vulnerabilities:. Researchers reported in August that Windows 10 users may be at risk for "critical" system compromise because of design flaws of hardware device drivers from multiple providers. On release, Windows XP received critical acclaim.
CNET described the operating system as being "worth the hype", considering the new interface to be "spiffier" and more intuitive than previous versions, but feeling that it may "annoy" experienced users with its "hand-holding". XP's expanded multimedia support and CD burning functionality were also noted, along with its streamlined networking tools.
The performance improvements of XP in comparison to and Me were also praised, along with its increased number of built-in device drivers in comparison to The software compatibility tools were also praised, although it was noted that some programs, particularly older MS-DOS software, may not work correctly on XP because of its differing architecture. They panned Windows XP's new licensing model and product activation system, considering it to be a "slightly annoying roadblock", but acknowledged Microsoft's intent for the changes.
Despite extended support for Windows XP ending in , many users — including some enterprises — were reluctant to move away from an operating system they viewed as a stable known quantity despite the many security and functionality improvements in subsequent releases of Windows. Windows XP's longevity was viewed as testament to its stability and Microsoft's successful attempts to keep it up to date, but also as an indictment of its direct successor's perceived failings.
According to web analytics data generated by Net Applications , Windows XP was the most widely used operating system until August , when Windows 7 overtook it later overtaken by Windows 10 , [] while StatCounter indicates it happening almost a year earlier. Anonymous users managed to compile the code, as well as a Twitter user who posted videos of the process on YouTube proving that the code was genuine.
Windows 10 pro recovery media entitlement free -
We're trying to create one platform, one eco-system that unites as many of the devices from the small embedded Internet of Things, through tablets, through phones, through PCs and, ultimately, into the Xbox. Further details surrounding Windows 10's consumer-oriented features were presented during another media event held on January 21, , entitled "Windows The Next Chapter".
Additional developer-oriented details surrounding the " Universal Windows Platform " concept were revealed and discussed during Microsoft's Build developers' conference. Among them were the unveiling of "Islandwood", which provides a middleware toolchain for compiling Objective-C -based software particularly iOS to run as universal apps on Windows 10 and Windows 10 Mobile.
A port of Candy Crush Saga made using the toolkit, which shared much of its code with the iOS version, was demonstrated, alongside the announcement that the King -developed game would be bundled with Windows 10 at launch. At the Ignite conference , Microsoft employee Jerry Nixon stated that Windows 10 would be the "last version of Windows", a statement that Microsoft confirmed was "reflective" of its view of the operating system being a "service" with new versions and updates to be released over time.
On June 1, , Microsoft announced that Windows 10 would be released on July 29, The commercials focused on the tagline "A more human way to do", emphasizing new features and technologies supported by Windows 10 that sought to provide a more "personal" experience to users. Windows 10 makes its user experience and functionality more consistent between different classes of device and addresses most of the shortcomings in the user interface that were introduced in Windows 8.
Windows 10 supports universal apps , an expansion of the Metro-style first introduced in Windows 8. Windows 10 also introduced the Microsoft Edge web browser , a virtual desktop system, a window and desktop management feature called Task View , support for fingerprint and face recognition login, new security features for enterprise environments, and DirectX Windows apps share code across platforms, have responsive designs that adapt to the needs of the device and available inputs, can synchronize data between Windows 10 devices including notifications, credentials, and allowing cross-platform multiplayer for games , and are distributed through the Microsoft Store rebranded from Windows Store since September The ARM version of Windows 10 allows running applications for x86 processors through bit software emulation.
On Windows 10, Microsoft Store serves as a unified storefront for apps, video content, and eBooks. Desktop software distributed through Windows Store is packaged using the App-V system to allow sandboxing. A new iteration of the Start menu is used on the Windows 10 desktop, with a list of places and other options on the left side, and tiles representing applications on the right. The menu can be resized, and expanded into a full-screen display, which is the default option in Tablet mode.
When a window is snapped to one side of the screen, Task View appears and the user is prompted to choose a second window to fill the unused side of the screen called "Snap Assist". Charms have been removed; their functionality in universal apps is accessed from an App commands menu on their title bar. It is accessed by clicking an icon in the notification area, or dragging from the right of the screen. Notifications can be synced between multiple devices. Windows 10 is designed to adapt its user interface based on the type of device being used and available input methods.
It offers two separate user interface modes: a user interface optimized for mouse and keyboard, and a "Tablet mode" designed for touchscreens. Users can toggle between these two modes at any time, and Windows can prompt or automatically switch when certain events occur, such as disabling Tablet mode on a tablet if a keyboard or mouse is plugged in, or when a 2-in-1 PC is switched to its laptop state.
In Tablet mode, programs default to a maximized view, and the taskbar contains a back button and hides buttons for opened or pinned programs by default; Task View is used instead to switch between programs. The full screen Start menu is used in this mode, similarly to Windows 8, but scrolls vertically instead of horizontally.
Windows 10 incorporates multi-factor authentication technology based upon standards developed by the FIDO Alliance. Devices with supported cameras requiring infrared illumination, such as Intel RealSense allow users to log in with iris or face recognition , similarly to Kinect. Devices with supported readers allow users to log in through fingerprint recognition. Support was also added for palm-vein scanning through a partnership with Fujitsu in February In , researchers demonstrated that Windows Hello could be bypassed on fully-updated Windows 10 version with a color printout of a person's picture taken with an IR camera.
However, a PIN is not a simpler password. While passwords are transmitted to domain controllers , PINs are not. They are tied to one device, and if compromised, only one device is affected.
As such, the authentication token transmitted to the server is harder to crack. In addition, whereas weak passwords may be broken via rainbow tables , TPM causes the much-simpler Windows PINs to be resilient to brute-force attacks. When Windows 10 was first introduced, multi-factor authentication was provided by two components: Windows Hello and Passport not to be confused with the Passport platform of Later, Passport was merged into Windows Hello.
Device Guard is designed to protect against zero-day exploits , and runs inside a hypervisor so that its operation remains separated from the operating system itself. Other features such as word wrap and transparency were also added. These functions can be disabled to revert to the legacy console if needed.
The Anniversary Update added Windows Subsystem for Linux WSL , which allows the installation of a user space environment from a supported Linux distribution that runs natively on Windows.
The subsystem translates Linux system calls to those of the Windows NT kernel only claims full system call compatibility as of WSL 2, included in a later Windows update. The environment can execute the Bash shell and bit command-line programs WSL 2 also supports bit Linux programs and graphics, assuming supporting software installed, [88] and GPUs support for other uses [89].
Windows applications cannot be executed from the Linux environment, and vice versa. To reduce the storage footprint of the operating system, Windows 10 automatically compresses system files. The system can reduce the storage footprint of Windows by approximately 1.
The level of compression used is dependent on a performance assessment performed during installations or by OEMs , which tests how much compression can be used without harming operating system performance. Furthermore, the Refresh and Reset functions use runtime system files instead, making a separate recovery partition redundant, allowing patches and updates to remain installed following the operation, and further reducing the amount of space required for Windows 10 by up to 12 GB.
Windows 10 introduces Microsoft Edge , a new default web browser. It initially featured a new standards -compliant rendering engine derived from Trident , and also includes annotation tools and integration with other Microsoft platforms present within Windows Every Windows 10 version from 20H2, which was released on October 20, , will come with the new version of the browser preinstalled. Windows 10 incorporates a universal search box located alongside the Start and Task View buttons, which can be hidden or condensed into a single button.
Many of its features are a direct carryover from Windows Phone, including integration with Bing , setting reminders, a Notebook feature for managing personal information, as well as searching for files, playing music, launching applications and setting reminders or sending emails.
Microsoft Family Safety is replaced by Microsoft Family, a parental controls system that applies across Windows platforms and Microsoft online services. Users can create a designated family, and monitor and restrict the actions of users designated as children, such as access to websites, enforcing age ratings on Microsoft Store purchases, and other restrictions. The service can also send weekly e-mail reports to parents detailing a child's computer usage.
Credentials are stored in an encrypted form on Microsoft servers and sent to the devices of the selected contacts. Passwords are not viewable by the guest user, and the guest user is not allowed to access other computers or devices on the network. Wi-Fi Sense is not usable on Universal calling and messaging apps for Windows 10 are built in as of the November update: Messaging, Skype Video, and Phone.
These offer built-in alternatives to the Skype download and sync with Windows 10 Mobile. Windows 10 provides greater integration with the Xbox ecosystem.
Xbox SmartGlass is succeeded by the Xbox Console Companion formerly the Xbox app , which allows users to browse their game library including both PC and Xbox console games , and Game DVR is also available using a keyboard shortcut , allowing users to save the last 30 seconds of gameplay as a video that can be shared to Xbox Live, OneDrive, or elsewhere.
Windows 10 adds native game recording and screenshot capture ability using the newly introduced Game Bar. Users can also have the OS continuously record gameplay in the background, which then allows the user to save the last few moments of gameplay to the storage device.
Windows 10 adds three new default typefaces compared to Windows 8, but removes dozens of others. The removed typefaces are available in supplemental packs and may be added manually over a non-metered internet connection. Windows 10 is available in five main editions for personal computing devices; the Home and Pro editions of which are sold at retail in most countries, and as pre-loaded software on new computers.
Home is aimed at home users, while Pro is aimed at power users and small businesses. Each edition of Windows 10 includes all of the capabilities and features of the edition below it, and add additional features oriented towards their market segments; for example, Pro adds additional networking and security features such as BitLocker , Device Guard, Windows Update for Business, and the ability to join a domain. Enterprise and Education, the other editions, contain additional features aimed towards business environments, and are only available through volume licensing.
As part of Microsoft's unification strategies, Windows products that are based on Windows 10's common platform but meant for specialized platforms are marketed as editions of the operating system, rather than as separate product lines.
An updated version of Microsoft's Windows Phone operating system for smartphones, and also tablets, was branded as Windows 10 Mobile. On May 2, , Microsoft unveiled Windows 10 S referred to in leaks as Windows 10 Cloud , a feature-limited edition of Windows 10 which was designed primarily for devices in the education market competing, in particular, with Chrome OS netbooks , such as the Surface Laptop that Microsoft also unveiled at this time.
The OS restricts software installation to applications obtained from Microsoft Store; the device may be upgraded to Windows 10 Pro for a fee to enable unrestricted software installation. As a time-limited promotion, Microsoft stated that this upgrade would be free on the Surface Laptop until March 31, A public beta program for Windows 10 known as the Windows Insider Program began with the first publicly available preview release on October 1, Insider preview builds are aimed towards enthusiasts and enterprise users for the testing and evaluation of updates and new features.
On July 29, , Microsoft officially announced that Windows 10 would be released for retail purchase as a free upgrade from earlier versions of Windows. In comparison to previous Windows releases, which had a longer turnover between the release to manufacturing RTM and general release to allow for testing by vendors and in some cases, the development of "upgrade kits" to prepare systems for installation of the new version , an HP executive explained that because it knew Microsoft targeted the operating system for a release, the company was able to optimize its then-current and upcoming products for Windows 10 in advance of its release, negating the need for such a milestone.
The general availability build of Windows 10, numbered , was first released to Windows Insider channels for pre-launch testing on July 15, , prior to its formal release. Windows 10 is distributed digitally through the "Media Creation Tool", which is functionally identical to the Windows 8 online installer, and can also be used to generate an ISO image or USB install media. Changing between architectures e. Windows 10 was available in countries and languages upon its launch, and as part of efforts to "re-engage" with users in China, Microsoft also announced that it would partner with Qihoo and Tencent to help promote and distribute Windows 10 in China, and that Chinese PC maker Lenovo would provide assistance at its service centers and retail outlets for helping users upgrade to Windows Windows RT devices cannot be upgraded to Windows During its first year of availability, [] upgrade licenses for Windows 10 could be obtained at no charge for devices with a genuine license for an eligible edition of Windows 7 or 8.
This offer did not apply to Enterprise editions, as customers under an active Software Assurance SA contract with upgrade rights are entitled to obtain Windows 10 Enterprise under their existing terms. All users running non-genuine copies of Windows, and those without an existing Windows 7 or 8 license, were ineligible for this promotion; although upgrades from a non-genuine version were possible, they result in a non-genuine copy of On the general availability build of Windows 10 the original release , to activate and generate the "digital entitlement" for Windows 10, the operating system must have first been installed as an in-place upgrade.
During the free upgrade, a genuineticket. Once installed, the operating system can be reinstalled on that particular system via normal means without a product key, and the system's license will automatically be detected via online activation - in essence, the Microsoft Product Activation Server will remember the system's motherboard and give it the green light for product re-activation.
Since the release of the Fall Creators Update version , Microsoft decided to release multi-edition installation media, to alleviate installation and product activation issues users experienced because of accidentally installing the wrong edition of Windows The Windows Insider Preview version of Windows 10 automatically updated itself to the generally released version as part of the version progression and continues to be updated to new beta builds, as it had throughout the testing process.
Microsoft explicitly stated that Windows Insider was not a valid upgrade path for those running a version of Windows that is ineligible for the upgrade offer; although, if it was not installed with a license carried over from an in-place upgrade to 10 Insider Preview from Windows 7 or 8, the Insider Preview does remain activated as long as the user does not exit the Windows Insider program. The offer was promoted and delivered via the "Get Windows 10" application also known as GWX , which was automatically installed via Windows Update ahead of Windows 10's release, and activated on systems deemed eligible for the upgrade offer.
Via a notification area icon, users could access an application that advertised Windows 10 and the free upgrade offer, check device compatibility, and "reserve" an automatic download of the operating system upon its release. Microsoft said that those who reserved Windows 10 would be able to install it through GWX in a phased rollout process. The operating system could alternatively be downloaded at any time using a separate "Media Creation Tool" setup program, that allows for the creation of DVD or USB installation media.
In May , Microsoft announced that the free upgrade offer would be extended to users of assistive technologies ; however, Microsoft did not implement any means of certifying eligibility for this offer, which some outlets thereby promoted as being a loophole to fraudulently obtain a free Windows 10 upgrade. Microsoft said that the loophole is not intended to be used in this manner.
However, another loophole was found that allowed Windows 7 and 8. No word from Microsoft was given whether it will be closed [] and some outlets have continued to promote it as a free method of upgrading from the now-unsupported Windows 7.
During upgrades, Windows 10 licenses are not tied directly to a product key. Instead, the license status of the system's current installation of Windows is migrated, and a "Digital license" known as "Digital entitlement" in version or earlier is generated during the activation process, which is bound to the hardware information collected during the process.
If Windows 10 is reinstalled cleanly and there have not been any significant hardware changes since installation such as a motherboard change , the online activation process will automatically recognize the system's digital entitlement if no product key is entered during installations.
However, unique product keys are still distributed within retail copies of Windows As with previous non-volume-licensed variants of Windows, significant hardware changes will invalidate the digital entitlement, and require Windows to be re-activated. Unlike previous versions of Windows, Windows Update does not allow the selective installation of updates, and all updates including patches, feature updates, and driver software are downloaded and installed automatically.
Users can only choose whether their system will reboot automatically to install updates when the system is inactive, or be notified to schedule a reboot. Version allows wired Ethernet networks to be designated as metered, but Windows may still download certain updates while connected to a metered network.
In version , by installing the August security update and later versions, driver and non-security updates pushed via Windows Update that are considered optional are no longer automatically downloaded and installed in their devices. Updates can cause compatibility or other problems; a Microsoft troubleshooter program allows bad updates to be uninstalled.
Under the Windows end-user license agreement , users consent to the automatic installation of all updates, features and drivers provided by the service, and implicitly consent "without any additional notice" to the possibility of features being modified or removed. Windows Update can also use a peer-to-peer system for distributing updates; by default, users' bandwidth is used to distribute previously downloaded updates to other users, in combination with Microsoft servers.
Users can instead choose to only use peer-to-peer updates within their local area network. The original release of Windows 10 receives mainstream support for five years after its original release, followed by five years of extended support, but this is subject to conditions.
Microsoft stated that these devices would no longer receive feature updates, but would still receive security updates through January The following table collects current status of the aforementioned updating and support of different branches of Windows Windows 10 is often described by Microsoft as being a "service", as it receives regular "feature updates" that contain new features and other updates and fixes. For example, version was released in September the ninth month of This was changed with the 20H2 release where "MM" represents the half of the year in which the update was released, for example H1 for the first half and H2 for the second half.
The pace at which feature updates are received by devices is dependent on which release channel is used. Each build of Windows 10 is supported for 18 months after its original release. Once a stable build is certified by Microsoft and its partners as being suitable for broad deployment, the build is then released on the "Semi-Annual Channel" formerly "Current Branch for Business", or "CBB" , which is supported by the Pro and Enterprise editions of Windows The Windows Insider branches receive unstable builds as they are released; it is divided into two channels, "Dev" which receives new builds immediately after their release , and "Beta" whose releases are slightly delayed from their "Dev" release.
For this reason, it excludes Cortana, Microsoft Store, and all bundled Universal Windows Platform apps including but not limited to Microsoft Edge, hence these builds ship only with Internet Explorer as browser. In July , Microsoft announced changes in the terminology for Windows branches as part of its effort to unify the update cadence with that of Office ProPlus and Windows Server In February , Microsoft announced changes again in delivering updates in beginning of release of version : a single SAC will be released and SAC-T will be retired, and users are no longer able to switch to different channels.
Instead, these updates can be deferred from 30 to 90 days, or depending how the device was configured to deferred the updates. Feature updates prior to version are distributed solely as an in-place upgrade installation, requiring the download of a complete operating system package approximately 3. Unlike previous builds, version is designed primarily as an update rollup version of , focusing primarily on minor feature additions and enhancements.
For upgrades to from , a new delivery method is used where its changes were delivered as part of the monthly cumulative update, but are left in a dormant state until the update "enablement" patch is installed. The full upgrade process is still used for those using builds prior to In May , Microsoft unveiled Fluent Design System previously codenamed "Project Neon" , a revamp of Microsoft Design Language 2 that will include guidelines for the designs and interactions used within software designed for all Windows 10 devices and platforms.
The new design language will include the more prominent use of motion, depth, and translucency effects. Microsoft stated that the implementation of this design language would be performed over time, and it had already started to implement elements of it in Creators Update and Fall Creators Update. On December 7, , Microsoft announced that, as part of a partnership with Qualcomm, it planned to introduce support for running Win32 software on ARM architecture with a bit x86 processor emulator, in Terry Myerson stated that this move would enable the production of Qualcomm Snapdragon -based Windows devices with cellular connectivity and improved power efficiency over Intel-compatible devices, and still capable of running the majority of existing Windows software unlike the previous Windows RT , which was restricted to Windows Store apps.
Microsoft is initially targeting this project towards laptops. In August , Microsoft began testing changes to its handling of the user interface on convertible devices—downplaying the existing "Tablet Mode" option in favor of presenting the normal desktop with optimizations for touch when a keyboard is not present, such as increasing the space between taskbar buttons and displaying the virtual keyboard when text fields are selected.
In April , the ability to run Linux applications using a graphical user interface , such as Audacity , directly in Windows, was introduced as a preview. The basic hardware requirements to install Windows 10 were initially the same as those for Windows 8. As of the May update, the minimum disk space requirement has been increased to 32 GB.
In addition, on new installations, Windows permanently reserves up to 7 GB of disk space in order to ensure proper installation of future feature updates. The bit variants require a CPU that supports certain instructions. Some pre-built devices may be described as "certified" by Microsoft. Unlike Windows 8, OEMs are no longer required to make Secure Boot settings user-configurable, meaning that devices may optionally be locked to run only Microsoft-signed operating systems.
Windows 10 version and later do not support Intel Clover Trail system-on-chips, per Microsoft's stated policy of only providing updates for devices during their OEM support period.
Starting with Windows 10 version , Microsoft will require new OEM devices to use bit processors, and will therefore cease the distribution of x86 bit variants of Windows 10 via OEM channels. The bit variants of Windows 10 will remain available via non-OEM channels, and Microsoft will continue to "[provide] feature and security updates on these devices".
The maximum amount of RAM that Windows 10 can support varies depending on the product edition and the processor architecture. Windows 10 supports up to two physical processors. Critics characterized the initial release of Windows 10 as being rushed, citing the incomplete state of some of the operating system's bundled software, such as the Edge web browser, as well as the stability of the operating system itself on launch. The Edge browser was praised for its performance, although it was not in a feature-complete state at launch.
While considering them a "great idea in principle", concerns were shown for Microsoft's focus on the universal app ecosystem:. It's by no means certain that developers are going to flock to Windows 10 from iOS and Android simply because they can convert their apps easily.
It may well become a no-brainer for them, but at the moment a conscious decision is still required. Engadget was similarly positive, noting that the upgrade process was painless and that Windows 10's user interface had balanced aspects of Windows 8 with those of previous versions with a more mature aesthetic. Cortana's always-on voice detection was considered to be its "true strength", also citing its query capabilities and personalization features, but noting that it was not as pre-emptive as Google Now.
Windows 10's stock applications were praised for being improved over their Windows 8 counterparts, and for supporting windowed modes. The Xbox app was also praised for its Xbox One streaming functionality, although recommending its use over a wired network because of inconsistent quality over Wi-Fi.
In conclusion, it was argued that "Windows 10 delivers the most refined desktop experience ever from Microsoft, and yet it's so much more than that. It's also a decent tablet OS, and it's ready for a world filled with hybrid devices. And, barring another baffling screwup, it looks like a significant step forward for mobile. Heck, it makes the Xbox One a more useful machine. Ars Technica panned the new Tablet mode interface for removing the charms and app switching, making the Start button harder to use by requiring users to reach for the button on the bottom-left rather than at the center of the screen when swiping with a thumb, and for making application switching less instantaneous through the use of Task View.
Microsoft Edge was praised for being "tremendously promising", and "a much better browser than Internet Explorer ever was", but criticized it for its lack of functionality on-launch. In conclusion, contrasting Windows 8 as being a "reliable" platform albeit consisting of unfinished concepts, Windows 10 was considered "the best Windows yet", and was praised for having a better overall concept in its ability to be "comfortable and effective" across a wide array of form factors, but that it was buggier than previous versions of Windows were on-launch.
Critics have noted that Windows 10 heavily emphasizes freemium services, and contains various advertising facilities. Some outlets have considered these to be a hidden "cost" of the free upgrade offer. Up to August , Windows 10 usage was increasing, with it then plateauing , [] while eventually in , it became more popular than Windows 7 [] [] though Windows 7 was still more used in some countries in Asia and Africa in As of March [update] , the operating system is running on over a billion devices, reaching the goal set by Microsoft two years after the initial deadline.
Twenty-four hours after it was released, Microsoft announced that over 14 million devices were running Windows According to StatCounter, Windows 10 overtook Windows 8. For one week in late November , Windows 10 overtook first rank from Windows 7 in the United States, before losing it again.
In mid-January , Windows 10 had a slightly higher global market share than Windows 7, [] with it noticeably more popular on weekends, [] while popularity varies widely by region, e. Windows 10 was then still behind in Africa [] and far ahead in some other regions e. Windows 10 Home is permanently set to download all updates automatically, including cumulative updates, security patches, and drivers, and users cannot individually select updates to install or not. Concerns were raised that because of these changes, users would be unable to skip the automatic installation of updates that are faulty or cause issues with certain system configurations—although build upgrades will also be subject to public beta testing via Windows Insider program.
An example of such a situation occurred prior to the general release of the operating system, when an Nvidia graphics card driver that was automatically pushed to Windows 10 users via Windows Update caused issues that prevented the use of certain functions, or prevented their system from booting at all.
Criticism was also directed towards Microsoft's decision to no longer provide specific details on the contents of cumulative updates for Windows Some users reported that during the installation of the November upgrade, some applications particularly utility programs such as CPU-Z and Speccy were automatically uninstalled during the upgrade process, and some default programs were reset to Microsoft-specified defaults such as Photos app, and Microsoft Edge for PDF viewing , both without warning.
Further issues were discovered upon the launch of the Anniversary Update "Redstone" , including a bug that caused some devices to freeze but addressed by cumulative update KB, released on August 31, , [] [] and that fundamental changes to how Windows handles webcams had caused many to stop working. A Gartner analyst felt that Windows 10 Pro was becoming increasingly inappropriate for use in enterprise environments because of support policy changes by Microsoft, including consumer-oriented upgrade lifecycle length, and only offering extended support for individual builds to Enterprise and Education editions of Windows Critics have acknowledged that Microsoft's update and testing practices had been affecting the overall quality of Windows In particular, it was pointed out that Microsoft's internal testing departments had been prominently affected by a major round of layoffs undertaken by the company in Microsoft relies primarily on user testing and bug reports via the Windows Insider program which may not always be of sufficient quality to identify a bug , as well as correspondence with OEMs and other stakeholders.
In the wake of the known folder redirection data loss bug in the version , it was pointed out that bug reports describing the issue had been present on the Feedback Hub app for several months prior to the public release.
Following the incident, Microsoft updated Feedback Hub so that users may specify the severity of a particular bug report. When announcing the resumption of 's rollout, Microsoft stated that it planned to be more transparent in its handling of update quality in the future, through a series of blog posts that will detail its testing process and the planned development of a "dashboard" that will indicate the rollout progress of future updates.
Microsoft was criticized for the tactics that it used to promote its free upgrade campaign for Windows 10, including adware -like behaviors, [] using deceptive user interfaces to coax users into installing the operating system, [] [] [] [] downloading installation files without user consent, [] [] and making it difficult for users to suppress the advertising and notifications if they did not wish to upgrade to In September , it was reported that Microsoft was triggering automatic downloads of Windows 10 installation files on all compatible Windows 7 or 8.
Microsoft officially confirmed the change, claiming it was "an industry practice that reduces the time for installation and ensures device readiness. Other critics argued that Microsoft should not have triggered any downloading of Windows 10 installation files without user consent. In October , Windows 10 began to appear as an "Optional" update on the Windows Update interface, but pre-selected for installation on some systems.
A Microsoft spokesperson said that this was a mistake, and that the download would no longer be pre-selected by default. In March , some users also alleged that their Windows 7 and 8. It was concluded that these users may have unknowingly clicked the "Accept" prompt without full knowledge that this would begin the upgrade. On January 21, , Microsoft was sued in small claims court by a user whose computer had attempted to upgrade to Windows 10 without her consent shortly after the release of the operating system.
The upgrade failed, and her computer was left in a broken state thereafter, which disrupted the ability to run her travel agency. However, in May , Microsoft dropped the appeal and chose to pay the damages. Shortly after the suit was reported on by the Seattle Times , Microsoft confirmed it was updating the GWX software once again to add more explicit options for opting out of a free Windows 10 upgrade; [] [] [] the final notification was a full-screen pop-up window notifying users of the impending end of the free upgrade offer, and contained "Remind me later", "Do not notify me again" and "Notify me three more times" as options.
In March , Microsoft announced that it would display notifications informing users on Windows 7 devices of the upcoming end of extended support for the platform, and direct users to a website urging them to upgrade to Windows 10 or purchase new hardware.
This dialog will be similar to the previous Windows 10 upgrade prompts, but will not explicitly mention Windows Privacy advocates and other critics have expressed concern regarding Windows 10's privacy policies and its collection and use of customer data.
Users can opt out from most of this data collection, [] [] but telemetry data for error reporting and usage is also sent to Microsoft, and this cannot be disabled on non-Enterprise editions of Windows Rock Paper Shotgun writer Alec Meer argued that Microsoft's intent for this data collection lacked transparency, stating that "there is no world in which 45 pages of policy documents and opt-out settings split across 13 different settings screens and an external website constitutes 'real transparency'.
The Russian government had passed a federal law requiring all online services to store the data of Russian users on servers within the country by September or be blocked. But Microsoft is held to a different standard than other companies". The Microsoft Services agreement reads that the company's online services may automatically "download software updates or configuration changes, including those that prevent you from accessing the Services, playing counterfeit games, or using unauthorized hardware peripheral devices.
In September , Microsoft hid the option to create a local account during a fresh installation if a PC is connected to the internet. This move was criticized by users who did not want to use an online Microsoft account.
Think of it like the reverse of Wine—Windows is gaining the ability to run Linux binaries natively on Windows. You should eventually be able to launch more shells from the Bash shell, too—the release notes now say the popular Zsh shell is now functional.
Check out our guide for info on how to set it up. Microsoft is experimenting with a new tool that allows you to get a clean Windows 10 system. You can always reinstall Windows 10 yourself, but you have to download installation media. This currently links a Microsoft Answers forum thread where you can download a tool that walks you through the Windows 10 reinstallation process.
Your most frequently used and recently added applications will appear at the top of this list. Important buttons like the File Explorer, Settings, and Shut Down buttons are now always located at the left side of the Start menu. OneDrive users will be happy to know that they can now search all their files—both files on the PC and files stored online in OneDrive—from the Start menu.
You can now pin windows in the Task View interface , making them always appear on every virtual desktop instead of a single virtual desktop. For example, you may want to pin a messaging or music application to all desktops for easy access. Just place four fingers on your touchpad and swipe left or swipe right. And yes, this is the same touchpad gesture Apple uses on Macs. When your system is in Tablet Mode, the All Apps list will now appear in full-screen mode—just like on Windows 8.
You can toggle between the tiles view and list of apps with options at the left side of the screen. You can also choose to automatically hide the taskbar while in tablet mode. With auto-hide enabled, you can swipe up from the bottom of the screen to show or hide the taskbar. The Windows taskbar sees some important improvements, too. The taskbar clock is now integrated with your calendar, so you can click or tap the time and see a list of the calendar events you have scheduled for today.
The sound panel is also more useful. You can click or tap the speaker icon and switch between multiple output devices—like speakers and headphones—if you have more than one connected.
Microsoft heard user complaints, and your email address will no longer appear on your lock screen if you sign in with a Microsoft account. This helps preserve your privacy. The lock screen now features built-in media controls, which appear at the bottom-right corner of the screen along with album art for any playing music.
You can control music playback without unlocking your PC. Cortana can now be used on your lock screen, too. Its detailed screen now offers easy per-application settings for controlling whether an application can run in the background.
Windows Update will avoid restarting to automatically install updates during those hours. Normally, whenever you install a major update, you have to sign in before Windows 10 finishes the setup process. The Action Center button is now located at the far right corner of the taskbar, making it easier to find. Notifications are now grouped by app in the Action Center.
You can now quickly dismiss notifications in the Action Center by middle-clicking them. These notifications are now more customizable, too. You can also choose how many notifications can appear at once for each application. Each application can display three notifications at a time by default. Moreover, the Quick Actions at the bottom of the Action Center are finally customizable.
The Wi-Fi quick action will now take you to a list of available networks rather than toggling your Wi-Fi on or off, something Microsoft says confused a lot of people. Windows 10 now allows universal apps to be associated with websites. For example, if you navigate to a TripAdvisor web page in Microsoft Edge, Windows 10 could instead open the TripAdvisor app displaying that page.
Microsoft is also making a big push for a unified app store across platforms. That means developers can easily make their Windows Store apps work on the Xbox. The Xbox is also getting Cortana, which comes with some new gaming-related features, like game recommendations and tips. Microsoft is updating the entire set of emojis included in Windows These new emoji are designed to be detailed, expressive, and playful. Their larger size takes full advantage of every pixel and the two-pixel outline allows for emoji to appear on any color background without loss of fidelity.
It allows you to connect your phone to your PC without a dock, cable, or Miracast adapter. Continuum, which allows you to power a Windows desktop experience from a Windows Phone but only with universal apps , is the big, unique feature Windows 10 Mobile offers.
Here are some of the most interesting smaller changes:. Microsoft has changed many other smaller things, updating icons and fixing bugs. We select and review products independently. When you purchase through our links we may earn a commission. Learn more. Windows ». What Is svchost. Best Ultrawide Monitors. Best Wi-Fi 6E Routers. Each item between backslashes above corresponds to the folders you need to click to find the folder with your Windows product key: the SoftwareProtectionPlatform folder.
The product key here might be different from the product key found through Command Prompt or PowerShell. You can find a Windows 7 product key in the registry through the same method. You can also change your Windows 10 product key on this screen if you need to. With physical copies of Windows, the Windows 10 or Windows 7 activation key is often hidden behind a scratch-off inside the original box.
It could also be on an official sticker located on the outside of the box. When buying a PC or laptop with Windows 10 pre-installed, the Windows 10 product key is listed on a Certificate of Authenticity in the paperwork, or a sticker somewhere on the device itself usually the side or back of a PC, and the underside of a laptop. You can search by email sender from:[name] , recipient to:[name] , or even terms in the subject line subject:[microsoft activation key] , for example.
Using one of the methods above to find your key is safer, since giving a company access to your computer leaves you vulnerable to bloatware or even types of malware. Only use third-party tools you trust. If a third-party tool infects your device, downloading the best free antivirus software can remove it. These products have free trials but may require additional information or send you ads. Third-party tools can also recover deleted files on Windows and other, more specialized services.
If you bought a physical disc or retail copy of Windows 10, you have a product key located somewhere on or inside the original packaging. If you bought Windows 10 online directly from Microsoft, you have a digital license. Microsoft creates a digital license automatically and stores it on their servers in a process called digital entitlement.
When you reinstall Windows or software such as Microsoft Office, you need your product key. Our guide to speeding up and cleaning your PC can help you tidy up your folders and keep your computer organized.
If you have Windows 8 and are thinking of an upgrade, check out our Windows 8 vs Windows 10 comparison. Upgrading to a new version of Windows will give you a new product key. Anyone can download and install Windows 10 for free, but Microsoft will keep encouraging you to activate. Anyone running Windows 7 should upgrade to Windows Along with being faster and smoother, Windows 10 is better at managing memory and disk space.
If your hard drive is clogged or buggy, see how to use chkdsk in Windows to scan your drive and fix it.
No comments:
Post a Comment