that is why i store all my porn in the Dropbox so that I just can install things without worrying XD

Before you even remotely consider to upgrade to Win10 you should read this article: http://www.ghacks.net/2015/07/30/wi.....0-and-privacy/

No one who cares for their private data should upgrade to 10 without knowing the risks.

Well, I've had such concerns since Windows 8, and for now I've done the following:

- used a local account instead of logging in with my Microsoft account
- log into each Microsoft app separately
- turned Advertising ID off
- not used Cortana (I have no real choice on this, as Cortana is not available to use in my country)
- made sure the Wi-fi password sharing thing is disabled

So yeah, I do try to keep my computer private. If there's anything I missed in the above list that is worth noting, be sure to let me know.

Well, that's most of it but for me one very essential part is missing. "Diagnostic and usage data" The part that states what information about your PC is sent to Microsoft, including installed Apps, Cookies, Cache, Browser history and much more. This option can not be turned off completely. Only the Enterprise Edition is allowed to deactivate this completely, meaning as a normal user there will always be data sent to MS as long as the system is online. Something I would not allow for my system, ever.

Browser history... Does that include 3rd party browsers? I mostly use Firefox and Chrome, hardly ever bother with IE (or in the current case, Edge).

Not sure but since the privacy policy states they collect data from installed apps I wouldn't be surprised if they'd to that as well.

"We will access, disclose and preserve personal data, including your content (such as the content of your emails, other private communications or files in private folders), when we have a good faith belief that doing so is necessary to protect our customers or enforce the terms governing the use of the services."

This gives me the shivers.

This is so fucking ridiculous ... privacy is what you make of it, you can protect your own privacy with a little bit of brain. But since this post completely lacks that I'll just laugh at you for being so stupid...
Probably one of those typical "I have nothing to hide" people ...

Said private data is going to Microsoft and their affiliates. If you don't trust Microsoft with your data, you shouldn't have a Windows OS at all. Or any Microsoft anything for that matter, including Xbox and Skype.

Here is how my uncle explained privacy and the internet, because it you have used Google they have collected anonymous data.

You are assigned a number which all the dates collected is linked to, so all they have is a number linked to your search history, browser history and etc. They have no idea it is you or who you are until the government subpoenas that information, but you can request a new number any time you would like.

Pretty much if you use Chrome, Firefox, IE, or anything from Google, Microsoft, Apple, etc they have data on you regardless of you have Win7 8 or 10

I didn't even hear about that feature. Mind sending me a link to an article detailing it?

Awesome, thanks!

I find it peculiar that this method of installing didn't require a serial key! I'll try it out myself now. c:

It only requires the serial key from the old version of Windows (which you presumably activated beforehand). There was an article on the interwebs saying that Microsoft confirmed this is a valid alternative to the Windows Update method, but I can't find it right now.

Okay, cool stuff. c: I'm installing it at the time!

Update: It was a reddit post, but should be proof enough - https://www.reddit.com/r/Windows10/.....creation_tool/

Windows 10 installation complete, it never even asked me for a key. c: I can confirm all this stuff! :D It's awesome!

Glad it worked smoothly for you as well

Just took forever to install. xD
For those wondering, I too downloaded the same setup tool to a bootable USB drive. However, I merely started my laptop, logged into Windows 8.1 Pro and then started the setup on the USB through the explorer. It upgraded from then on automatically, and it's running smoothly!

For those who have data bandwidth caps, turn off "Windows Update Delivery Optimization", it uses your bandwidth to send updates to others.
http://thenextweb.com/microsoft/201.....eople-updates/

What about Serial-key? Don't you need one specifically for Windows10 if you are going to upgrade it via a bootable USB?

Well, it does say you need your key when you install it for the first time. And formatting your drive before that will count it as a first time.
Question then: did you get a key for Win10?
Or did you use the key of your previous windows?

Nope. I can confirm that my copy of Windows is showing up as activated, and I didn't use any new key for it - just skipped the serial number section and it activated itself automatically based on the old Windows 8.1 key.

Based on your Windows8 key? But after formatting, shouldn't it loose all its memories about your key as well?
I'm sorry, I'm just used to the older Windows version where you have to type in the key manually whenever you format your PC.

My brother comes up with the theory that Microsoft keeps data of your Hardware IDs. Motherboard, Graphics, RAMs, SSD, etc. So if you do a clean install and skip the part during the installation where they ask for the key, it will automatically activate it once it connects to Microsoft's severs. So you can do as many clean installs if you like. But once you change your hardware, you have to install windows 7 again, install all its updates, then upgrade to win10, and do another clean install. IF THAT WORKS...
Dunno if it's like that.

That's the thing - I didn't format the Windows 8.1 partition. I started the upgrade process while booted in Windows 8.1, and Windows 10 installed over the previous build, making all the necessary replacements.

Ah, okay. So you didn't do a clean install then.
Then I'm still on the search on my answer of: where to get the Win10 key so I don't have to do two clean installs in a row.
And if that is true, you won't be able to upgrade from your Win8.1 copy to 10 anymore once the intial year is over.
I'll try to ask their support about this. If they are really making it for free for everyone who has a key, then they should convert their Win7 or Win8 keys to Win10 keys.
I mean... people will upgrade their PCs with new hardwares eventually. Even passed the first year where the upgrade is for free. And then what? People have to go back to their previous Windows? That's a bit stupid.

You'll have to do two installs in a row, but the first one has to be the upgrade.
From what I understood via various articles on the internet, once the old key is associated with your computer and the upgrade program during the Windows 10 upgrade, you can format the Windows partition and do a clean install, skipping the serial key prompts from start to finish, and it'll get activated automatically after installation is complete.

One unfortunate side-effect of this is that you'll have to go through the upgrade process first on each new computer you transfer the license to, even if it's a retail license. In other words: You get a new computer and get rid of the old one. You want to use the Windows 7 Retail license (for example) from the old computer to install Windows 10 on the new computer. In order to do that, you'll have to install Windows 7 on the new computer, activate the license, go through the upgrade process to Windows 10, and only after that do a clean install of Windows 10.

Yeah... I just looked up some of their discussions in their own forums.

Let's say... you upgrade one of your hardwares this year.
You cannot install windows 10 right away. They said it themselves. Not if you had Win10 via the upgrading system. If you want to get Win10 back, you'd need to install your previous Windows, (maybe bring it back up to its latest version, depending if Win10 requires that), upgrade to Win10, and then you're settled.

But, if you upgrade your hardware after the final date of July 30st 2016, you won't be able to get Win10 anymore. Because the Win10 upgrade system will be deactivated by then. Which means, the only way to get Win10 again is to buy it.

So yeah... it's not for free for PCs. For tablets or phones, yes. Because upgrade those hardware is often not possible so you'll keep Win10 on it. For those parts, it is a permanent, free upgrade.
However, on the normal personal computer, where you upgrade some of your hardware, you'll need to buy Win10 on its own so you get the key.

In otherwords, Microsoft is giving the middle finger to those who build their own PCs since you need a key to install your OS on it. For those who always will buy a finished product where you get an OS pre-installed, then you don't have to worry abotu anything. What a pain in the ass x.x

As I mentioned in my previous comment: you can use the old retail license even after the July 31st deadline, provided you used it to upgrade to Windows before this deadline. It'll get registered as part of the free upgrade program and will work for upgrades indefinitely. However you'll need to install the old Windows and activate it before doing a fresh install for every new computer you use it on.

Ahh, yes. Makes at least a little bit more sense for them to not only link your hardware to the new Windows10 license, but also your previous retail license. I'm okay with that. It would have been a lot easier if Microsoft came out with a tool instead that changes your Windows 7/8.1 key to a Windows 10. But oh well...

I am definitevely not going to install 10 on my newest laptop...I will experiment with my old one.

Yeah, being an early adopter with no backup saved on a separate drive is a very risky move. I also used my old laptop for testing, but even with an SSD it worked very slowly... Might be due to the fact that I ran the Windows Insider builds on it though. I'll try to upgrade it to final build and see if it makes any difference.

You may want to take a look at some of the privacy violations of Windows 10, taken straight from the wording of the various menus.

https://i.imgur.com/ES7IeHL.jpg

I have a feeling some of those screenshots were taken from the Insider version of Win10, as I can't find them in any of the Settings sections. Cortana isn't available in my country, so that's disabled by default. And the "keylogger" bit seems to be part of a Microsoft browser (not sure if it's IE or Edge), and I use Firefox or Chrome.

I did however find some new settings to disable through that set of screenshots, so thanks for sharing :)

Where I am, Cortana is aggressively being pushed for Windows 10. I had a Microsoft marketer try to accuse me of being tinfoily for posting that screenshot of the exact wording in the Operating System. He then got very angry when I said that the defaults on Windows 10 have it acting as a keylogger and that it sends your Internet history to Microsoft. He proceeded to use some marketing buzzwords at me talking about how it "secures" Windows against hackers, and I had to stop him right there. I told him that I am well aware of how hackers get into the operating system, and having your personal information routinely collected and sent over the Internet is ANOTHER target for hackers, not to mention every single collection mechanism on the operating system itself is another target for virus writers. He blocked me after that.

I did a clean install, and upgrade. It took less than 5 minutes.
The upgrade process is slower based on the amount of data you want to move over~
I kinda like 10, but it remains to be seen in some aspects... and you still cant customize it nearly a finely as you could 7... But I bet you will be able too in time when the modding community fully embraces it and has time to dev it's neat tools, toys, and custom themes/shells.