Windows 8 Preview Expires, What Next? | TechTree.com

Windows 8 Preview Expires, What Next?

How to continue using the latest OS for free, uptil a maximum of a year beyond its commercial launch.

 

As of 15th January 2013, all the preview versions of Windows 8 have expired, i.e., Developer Preview, Consumer Preview and Release Preview. You cannot purchase the OS at retail for a newly built PC even if you were willing to pay, because special offers and normal pricing have only been revealed for Upgrade editions.

If you adopted Windows 8 anytime after the first public preview in September 2011, you may want to get an Evaluation copy of the Enterprise Edition. Doing so lets you continue using the latest OS for free, upto a year beyond its commercial launch in October 2012.

Activation is required after downloading and installing it, which must be completed before 15th August 2013. You get 90 days to trial this final release of Windows 8 Enterprise Edition with full functionality, which means you can use it for free uptil 15th November 2013.

I should note here, that turning the system clock back to before November 2013 will not help to continue using the OS, and experienced hacker forums admit that activation cracks are not likely to be easy for Windows 8.

Unless pre-release versions of the next Windows version become available to the public by then, you'll have to pay to use a Windows OS. Installing this OS from the official DVD won't proceed beyond the dialog box without a legitimate activation key. You'll then have to fall back to an older OS version, or if you qualify, purchase an upgrade pack which is still available at a low-cost until 31st January.


TAGS: Microsoft, Windows 8, Evaluation, Upgrade

 
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