Have you ever thought about looking for “criminal” ways to activate Windows 10? I can please you, Microsoft has taken care of this. Apparently they realized that it was pointless and there was no strength to fight the hackers who constantly hacked the company’s operating systems. Therefore, the company took a different route. In the new Windows 10 operating system, Microsoft has made it so that it can be used for free, but of course with some restrictions. The Redmond-based company allows anyone to download Windows 10 for free and install the system without a product key. I want to tell you how to do this and give you some tips on how to get around some of the restrictions.

How to download Windows 10 and install it without an activation key?

We'll need an ISO image of Windows 10 itself. You can download it directly from Microsoft, and you don't even need a product key to download a copy of the system https://www.microsoft.com/uk-ua/software-download/windows10. The Media Creation Tool utility will help with this.

To create the media, select “Create installation media for another computer” and click “Next”.

We choose a language, naturally Windows 10 Pro (walk, walk) and architecture, preferably x64.

Then select the media on which the installation files will be written. If you select an ISO file, you will need to specify a location to save it; if you select a flash drive, then select the appropriate device. All data on the flash drive will be deleted. In a few minutes you will have the official version of the Windows 10 image downloaded.

If you're ready, just start the installation process. By following simple system prompts, you will install Windows 10 as usual. One of the first screens you'll see is Activate Windows, which will ask you to enter your product key. However, you can simply click on the "I don't have a product key" option at the bottom of the window and Windows will allow you to continue with the installation process. You may be prompted to enter your product key later in the installation process, but you skip this step.

A little more and Windows 10 will be successfully installed on your device.

What's wrong with this Windows 10?

Once you have installed Windows 10 without a key, it will not actually be activated. However, there are no special restrictions on using non-activated Windows 10. Since the days of Windows XP, Microsoft has used the famous Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) activation key verification tool. It seems that in Windows 10 the company abandoned its use and limited it to cosmetic methods only.

From the beginning you will barely notice. Everything works, everything is updated, everything is installed, everything works. Over time, you will see a warning watermark in the lower right corner that you need to activate your version of Windows 10. It cannot be removed or cut out. But for many, it is unlikely to interfere with their work, much less distract them.

If you decide to go to Settings, you will be greeted at the bottom with the message “Windows is not activated. Activate Windows."

I don’t think many people look here often, and this inscription will somehow bother you. If you click on the inscription, you will understand the essence of the second limitation of non-activated Windows 10.

It concerns the ability to change the interface and appearance of the Desktop and lock screen. You will not be able to change the desktop screensaver,

select the main color of the system and taskbar. All buttons are simply inactive.

You will also not be able to change the Lock Screen picture, set sound settings, mouse settings, or arbitrarily place icons on the Desktop. In other words, the system itself will decide which label can be placed and where. Some cannot even be created at all, for example My Computer.

How then? It turns out that there is a solution to the problem and it is very simple. To bypass these restrictions, you simply need to turn off your network connection to the Internet. Then you will have access to Personalization. You can change everything: wallpaper, themes, upload your own image on the Lock Screen, change sound and mouse settings, even place shortcuts at your discretion. Then you turn on the Internet and you will see that the system will not fix anything.

But there is still one more way to change the desktop background image. To do this, select an image from your collection on your PC, click on the right mouse button, you will see the usual “Set as desktop background image” function. This feature was not blocked even in non-activated Windows 10.

Beyond these limitations, your system will function normally. Of course, from time to time it will ask you to activate it; you will not be able to disable the privacy settings. You won't pay a penny for that.

What if I still want to activate my Windows 10?

It is possible that over time you will want to activate the Windows 10 you like. Microsoft has taken care of this. If you look at the point Activation, you will find here the option to either enter your product key if you have one, or simply buy a licensed version of Windows 10 from the Store.

By the way, the licensed version of Windows Pro in the Store now costs 4,599 UAH. In Ukraine and 13,900 rubles in Russia.

It seems that the desire to attract maximum attention to Windows 10 has a special place in Microsoft's strategy. Maybe they are right, because if you can’t defeat the enemy (hackers), lead it. They're probably pretty good at it.

Is it possible to upgrade an illegal version of the Windows operating system (also called a pirated version) to Windows 10.

Yes, you can! I was convinced of this from personal experience when I was able to upgrade from Windows7 to Windows10.

True, I didn’t succeed right away, but only on the third try. I want to tell you how I managed to upgrade from pirated Windows 7 to official Windows 10 in this note.

To begin with, I will say that I do not consider myself an inveterate pirate, it’s just the circumstances with my laptop, which was running a licensed version of Windows 7. In short, I caught a Trojan virus when I was looking for a free 3-D modeling program and my hoster blocked me via IP access to the server. I couldn’t even connect via FTP, or even just view any site located on this hosting.

The problem had to be solved quickly, and somehow I immediately found a friend who suggested completely deleting everything from the computer (along with the virus) and installing the same seven, but this time pirated. In half an hour, he made it a reality. That's how I became a pirate

But this note should be about Windows 10 and whether it is possible to upgrade to ten from unlicensed Windows. Therefore, I am changing my train of thought in this direction.

Upgrade to Windows 10

Recently, when I went to the MSN website, I immediately saw a message in the widget under the header: " Upgrade to Windows 10 - it's free". By clicking on the link, I was taken to the Microsoft website, where it was suggested to install 10.

Before this, I had already updated to ten on a Windows tablet, where version 8.1 was installed. Having poked around the Internet a little, I found several reviews in which people said that they updated from pirates without any problems. In short, it was or wasn’t, I decided to update.

By going to the site https://www.microsoft.com/ru-ru/software-download/windows10 I pressed Update now , after which a window appeared where it was proposed to download a file of only 7.3 MB in size in EXE format. I downloaded this file - it turned out to be a program for automatically updating to Windows 10.

The update occurs automatically and does not require your participation, the main thing is that the Internet is continuously working at this time. To update, click on this program and it begins installation.

Difficulties and problems when updating

I didn't manage to update the first time. Having reached 25 percent of the complete installation, the program generated an error and deleted all the files it had downloaded. I tried this three times and almost fell into despair. It was late at night and I went to bed. But then I remembered that I had the same problem on the tablet.

It turns out that this was the problem. To upgrade to WINDOWS 10, you need to have enough space on your computer on drive C. After cleaning up some space, I tried to upgrade again. The attempt was unsuccessful, but the process was already 70% complete. I didn't give up - I had to remove several large, heavy programs that took up a lot of space. In the end, I was able to free up almost 15 GB.

And here it is, a miracle - now I have Windows10 on my computer. Programs now seem to fly, and the laptop works much easier (you can hear it from the cooling fan).

So the only problem that can interfere with upgrading to WINDOWS 10 is the lack of space on drive C. So don’t give up and upgrade!

At the moment, a FREE update to tens is available from any version of Windows.

And hurry up, because on the official website there is this message:

Yes, it's free! The update involves receiving a full version of Windows 10, not a trial version. The size of the downloaded files is 3 GB.

So, with a few minor problems, I upgraded from a pirated version to Windows 10.

Microsoft today officially announced the release of Windows 10 in the summer, and also spoke about a strategic partnership with Chinese companies, which should “help fight piracy,” which is actively flourishing in the Middle Kingdom. Then it was said that Microsoft would update even pirated copies to Windows 10 for free, and now the head of the Windows division of Microsoft Corporation, Terry Myerson, told how exactly updates would occur in the case of legal and pirated systems.

According to Microsoft's position, owners of legal copies of Windows 7 and 8.1 will receive an upgrade to Windows 10 absolutely free. After the update, these users will receive all new features and security enhancements absolutely free, “for as long as this device is supported.” What exactly the last words mean (until the device breaks or, perhaps, for the duration of the warranty?), he did not explain.

If Microsoft detects any kind of tampering with the system - simply detects that a copy of Windows was obtained illegally - a watermark will appear on the desktop, informing the buyer that he has an illegal copy installed. Terry Myerson asks users to be attentive to this when purchasing new devices and to avoid purchasing gadgets with Windows 10 that have a watermark on the desktop.

A Microsoft “black mark” means a lack of support from the company and its partners and threatens not to receive updates, even critical security updates. Microsoft emphasizes that the free update will still not be available to users of illegal copies of the system, but the software giant, together with its partners, promises to offer “very attractive” conditions for switching to the licensed version of Windows 10.

It appears that no further measures will be taken. Microsoft probably decided that it made no sense to restrict the operation of a copy of the OS that was identified as pirated. This time, it seems, they won’t even deprive the desktop screensaver.

The “very attractive” transition conditions probably hide a paid upgrade to Windows 10. What the amount will be has not yet been announced, but it can be assumed that Microsoft will not ask for a lot of money for this. This idea is prompted by the recent statement that Windows 10 will be the latest version of the OS and will be improved according to the service principle. One of the likely options for monetizing Windows 10 is the introduction of a subscription, which was previously hinted at by Microsoft COO Kevin Turner. This would be a logical step, given plans to gradually improve the system. The amount of transfer from a pirated copy will most likely be comparable to the amount of a short-term subscription, since the user will bring money constantly in the future - this is exactly what Microsoft is striving for.

Company Microsoft made a gesture of goodwill by allowing all Windows users, including those with pirated copies, to upgrade to Windows 10 for free. Be that as it may, it is possible that the company's management actually planned a trap for pirates.

Despite the company's best efforts to combat piracy, revenue from Windows and Microsoft Office fell from 23 to 16% of the company's total profits. According to the site, Microsoft representatives decided to take a different route to get their users back. For example, in China, about 30% of users use pirated copies of Windows. In other words, offering a free upgrade to Windows 10 would bring millions of users back to Microsoft. In fact, the company is offering an amnesty for all owners of a pirated copy of Windows and thereby completely depriving pirates of their earnings.

Obviously, users of pirated versions of the new operating system will not receive the same support as owners of licensed copies. Microsoft is not going to give Windows 10 to everyone for free and is only offering a free update for users of Windows 7 and Windows 8. However, after the release of the new operating system as a free update for owners of the pirated version, the vast majority of users will take advantage of Microsoft's offer. Pirates will have no choice but to retire, since it will be easier to download and install Windows 10 from the official website than to search for a pirated version in the wilds of the Internet.

In the future, Microsoft hopes that users of the pirated version of the new OS will sooner or later decide to purchase a licensed copy. More and more often, users decide to pay for a license rather than put up with emerging problems or wait for a pirated version of new updates with some new features. And with the lack of people hacking the software, updates for pirated versions of the product will also disappear.

According to the site, Microsoft representatives do not hide their intention to turn users of pirated software into users of licensed copies of their products. Thus, by taking advantage of the company's offer, pirates will find themselves trapped and will have no choice but to purchase a license for the new operating system.

Hello admin! I am contacting you as a friend, I need advice. I'm in ninth grade. My parents bought me a laptop with Windows 10, overall I’m happy with it, it turns out that Win 10 is my second operating system, before that I was using an old computer with Windows XP. But I really want to try Windows 7, I don’t know it at all. Our computer scientist at school says that Win 7 is more beautiful, easier to manage, configure, and most importantly, there is no Metro interface unnecessary on the desktop, but the question is - where to download it?

On the official Microsoft website they only distribute , which means there is not much choice, only torrents remain, but again, various assemblies are distributed on torrents, that is, modified (changed by skilled users) images of real Windows 7, I don’t want that, I want to install it for myself on a laptop instead of Windows 10, the original Windows 7 Professional and use it for a month, if everything they say about the “seven” is true, then I will honestly buy it in the online store. If I don't like Win 7, I'll stick with my Windows 10.

• I understand that it is not customary to provide links to download operating systems on such reputable sites as yours, but at least help distinguish a real Microsoft original image of Windows 7 or Windows 10 from a non-original one(pirate assembly), say in your own words, what is the difference between a pirated build of Windows 7, 8.1, 10 and a licensed Windows 7, 8.1, 10, what exactly changed there ? Why do you advise all users in the comments to install original images from Microsoft?
• And the last two questions, how exactly assemblies of the Windows 7, 8.1, 10 operating systems are created, how the image is disassembled and how it is assembled later?
• Why didn’t you yourself, with your knowledge, download Windows 10 with an activator, but went to a simple store and bought a licensed Windows 8.1 Professional 64-bit Rus (OEM) in a box, and then wrote an article about it?

Sorry for so many questions, I'm just interested in everything related to computers and I honestly don't want to steal anything, I just want to understand everything. You have a very good site, I visit it constantly, thank you very much in advance for your answers.

Best regards, Maxim!

In this article I will answer your other questions. Should I, a simple computer technician, not know that the original Windows is better than the non-original one? Over the years, I have seen so many abnormal and crappy assemblies that I have lost count.

I agree, not all builds are so bad, but I’m still for the original. Why? I’ll give you a simple comparison example, maybe a little unfortunate, but I think you’ll understand the gist.

You came to the store to buy Levi's jeans, and suddenly they offered you jeans from another company for free, personally, I wouldn't even agree for free, what if they tear at the most inopportune moment right on the street, so I need original jeans from Levi's, Windows from Microsoft, the processor from Intel, and the cartoon “Well, wait a minute” from Vyacheslav Kotyonochkin. Maybe I'm old-fashioned, but so far it's all worked.

The original appearance and state of Windows in such assemblies is rarely preserved, because that’s why it’s an assembly, to have some differences from the original and other assemblies of the system. Windows builds posted on the Internet from enthusiasts are the results of their experiments, where they remove or disable some system functionality, preset certain settings, implement third-party software products, and modify the system interface.

Among the system settings and functionality, this could be:

1. Disable User Account Control.

2. Disabling the page file

3. Removing office equipment drivers that are not used at home.

4. Removing Metro functionality in Windows 8 and 8.1, removing hibernation mode, etc.

5. Windows builds are often equipped with pre-installed programs, and after installing the system, shortcuts for launching the browser, uninstaller, system optimizer, Microsoft Office applications and other useful software are already ready on the desktop.

6. Third-party design themes, gadgets on the desktop, informers and other not so useful, but rather beautiful little things, modify the boring design of Windows.

Introductions to the system that improve its design are especially favored by novice users in the comments on online distributions of Windows builds.

If you come across a Windows build, in the description of which an enthusiast mentioned testing it personally, you are very lucky. Collectors do not always check their creations for functionality before posting them on the Internet. After all, if there are any problems during the installation or operation of such Windows builds, users will definitely write in the comments. And only then will the collector begin to solve the problem.

Sometimes Windows builds may come in Live CD format, as is the case with Linux distributions. Such Live CDs contain a menu in which you can choose to install Windows, or you can use the programs offered to resuscitate the system or quickly access the Internet.

Windows builds are “freed” from the need to pay money for using the system, which is why they are called pirated. Some assemblies are installed with an already installed serial key and are activated automatically, and some provide, after installing the system, the presence of an activator utility on the desktop, which the user needs to launch manually. Windows builds may not contain an embedded serial number, may not be activated automatically, and may not even have an activator on the desktop. In this case, the activator utility can be downloaded separately (very often it is because of the activator curves that the loading of the operating system fails).

Who publishes Windows builds on the Internet for free and why?

Who are these enthusiastic collectors? And what are their benefits? Why do they waste their time and use their acquired skills in order to then give away the results of their work for free?

In many cases, they are driven by the need for their own development and the opportunity to test their developments in the context of feedback from users. Often this is a common desire to show off your technical literacy and gather an audience around you who will thank you, ask questions - in general, increase your self-esteem.

Note: Friends, if you are smart, educated and talented, better spend your energy on creating a real operating system that would be a worthwhile alternative to Windows from Microsoft!

Of course, Windows builders can be ordinary scammers who initially introduce malicious codes into the system for the purpose of profit. These points should definitely be checked in the comments to online distributions of Windows builds to see if anyone is making complaints about this.

Advantages and disadvantages of pirated builds of Windows

Left click to enlarge image

The use of patches to change the system interface and the introduction of third-party software can theoretically negatively affect the stability of the system. But this is a very conditional drawback of pirated Windows builds - after all, you can choose a build where the builder did not apply patches to change the system interface. However, users love various design features and are not particularly worried about the impact of patches on the integrity and performance of the system.

Pre-installed programs in the Windows build are more of an advantage of the system than a disadvantage, even though builders, as a rule, package a set of programs based on their ideas. And often, along with multimedia software for beginners in the Windows build, you can find an advanced system resource monitoring manager or a utility for measuring voltage and temperature on each processor core. However, unnecessary programs can be easily removed from the system, and necessary ones can be left without wasting time searching for them on the Internet, downloading and installing them.

All of the above disadvantages, conditional disadvantages, imperfections and other little things are offset by the two main advantages of pirated assemblies - free use of any version of Windows, any edition of it and a huge variety of choice of assemblies, in contrast to the standard Microsoft set.