Windows 10 - free upgrade for schools?

[hailstorm]

Hello all

 

Just wondering if Windows 10 will be a free upgrade for schools? For most PCs in the school we use the included OEM licences, typically Windows 7/8 Pro. For any PCs needing an OS upgrade we buy a perpetual licence from Phoenix Software for about £35 each. A tiny number of schools bother with a site licence.

 

Am I right in thinking:

 

OEM licence = entitled to upgrade

Perpetual licence from provider = Not entitled

 

Thanks!

[Alis_Klar]

Would like to know this also.

[edutech4schools]

Would also like to know this and the following (sorry for hijack but no point having the same post)

 

1. Will they still keep all their installed software etc after the update?

2. Do I have any control over this roll out via WSUS?

[reardonp]

It appears from a technical point of view that:

 

1) WSUS will NOT push the update necessary to bring up the Windows 10 "splash screen" offering the upgrade. However, at least in our setup, the update DOES show up when clicking 'Get updates from Microsoft Update'.

2) Windows 7/8 Enterprise will not be upgraded to 10, but should be able to be upgraded via the site license.

 

However, MS has not been clear about what this means for Volume License perpetual upgrades, which we do something similar with Dell for ~$50 per Win7/8 Pro license. The OEM licensing is essentially the same as a home computer, so that should be fine with Win10 upgrades.

 

Hoping MS clears all this up in the next couple months.

 

EDIT:

 

Just did some testing. The update is installed when getting updates from MS Update (not WSUS), but the Win10 splash screen does not show up. However, immediately after removing the computer from our domain, the splash screen does show up and gives the same offer as my PC at home.

 

So it appears that WSUS does not push the update, and even if the update exists, being on a domain suppresses the upgrade offer.

Edited June 2, 2015 by reardonp

[Ralph1337]

I suppose that would make sense, You (microsoft) dont really want millions of extra copies of w10 registered to people on their work e-mails rather than one on the Volume licence admin.

[edutech4schools]

So it appears that WSUS does not push the update, and even if the update exists, being on a domain suppresses the upgrade offer.

 

You have got to be taking the ..... Are you saying that I will need to get all the school computers to update from MS directly and then remove them from the domain. That's a blinking nightmare.

 

Why do Microsoft make it so hard for us small schools to do anything.

 

Lets hope this is changed

[X-13]

You have got to be taking the ..... Are you saying that I will need to get all the school computers to update from MS directly and then remove them from the domain. That's a blinking nightmare.

 

Wait until it's released. You can get Enterprise/Education from VLSC and create an image.

 

Or grab the Professional ISO from MS and do it that way.

 

There's no need to jump the gun.

[Michael]

You'll find the free version (more than likely) won't be able to join a network domain which'll make it useless. All schools no matter how big/small, should have a volume license agreement or an agreement through their LA on their behalf.

 

There will be a proper named version of Windows 10 for Education, which'll have Enterprise features. This is what schools should be installing.

[jmak]

You'll find the free version (more than likely) won't be able to join a network domain which'll make it useless. All schools no matter how big/small, should have a volume license agreement or an agreement through their LA on their behalf.

 

There will be a proper named version of Windows 10 for Education, which'll have Enterprise features. This is what schools should be installing.

 

But presumably not entitled to if you have perpetual pro level licences?

[sparkeh]

You'll find the free version (more than likely) won't be able to join a network domain which'll make it useless.

Can you provide a link to that info as I haven't read/heard anything like that in everything I researched on Windows 10 and demos of the upgrade process I've watched don't seem to have this limitation.

[Arthur]

You'll find the free version (more than likely) won't be able to join a network domain which'll make it useless.

Can you provide a link to that info as I haven't read/heard anything like that in everything I researched on Windows 10 and demos of the upgrade process I've watched don't seem to have this limitation.

I think @Michael means the 'Home' edition of Windows 10 will not be able to join a domain*, whereas the Pro edition will be able to.

 

Both editions will be qualify for the free upgrade offer.

 

* The home edition will be able to join an Azure AD domain, just not a normal AD domain however.

 

 

http://vgy.me/GyfAnv.png

 

There will be a proper named version of Windows 10 for Education, which'll have Enterprise features. This is what schools should be installing.

Assuming it supports BitLocker and AppLocker. Microsoft hasn't mentioned much about the Education edition of Windows 10.

Edited June 8, 2015 by Arthur

[Michael]

Even if the Pro version is entitled to a free upgrade, this'll mean the OEM version, not the corporate/volume license version. I can't think of anything worse then entering a different key on hundreds of devices.

 

I suspect the Education version will be the same as Enterprise but in name, as Microsoft do relate to 'Enterprise features'.

[Arthur]

Even if the Pro version is entitled to a free upgrade, this'll mean the OEM version, not the corporate/volume license version.

Indeed, although enterprise customers with SA are already entitled to 'free' upgrades.

 

Can Enterprise customers get the free Windows 10 upgrade?

Enterprise customers with active Software Assurance subscription in volume licensing have the benefit to upgrade to Windows 10 enterprise offerings outside of this offer. (Source)

 

I can't think of anything worse than entering a different key on hundreds of devices.

Since it will probably involve signing into a Microsoft account on each OEM PC it would be a very time consuming process and not worth the hassle.

[Michael]

Depends what you classify as free, but certainly comes into play as part of an existing paid for subscription.

[hailstorm]

Wait until it's released. You can get Enterprise/Education from VLSC and create an image.

 

Or grab the Professional ISO from MS and do it that way.

 

There's no need to jump the gun.

 

I am wondering if you can re-image PCs and still be compliant with this free upgrade licence or do you have to upgrade through the reservation/Windows Update method.

[hailstorm]

From everything I have read on the Microsoft forums:

 

Schools can upgrade to Windows 10 for free but only from Retail/OEM licences. Volume licences of any type are not entitled.

 

To get the free upgrade you must go through the Windows Update upgrade method. Once completed you can then do a clean install or reimage and activation should complete automatically.

 

Will update if I find any more details.

[FN-GM]

FrVolume licences of any type are not entitled.

 

You can if you have software assurance.

[hailstorm]

You can if you have software assurance.

 

Well yes true. We only have a handful of schools that have gone the Software Assurance route. Most buy a perpetual licence per PC under the county Select Plus agreement we have.

[FN-GM]

Well yes true. We only have a handful of schools that have gone the Software Assurance route. Most buy a perpetual licence per PC under the county Select Plus agreement we have.

 

Really? Vast majority of schools I know have gone EEES (this includes SA). Infact I can't think of any that have perpetual

[edutech4schools]

None of the primary schools around my county have ees.

[Steve21]

Really? Vast majority of schools I know have gone EEES (this includes SA). Infact I can't think of any that have perpetual

 

Lot of our primaries did, as it's so cheap to buy a pc with Windows 7 pro on there wasn't really an arguement to get EES as you don't need Enterprise, and they didn't want the constantly new Office versions.

 

Steve

[jmak]

Really? Vast majority of schools I know have gone EEES (this includes SA). Infact I can't think of any that have perpetual

 

We have perpetual Win 7 pro licences. Most of the machines came with an OEM licence - I'm about to buy another 30 clients which don't and will need to upgrade. Perpetual licences will cost just over £1000, EES would be in excess of £600 per year for the number of staff we have, so I can't justify it. Especially if I'm not going to have to pay for windows 10 licences. I've always had it in mind that I would go EES at the point I needed to update all the clients to a new OS....

[JRowley]

We have perpetual Win 7 pro licences. Most of the machines came with an OEM licence - I'm about to buy another 30 clients which don't and will need to upgrade. Perpetual licences will cost just over £1000, EES would be in excess of £600 per year for the number of staff we have, so I can't justify it. Especially if I'm not going to have to pay for windows 10 licences. I've always had it in mind that I would go EES at the point I needed to update all the clients to a new OS....

 

The thing is that the benefits of EES don't just apply to licensing, free personal and work at home office licenses for staff and students is another, plus licensing for various pieces of software are also included though this depends on your agreement.

 

It's a very easy sell in my view given the total benefits, though I suppose it depends how regularly you buy licenses.

[localzuk]

Biggest reason to have some form of Volume Licensing - being allowed to have a single image you can roll out to all machines. It isn't allowed with purely OEM licenses (see the reimaging brief from MS). However, if you have some volume licenses, then that covers you to use a single image on OEM machines - so long as the version of Windows is the same (so, OEM Windows 7 Pro must be imaged with VL Windows 7 Pro).

[jmak]

The thing is that the benefits of EES don't just apply to licensing, free personal and work at home office licenses for staff and students is another, plus licensing for various pieces of software are also included though this depends on your agreement.

 

It's a very easy sell in my view given the total benefits, though I suppose it depends how regularly you buy licenses.

 

I get that it's better, but in our situation I couldn't recommend it as best value. We do have an EES agreement for office - this made sense because we had to upgrade all of the clients in one go whereas I've never bought more than 30 clients needing an OS in one financial year and the last time was 4 years ago. (Although because of this purchase I do have the right to re-image.) I will be adding some server OS licences over the summer to complete my virtualization project. Staff and pupils therefore already have access to free Office. Sophos is supplied by county, so that freebie wouldn't help.

 

Edit: the main thing that is missing from Win 7 pro that I really want is Bitlocker, but that's included in pro versions of Win 8 onwards.

Edited July 3, 2015 by jmak