Windows 8 Pro Release Preview Users Eligible for $40 Upgrade Promotion
Microsoft made a lot of Windows campers happy when it unveiled a limited time $40 upgrade offer to Windows 8 Pro for users coming from Windows XP, Windows Vista, or Windows 7. As it turns out, the low-cost upgrade promotion also applies to users of Windows 8 Release Preview, which is a free download.
The revelation first appeared in an FAQ on ComputerWorld, which stated that "users running Windows 8 Release Preview -- the newer of the sneak peeks, shipped on May 31 -- can upgrade using the Windows.com upgrade tool and pay the $40."
In separate reports, Microsoft confirmed the FAQ statement, saying that "ComputerWorld got it right. Assuming the customer had a previous version of Windows installed before the Release Preview, they'll be able to upgrade from the Release Preview."
It's unclear how Microsoft will determine if a user was rocking a previous version of Windows before installing the Release Preview build, but what's crystal clear is that such users needn't worry about starting with a fresh install.
"They won't need to reinstall the previous version to do the upgrade; they can just upgrade on top of the Release Preview," Microsoft said.
If you're one of those users, note that only personal data files will be retained during the upgrade. Applications, Windows settings, and things of that nature won't be migrated.
The revelation first appeared in an FAQ on ComputerWorld, which stated that "users running Windows 8 Release Preview -- the newer of the sneak peeks, shipped on May 31 -- can upgrade using the Windows.com upgrade tool and pay the $40."
In separate reports, Microsoft confirmed the FAQ statement, saying that "ComputerWorld got it right. Assuming the customer had a previous version of Windows installed before the Release Preview, they'll be able to upgrade from the Release Preview."
It's unclear how Microsoft will determine if a user was rocking a previous version of Windows before installing the Release Preview build, but what's crystal clear is that such users needn't worry about starting with a fresh install.
"They won't need to reinstall the previous version to do the upgrade; they can just upgrade on top of the Release Preview," Microsoft said.
If you're one of those users, note that only personal data files will be retained during the upgrade. Applications, Windows settings, and things of that nature won't be migrated.
