News Microsoft adds DVD playback to Windows 10

Are you certain about this? I'd like some source from MS to understand properly otherwise it's just assumptions. You also have to remember that you only have a 30 day upgrade period after which your previous Windows version won't be valid any more, at least that is how I understand it to be.

So according to the information given above, that means:

1) If you want this app you have to upgrade rather than do a clean install.

2) after 30 days you can only do a clean install and so you then lose the app anyway.

 

http://www.neowin.net/news/microsof...indows-10-users-who-used-to-have-media-center

The 30 days, is simply that Windows.old (which contains your old Windows, which you can revert back to) will be automatically deleted. So if you want to revert back after 30 days passes, you'll need to clean install. The time limit was put to free up space on disc for most people who don't know about Disck Cleanup. 30 days was picked so that you havevplenty of time to see if Windows 10 runs fine for you

 

No. Your Windows 10 key is with your account. A hardware id is generated, and associated with each system product key you upgrade., to identify each system.

 

AFAIK nothing gets associated with your Microsoft account, it's just the unique hardware ID that gets linked to the product key, which kind of makes sense as some people may only have a local account.

Although that also means having to re-validate your eligibility for the free upgrade should you go changing to much hardware, especially problematic after the first year "free" upgrade offer expires.

 

Microsoft says you need a Microsoft account.
People that clean install Win10 after upgrade first time, have their Windows 10 activated, as they use their Microsoft account. Such setup is also used to be able manage you Windows Apps which has a limit of 10 system on the same account.

 

Hmm that's odd because this says otherwise, unless I'm not understanding it correctly.

 

This is the way to do a clean install:
http://www.howtogeek.com/224342/how-to-clean-install-windows-10/

 

OK now I'm really confused, I thought we were talking about how Windows 10 activates its self and not how to do a clean install.

The Article you gave a link for says "Microsoft’s free upgrade offer depends on your PC’s hardware so it may not activate properly if you’ve swapped out hardware inside your PC.", I can't find a mention of your Windows 10 key being with your account.

 

Your product key has nothing to do with your or anyone else's Microsoft account as you don't need one. I have linked mine to my laptop but my Mum hasn't got one and never has had one as this was her first laptop (well, netbook - ASUS X205TA).
So I started it up with the pre-installed 8.1 and as soon as I could I got it to update. After Windows 10 installed I recovered the new product key and immediately did a clean install. Regarding accounts, both times (upgrade and clean install) I just created a local account. Authentication was straight forward and worked without a hitch so while it is tied to certain aspects of the hardware it certainly has nothing to do with your MS Account.

Back on topic, this app is pointless even if it is 'free' as I won't even entertain the idea of having to install 8 and then upgrade to 10 each time. The app should register to your MS account (which would be fine by me) and be live after re-installs.

Anyway, as there is other software around for free it is of no concern to me... However, it is a stupid implementation by MS in my opinion.

 

But why would you even reinstall Windows 10 completely from scratch, unless your hard drive died ? Since Windows 8, OS has "Reset this PC" option which reinstalls OS by itself, keeping or deleting files according to your choices.

 

Ah, Microsoft's evil plan is finally revealed! The XBox One is getting Media Center, well PVR. The solution is a little messy as it requires an external tuner (single stream OTA only) and an external storage drive.

This does raise a question though. Isn't XBox One getting an upgrade to Windows 10? In which case why can't PCs have this?

http://news.xbox.com/2015/08/gamescom-dvr-for-over-the-air-tv

 

Would that still work if you couldn't get into Windows, if an update bricked your Windows install is it possible to "Reset this PC" using the install media?

 

That should throw you into the boot troubleshooter thing, which has also the Advanced item, which then let's you reset your OS :
http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/2269-system-recovery-options-boot-windows-8-a.html

Unless something completely screwed up your disk drive, i don't see the need to go back to installing it from scratch at all.

 

The DVD player app, reads ISO's just file. Just tested.
Just mount the ISO with Windows, and run the DVD player app!

 

The big problem onto why Media Center never worked, is that you had to buy a PC.
The PC costs as much as a game console, and can barely play games (at the time (XP, Vista, Win7, and part of Win8 days)).

Since the announcement of the XBox One, you can see that the console focus was living room media center type device. The focus was the same since day 1 with the original XBox. Penetrate the market with games, the add media center functionality for people to discover how nice it is, and use it. This was Bill Gates plan to try and get "a PC in every living room", once everyone got one in their house, which was his initial goal.

 

Yes, in November XBox One will get an updated interface and runs on Windows 10, with DirectX 12

 

In a pre-build system starting with Windows 8, the product key is stored in the UEFI. Windows will auto-detect it, and take it and activate.

 

I don't understand your point... It doesn't matter where the key is stored, my point was regarding that you do not need to use or to even have an MS account to authenticate Windows 10.