It's been known for a while now that Microsoft will allow people who use non-genuine copies of Windows to upgrade to its new operating system for free. The company made the announcement in an attempt to get more people into its latest product and hooked up with services that they'll eventually pay for.
The move was a good one but there was some confusion about whether those using pirated copies of Windows would remain pirated after upgrading to Windows 10. The answer is no, according to Microsoft.
In an interview with Reuters, Microsoft's operating systems chief Terry Myerson stated that all qualified PCs will be upgraded to Windows 10 including those running non-genuine versions of the software. His comments were aimed at China, where the software giant has a problem with massive piracy rates.
Myerson went on to say that the upgrade path will be a "great way" for Microsoft to re-engage with these people. But a clarification that popped up on Reddit is causing some a bit of confusion. Some users report that their pirated copy of Windows 7 or 8 has been successfully upgraded to Windows 10 without issue. Others are reporting that the upgrade has failed or been rejected. This seems to depend on how the pirated copy of the previous version was activated and what hacks were used.
The upgrade will also allow those on pirated versions of the OS to receive regular security updates. This will be important as the pirated copies of the OS don't tend to update as regularly as those that are legitimately purchased and updated.