The window to upgrade to Windows 10 for free closes on July 29, and users who activate before that date will now find themselves with one more tool: the activation troubleshooter. Numerous Microsoft customers have complained about complications resulting from upgrading to Windows 10, including being promoted to pay for the free upgrade when the activation process doesn’t realize they’re working on the same machine. The activation troubleshooter is set up to reactivate Windows 10 in the case of error.
However, the activation troubleshooter wasn’t the only new feature announced for the activation process. For those who upgraded with a digital account, the digital license will now be linked to their Microsoft account. This doesn’t apply to local or domain accounts, but digital accounts will have this feature. Presumably, it is also to assist in restoring the digital license in the case of hardware failure, but questions have been raised about how much hardware can change before Microsoft thinks it’s working with a whole new computer. The story is still developing, but keep this in mind when planning on upgrading hardware or selling the computer that holds your license.