New Scam (to me)

Aha, a new scam, well new to me. Support specialists claiming that the version of windows on your computer is a promo version or demo version or for some other reason not a valid version and it will stop working soon or on some fictitious date ( a real date but not one when your version of windows will stop working). With Windows XP, Microsoft learned its lesson and so does not make promo versions of windows available to system builders and refurbishers.

To my knowledge there are 4 kinds of windows 10, OEM Windows (available to small volume Original Equipment Manufacturers), Volume license Windows (available to a variety of large volume system builders, retailers, etc.) and retail Windows (widely available to most everyone). That leaves the type of Windows available to registered refurbishers.

Code wise they are all supposed to be identical, though all 4 are moderately customizable and I have encountered some differences when working with versions provided by Dell and HP. I have also encountered a few counterfeit copies of Windows 10 in the last couple of years; but, they failed licensing and initial updating,a trait my sales training with Microsoft taught me to watch out for.

So, if you have an existing machine that has been licensed and getting updates, you can be fairly certain that any pop-up messages or phone calls “alerting” you that your version of Windows 10 is about to stop being supported are SCAMS. For that matter, any copy of Windows 10 that makes it through the OOBE (original owners beginning experience) which includes activation, is a valid, fully licensed, legal copy of Windows.Ignore the scammers who want to fix your unlicensed copy of Windows (because it is licensed) and do NOT give them your money in any fashion.

What should a retail copy of Windows 10 cost? Home: $135 and Pro: $199 and you will find older copies reduced on occasion to $100 and $170 but Microsoft insists that these are not priced any lower than that for retail copies, copies priced lower may not be legitimate.

When will we see Windows 11? I have not seen any fixed date yet; but, we can hope it will be later this year. Initial word from Microsoft is that Windows 10 users will automatically be updated to the new Windows 11 shortly after the official rollout.