I am on 8.1, problem is I tried upgrading to windows 10 a year ago. I was one of the "early adopters". I cant remember properly but there was incompatibility with Visual Studio with Xamarin on. I was reliant on developing an app at that time and could not afford downtime, so I reverted back to 8.1.

I will try upgrading again when I get time.

8.1 still gets updates until 2023. They only mean 8.0 with those packages. :) They should add a clearer error message when trying to install an 8.0 package though.

If you did the normal monthly patches for your 8.1, you should be safe, no need to download the ones for 8.0.

It's still free afaik. Are you on 8 or 8.1?

That's news to me. The free upgrade period is over[1].

The only free Windows 10 upgrade is the one for users of assistive technologies[2]. Of course, you can just pretend to be a user of assistive technologies, but I'm uncertain about the legal ramifications of doing so, regardless of whether or not you'll be caught.

Additionally, Windows 10 silently accepts Windows 7 and 8 product keys[3], but the legal situation is equally nebulous in the face of [1].

[1] https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/12435/windows-10-up... "Is the Windows 10 free upgrade offer still available?" => "The Windows 10 free upgrade through the Get Windows 10 (GWX) app ended on July 29, 2016."

[2] https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/accessibility/windows10upgra...

[3] https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/you-can-acti...

Windows 7 and 8.1 product keys are still accepted and will continue to be. Only GWX updates via WU were removed.

The free upgrade period is not over. Just GWX is over.

You don't have to pretend anything. Even if you've never used an assistive technology, you can go turn on magnifier.