WindowsLiveWriter/UpgradingfromWindowsXPtoWindows7_EBFE/f2_2.png' alt='Xp Home Vista Upgrade' title='Xp Home Vista Upgrade' />Windows XP, Vista Users Can Get Free Windows 1. Upgrade Thanks to Loophole. By doing a clean install on a formatted hard drive, Microsoft has little way of checking whether your previous OS version. With Windows 1. 0s release looming ahead on July 2. Microsoft Corp. MSFT has answered most questions about the highly anticipated mostly free operating system upgrade. Internet Explorer Mac Os X 10.4 11 more. But one unanswered question has been what fate will await those with Windows XP and Vista. I. Loophole Opens Door to Legacy Upgrades. The official party line from Microsoft is that you will have to buy an individual license, or an OEM license resold in bulk. But for those with a Windows XP or Vista machine who dont want to spend 1. USD or more, it appears theres a clever workaround but only if you act immediately. The workaround begins with a Windows 1. Its a painful install since Microsoft provides no direct upgrade path, but we can help. For more CNET videos, go to httpcnettv. Gmail is turning its back on Windows XP and Vista as the lights slowly go out on Microsofts aging and unsupported operating systems. Insider Preview ISO. Ordinarily, you cant install Windows 1. Windows XP or Windows Vista PC. But since at least Insider Preview Build 1. ISOs have been offered direct from Microsoft. Once burned to a DVD, these ISOs can offer a clean install. Does Microsoft officially approve of this loophole Obviously not. Technically speaking these clean installs are not intended for Windows XP or Vista computers as that would arguably be bad or wrong. Youre supposed to upgrade to Windows 7, 8, or 8. Preview Build. But the problem is that if Microsoft goofed up and somehow bricked your existing Windows 1. Windows 7, 8, or 8. OEM youd essentially be left with nothing unless Microsoft gave you a recovery option. Being a good sport, Microsoft has done precisely that, via the clean install ISOs. But their existence also creates an interesting loophole as you can use them for a fresh install on a machine currently running Windows XP or Vista. Its worth noting, as well, that this loophole isnt particularly new. Xp Home Vista Upgrade' title='Xp Home Vista Upgrade' />Users with an enterprise subscription could get preview ISOs for the Technical Preview for Enterprise builds the enterprise equivalent of Insider Preview builds for some time now. Now Microsoft has already said that ALL users running official Windows 1. Insider Preview Builds will receive an update to the full licensed Windows 1. But its also said that you need a Windows 7, 8, and 8. Windows 1. 0.  So what happens if you do a clean install over a Windows XP or Vista license Will you be frozen on the Insider Preview II. Vrs Recording Software'>Vrs Recording Software. License Required While some were aware of the loophole, interest in it picked up following official comments by Microsoft on Windows 1. In a blog, Microsoft wrote emphasis mine. As long as you are running an Insider Preview build and connected with the MSA you used to register, you will receive the Windows 1. Vista/images/vista3.jpg' alt='Xp Home Vista Upgrade' title='Xp Home Vista Upgrade' />Once you have successfully installed this build, you will also be able to clean install on that PC from final media if you want to start over fresh. Its important to note thatonly people running Genuine Windows 7 or Windows 8. Windows 1. 0 as part of the free upgrade offer. The statement prompted fears among users who had started with an authentic copy of Windows 7, 8, and 8. Insider Preview builds. At the heart of the controversy was the question of whether such a tactic would be fair, as a small, but significant numbers of Insider Preview testers had faced catastrophic failures that forced them to do a clean reinstall. If they had lost their license info, or werent properly given it by their PC OEM, these users would effectively be left behind, in spite of starting with a valid copy of an upgrade applicable Windows license. User fears were heightened because that passage of the post written by Windows manager Gabriel Aul had previously read. As long as you are running an Insider Preview build and connected with the MSA you used to register, you will receive the Windows 1. Once you have successfully installed this build and activated, you will also be able to clean install on that PC from final media if you want to start over fresh. The addition of the last sentence and deletion of the bolded clauses in the original paragraph appears to be the work of Microsofts legal department and perhaps raised more concern than if it had simply been in the post from the start. But was Microsoft truly saying that it would shut out Insider Preview testers Or was it just stating for the record that it didnt condone the exploitation of this loophole for legacy upgradesAul himself chimed in, hinting at the latter. Responding to a user question submitted to his Twitter Inc. TWTR account gabeaul, he writes. So apparently the loophole still exists. This sort of makes sense, as at the end of the day Microsoft has no reliable way of telling the difference between a hard drive with a bricked Windows 788. XPVista.  III. Exploiting Loophole Carries Some Risks. Some readers may ask why dont we see this approach normallyThats largely because with the normal consumer release scenario the old saying buyer beware applies. But when it comes to Insider Preview test builds, Microsofts decision reflects the reality that prerelease software can and will often suffer major failures. Thus Microsofts decision to condone the loophole ultimately boils down to its realization that any move to punish XPVista users exploiting the clean installs would also wind up harming legitimate users. Thus if youre willing to throw your moral compass out the window and embrace the dark joys of piracy, than you potentially may want to utilize this loophole before it closes for good with the release of Windows 1. Insider Preview ISOs will no longer properly install. This may seem like a loss to Microsoft, but some are pointing out that ultimately the impact should be small. Neowins chief editor Brad Sams, for instance,  writes. You could make the argument that Windows XP or Vista users can save themselves a couple hundred dollars and use this method to upgrade to Windows 1. XP, the likelihood of them jumping to Windows 1. OS. And even if a few do, the bottom line impact of this loophole is minimal, except in China, where piracy runs rampant. But in that case, do you believe those users, who already pirated Windows XP, were going to buy Windows 1. Indeed, they probably were not going to. As a final note for those who consider exploiting this loophole be aware that just because Microsoft does not currently have a tool to check for Windows XPVista on a clean install does not mean that it wont get one. Users who leverage the loophole may be able to safeguard themselves somewhat by first formatting their drive before attempting to install. Ultimately use the loophole at your own risk, as its possible at some point Microsoft could yet come with some sort of novel validation scheme e. Also be aware that if you do exploit the loophole you will likely be stuck semi permanently in Microsofts Insider Preview program. As opting out requires a license to activate your operating system, customers who exploit the loophole will either have to accept their lot as Microsofts software guinea pigs or begrudgingly pay for a license. Hence, this particular piracy wont be a complete loss for Microsoft. Sources Windows official blog, Gabriel Aul on Twitter Gabe.