Some older Windows 10 Insider preview builds will expire on October 15

By John Callaham
published

Windows 10 may have officially launched on July 29, but many preview versions of the OS were released beforehand as part of the Windows Insider Program. On Thursday, October 15. many of those builds will expire, which will keep those PCs that have them installed from booting up.

Specifically, if you still have Windows 10 Insider preview build 9926 to 10166 installed on your PC, you will run into this issue tomorrow. Microsoft says:

"After this date, you will need to perform a boot from media installation of Windows 10 RTM and opt-in to the Windows Insider Program to continue to get new Preview builds. Because your Preview build has already expired, it is no longer activated. As a result, you'll be required to use the Windows 10 default product key to upgrade, and afterwards you will not be activated."

The company's support forum post has a detailed breakdown of how to boot up your PC and install a newer version of the Windows 10 Insider preview if you let your older Insider build expire on Thursday. Microsoft just released a new 10565 preview version of Windows 10 this week.

Source: Microsoft (opens in new tab), Via: TechRadar

John Callaham
John Callaham
23 Comments
  • Thank you...
  • I'm screwed
  • Why ? Any reason you're still using such an antiqued build ?
  • Feels like the most recent mobile build expired as soon as i updated!! Horrible to use on my Lumia 640.
  • A hard reset helps.
  • I did that once already. The problem is it's my daily driver and they're just not as far along we all expected them to be this close to launch.
  • Only for a few days, then reboots and crashes.
  • Means that the rtm will expire?
  • All preview builds have a lifespan, including the rtm. MS wants testers on the latest builds not freeloaders. If you have a licensed copy then none of this applies.
  • Not if you opted out of preview builds. Also the RTM build is 10240 and builds till 10166 are going to expire as mentioned in the article.
  • Yeah I would guess so as well (for the opt-outs)
  • Hey does someone knows what L925 variant will show the whole "LTE" signal indicator? :)
  • Hey what about using the forums?
  • You're only seeing "L" for LTE as well ?
  • Yes
  • This not Windows 10 mobile related, but I feel your pain
  • Its Oct 14 and no news for windows 10 mobile
  • Really when new build will release
  • What about new build???
  • I told you yesterday..
  • I didn't pre order Windows 10
    But can I still get it?
  • ... It's free until July 29th 2016. As was said many times over the past few months. Posted via the Windows Central App for Android
  • Is there any updates for slow ring? I'm still at 240 (the one on the release tag).