Hello

The ISO will be the same as the upgrade,  but you must upgrade before you can get the ISO.

Since you have a year to get the free upgrade, if you qualify, you probably not be able to get the ISO until your computer is activated.  I have an idea that the ISO will only be able to install on that computer.

I am waiting until next week to find out the details since I have 6 computers that I will upgrade when ever I feel like.  At least 2 will be upgraded next week since I will be staying with the Insider Program.

From Windows 10 FAQ:

"Once you’ve upgraded to Windows 10 using the free upgrade offer, you will be able to reinstall, including a clean install, on the same device. You won’t need to purchase Windows 10 or go back to your prior version of Windows and upgrade again.

You’ll also be able to create your own installation media like a USB drive or DVD, and use that to upgrade your device or reinstall after you’ve upgraded."

Earlier I read that there would be an ISO so you could do a clean install.

Thinking about what you have quoted, is the ISO program going to be included with the upgrade including the unique key for that computer?  This would need some instructions to be included for the general public., those not included in the Insider Program.

Part of my thinking is because my wife got the reserve notice today on her laptop with her updates even though she should have had it 2 weeks ago.  I told her not to upgrade right away until we see how things are going.  I may let her load a bunch of her stuff on one of my test laptops to see if she thinks it is OK.  She was a Fortran programmer and one of the first females to go through a computer class at San Diego State.

Based on the way a current ISO for Build 10240 works (I created my own) I suspect that there may not be any unique Product Keys issued to those who upgrade from a qualifying Windows OS.  If this is the case, Microsoft can make the same ISO available for download to everyone, as they do today for Windows 8.1.  But for Windows 10 no unique Product Key will be required for those who have upgraded from a qualifying OS.

When this will happen is uncertain, as making the upgrade only available via Windows Update might reduce the overall bandwidth needs for the rollout of Windows 10 to the Public, compared to just telling everyone to download the ISO on the same day.  They could produce an ISO from the Windows Update files instead (which is how ISO's for Build 10240 have been made) but I have doubts that they will do it that way.  I think they will make the ISO available soon, as not every Windows Update upgrade will succeed.

Only those with an activated Windows 7 or 8 could use a Windows 10 ISO to upgrade to an auto-activated Windows 10.  All upgrades could use the same Product Key (per Windows version) which is how Build 10240 works today.  For anyone without a qualifying, activated Windows 7 or 8 install, they would have to purchase a Retail Product Key.

Once a computer has been successfully activated with Windows 10, it can be clean-installed using a Windows 10 install disk or bootable install flash drive.  The hardware has been registered, during the upgrade, as licensed for Windows 10, based on the prior activated OS.  This is how it is working today with a Build 10240 install disk/ISO.  A clean install auto-activates as soon as an Internet connection is made from a computer that has at some time activated an upgrade install.

As is the case today, hardware changes, such as a new motherboard or hard disk, still leave enough identifiable hardware to not deactivate Windows.  I have replaced my motherboard and video card at the same time and not lost Windows activation.

The Software License Terms allow for transfer to another device if it is removed from the first device.  Without a unique Product Key, I don't know how that will be accomplished, although I also do not know how it is done today even with a Product Key.

ISO could be provided to MSDN subscribers after 29th July.

But the FAQ was for those who will be upgrading from Genuine Windows 7, 8.1 PC. So once they upgrade to Windows 10, they'll be able to create their own installation media like a USB drive or DVD that is an ISO. SO that they could do a clean install also on the same PC.

Yes instructions will be provided once Free upgrade is available to public for creating ISO.

Yes, one can wait a bit instead of doing the upgrade right away.

Is this a silly question?

If you have upgraded and created the Windows 10 installation media, using the facility provided within the upgrade, then why go to all the trouble of downloading the ISO as well. Surely the contents of the ISO, are identical to the media created using the provided utility?

If someone wants to do a clean install after upgrading his Windows 7 /8.1 then one can use it to do a clean install of Windows 10 . Its the same, ISO will be made into bootable DVD or a on a USB drive.

Has anyone used the "New" Released today 7/29 2015 ISO to do a clean install over your "Insider" build?

If so, does it require a product ID from your already "activated" Insider Build?