MANILA, Philippines – Microsoft is working to provide owners of non-genuine Windows operating systems with an attractive option to upgrade their systems to Windows 10.

In a blog post dated May 15, Terry Myerson, executive vice president of the Operating Systems Group, said that while Microsoft was offering free upgrades to Windows 10 for genuine users, the offer was not up for non-genuine devices.

The company, however, said it was working with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to have “very attractive Windows 10 upgrade offers for their customers running one of their older devices in a non-genuine state.”

The reasoning for this, Myerson said, is that some people who use non-genuine Windows may not know they are victims of piracy.

“Non-Genuine Windows has a high risk of malware, fraud, public exposure of your personal information, and a higher risk for poor performance or feature malfunctions,” he explained.

Microsoft Windows 10 is expected to launch this summer, with the free upgrade offer for legitimate Windows 7 and 8.1 owners available for one year from the date of the launch. – Rappler.com