Microsoft SkyDrive: get your 25GB if you have a Hotmail account

Microsoft updated its SkyDrive cloud storage service to more closely mirror Dropbox. As a result they downgraded the free storage to 7GB for new users.

However, Hotmail users can for a limited time continue to use the original 25GB allotment, but you have to sign up through your Hotmail ID. From what I read elsewhere, MSN and Live IDs don't qualify, but edu addresses do.

If you sign in with your Hotmail ID here, it should give you the option for 25GB. If you don't qualify, you're stuck with 7GB.
https://skydrive.live.com/

It seems to work well. The file size limit is 2GB but only through the desktop client. Web browser upload is limited to 300MB. Additional GB pricing beats everyone else. No Android app yet and desktop app does not work easily with XP.

This is definitely Microsoft using its financial clout to copy the best of competitors then undercut with their deeper pockets. At this time though, consumers are the winner.

And yet - who has ever heard of Microsoft SkyDrive.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/18048451-post9.html

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...e#post11093757

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...e#post15833574

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...e#post14108483

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...e#post13384031

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...e#post12149173

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...e#post11442959

thanks for the link.

logged in with my MSN Live ID. It gave me the option of a free upgrade to 25GB as an existing "loyal" skydrive user. I guess I must have signed up for it at some point. I didn't have any files there.

i guess it's worth checking, they said something about it being a limited time offer.

-David

I thought I already had 25GB with my Hotmail account, but I didn't. Thanks for this reminder.

My school (.edu) uses Microsoft Online to administer their e-mails now, and I have a 25GB SkyDrive account associated with that, too.

Thanks also. I signed in with my hot mail account and got the free 25Gb. Now I just need to start using it. I am a dropbox user.

Wonderful, now I got additional free cloud storage (25GB) for backup purposes - 7GB was nice then with my "old" MSN email account, it was created back in the old Verizon DSL days bundled with once grandfathered MSN (since converted to free account) - definitely not linked to *.edu although I could've gotten one with my alumni status ...

I guess now I will have to come up with my scheme on how to optimize where I store files & folders between Google, Dropbox & SkyDrive. Up till now, I've used it mostly to sync. my mobile devices & tablets and store certain encrypted files it - but 20+G is good as long as it remained free.

We have another live account but had trouble logging into SkyDrive, oh well ... ** (Edit: updated, see below)

Yup, it's being offered to current SkyDrive users for a limited time, sign in and upgrade for free, while it last

Postscript (update): - Working password as used on 2nd. *@live.com didn't work & finally did a password "Reset" and it's good - SkyDrive was active and 7GB storage space, and, the free option to upgrade to 25GB was offered. Click on the link & it's been up-sized, activated for "cloud" use. Now, with up to 50GB in total available cloud space, this is going to be great - especially since our Fios 25/25 speed will make good use of those extra upstream speed to move files back & forth as needed ...

Interesting... but I think I still prefer a combination on Dropbox and Google Docs (supposedly being rebranded "GDrive" soon). The advantage of DropBox is that is cross-platform and works on iOS, Blackberry and Android devices too and is an easy way of moving data between devices.

If you think you had to be an existing SkyDrive user to take advantage of the offer for additional space, that doesn't seem to be the case. I know I never signed up for anything but a Hotmail account (which, actually, I never use).

When I signed in just now, I noticed a SkyDrive link at the top of the page. Clicking on it and selecting "Storage Management" allowed me to upgrade to 25GB, even though I had never used the service (or asked for/enabled/subscribed to it).

I was sad b/c both my .edu and hotmail were at 7GB, but you have to "manage storage" to see the free upgrade option. It wasn't automatically offered or anything when i accessed my sky drive. But now I've upgraded both to 25GB. Good deal!

I have an hotmail account for ages. Did the SkyDrive yesterday, no option to get 25GB for free. Am I missing something?

How do you get to the 'manage storage' option?

Hmmm, I just tried it and was invited to pay for anything over 7GB.

Also tried this for the first time, no option to upgrade to 25, anything over 7 is at a charge.

Had you used SkyDrive before? It's possible it was targeted at existing users.