Windows XP Pro upgrade

cL0h

Anyone know of a cheap upgrade option from XP home to XP Pro . I have the XP Pro CD. Just need a key for a Dell Dimension 4500.
Any online retailers etc.
PCworld just seem to have all Vista now and I can't see an upgrade version on Dabs.

Bueller? Anyone?

cL0h

:eek:
Just saw XP Pro on dell website for €300. That can't be right can it?

http://accessories.euro.dell.com/sna/productdetail.aspx?c=ie&l=en&cs=iedhs1&sku=A0568893

Design_Dude

There is a cheap LEGAL way to do it. Buy or find the COA of a broken XP pro computer, trhat is not in use anymore. This is legal, as the code is not in use anymore. You can buy the base plastics of a laptop on ebay with a valid legal XP Pro COA sticker on it (Code of Authenticity) very cheap on ebay. Just serach ebay for "Laptop XP COA"
[edit]NOT LEGAL
the ELUA is bound to the motherboard.

a second hand retail copy is fine
a second hand upgrade copy is only usable if wasn't used to upgrade an OEM license [/edit]

Please read the charter esp. the bit about the software you own.

St0n3d

I'm guessing your running Home and would like to keep your current config?

Is upgrade what you want or full installation?

IME , Dabs are a pain, Komplett deliver on time, even go so far as to download it direct from ms if i was in a hurry.

If your pushed for cash, Pm me I can pass on a legit version for no charge.. I happen to have several copies gathered over the years.

*Custom for life* Yay

St0n3d

Holy smoke 300 is dodgy.

Please check Komplett mate if your buying

http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.aspx?sku=342048

123euro + 10 delivery ?

St0n3d

Design_Dude wrote: »

There is a cheap LEGAL way to do it. Buy or find the COA of a broken XP pro computer, trhat is not in use anymore. This is legal, as the code is not in use anymore. You can buy the base plastics of a laptop on ebay with a valid legal XP Pro COA sticker on it (Code of Authenticity) very cheap on ebay. Just serach ebay for "Laptop XP COA"

I dont mean to bite ye but, I happen to know of guys who did this and although it only cost them pittin's, it ended up in there windows locking up and loosing all there files with unreal downtime, No help from MS as they were not the registered user.

Ebay and serials is a no no. Microsoft aren't happy , them versions were OEM meant to suit that new computer only. So bending the legal line and still taking that chance is stupid when you can get a free alternative or 123 euro brand new spanking shiny disc

Capt'n Midnight

Design_Dude wrote: »

There is a cheap LEGAL way to do it. Buy or find the COA of a broken XP pro computer, trhat is not in use anymore. This is legal, as the code is not in use anymore. You can buy the base plastics of a laptop on ebay with a valid legal XP Pro COA sticker on it (Code of Authenticity) very cheap on ebay. Just serach ebay for "Laptop XP COA"

NOT LEGAL
the ELUA is bound to the motherboard.

a second hand retail copy is fine
a second hand upgrade copy is only usable if wasn't used to upgrade an OEM license

St0n3d

Correct and correct

komplett is the cheapest iv found to ireland for Legit.

Capt'n Midnight

cL0h wrote: »

:eek:
Just saw XP Pro on dell website for €300. That can't be right can it?

http://accessories.euro.dell.com/sna/productdetail.aspx?c=ie&l=en&cs=iedhs1&sku=A0568893

saw a copy of Vista ultimate or whatever in PC world for €595

Micromail prices for non-OEM XP
Microsoft Windows XP Professional with SP2 (For PCs Without Windows 98/Me/NT 4 or 2000) €359.00 €434.39
Microsoft Windows XP Professional Upgrade Student CHEST Licence €74.38 €90.00
Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition Upgrade with SP2 (For Users of Windows 98/Me Only) €119.00 €143.99
Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition with SP2 (For PCs Without Windows 98/Me/NT 4 or 2000) €249.00 €301.29
Microsoft Windows XP Professional Upgrade with SP2 (For PCs with Windows 98/Me/NT 4/2000 Only) €229.00 €277.09




Micromail non-OEM Prices for Vista

Microsoft Windows Vista Business Upgrade Chest Student 32-bit €74.38 €90.00
Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate DVD €452.00 €546.92
Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate Upgrade DVD €296.00 €358.16
Windows Vista Home Premium Education Upgrade DVD €74.38 €90.00
Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium Upgrade DVD €182.00 €220.22
Microsoft Windows Vista Business DVD €330.00 €399.30
Microsoft Windows Vista Business Upgrade DVD €222.00 €268.62
Windows Vista Home Basic DVD €228.00 €275.88
Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic Upgrade DVD €115.00 €139.15
Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium DVD €270.00 €326.70

Design_Dude

Microsoft are a complete rip off. Especially from pcworld dell etc.

Capt'n Midnight

Design_Dude wrote: »

Microsoft are a complete rip off. Especially from pcworld dell etc.

in fairness that is almost totally down to microsoft pricing.

An entry level PC or even laptop with Microsoft OEM windows can cost less than the recomended retail price of Vista Ultimate.

It's hard to know if over all you would be cheaper buying a second hand copy retail windows on ebay and then upgrading with retail windows each time there is a new version and trying for the windows refund on each new computer OR just getting OEM each time you buy a PC.

I can't understand the microsoft retail model for windows seeing as how 90% is sold as OEM and much of the rest is corporate volume licenses. The retail model is so confusing as to penalise people who try to be honest, when there are so many ways to get it cheaper that break the EULA, like OEM and Academic versions.

Design_Dude

Xp corporate for companies costs them about €15 a pc or sometin similar, they try to charge us over €100 for buying it ourselves. grrrr

cL0h

I cleaned down the machine and am halfway through XP Pro installer.
It won't accept my XP Home key. I literally just need the key. It's ridiculous to think I can't go online and buy an upgrade key from Microsoft or something. They really make things difficult for legitimate users.
Though other forums say the OEM key is generated from the BIOS so I'd guess it's unique to my model of PC. That's why I checked Dells prices cos it's a Dell Dimension 4500. Dell are about as useless as Microsoft.

St0n3d wrote: »

I'm guessing your running Home and would like to keep your current config?

Is upgrade what you want or full installation?

IME , Dabs are a pain, Komplett deliver on time, even go so far as to download it direct from ms if i was in a hurry.

If your pushed for cash, Pm me I can pass on a legit version for no charge.. I happen to have several copies gathered over the years.

*Custom for life* Yay

St0n3d

You wouldnt need a home edition if your in the middle of installing pro?

If your using home, pack it up throw it out the window. Grab any sp1 or 2 pro disc and check your pm for the serial.


If you dont have pro, or cant get an iso of pro to burn, Let me know.


Regards

aidan_walsh

Design_Dude wrote: »

Xp corporate for companies costs them about €15 a pc or sometin similar, they try to charge us over €100 for buying it ourselves. grrrr

The difference being that corporations aren't going to be buying 1 or 2 copies on a go, and would generally be buying a support package if buying from MS as well.

St0n3d

Code pm'd .

Let me know when your up and running and have fully updated . It will never have any issues its 100% legit.

What i would suggest is getting the actual Sp2 pro disc, alot of updates on it which will save download time .

Anywho, enjoy and welcome to the Pro club ^^

St0n3d

aidan_walsh wrote: »

The difference being that corporations aren't going to be buying 1 or 2 copies on a go, and would generally be buying a support package if buying from MS as well.

To be correct, the majority of companys purchase open licences, it depends on whether its goverment based, ie a school /college or a company like Tesco.

IN case 1, the school would have use of buying a corporate licence to the value of 500 users. The means the one cd key will basically cover all.

In case 2. tesco say buy a corporate edition, so they get 10-15 licences maybe for each key, not including the need for actual client licences on exchange or on the network. So they pay a bit more and actually get more hassle as you've to use seperate keys, ' All at once network installation ' wouldnt be very easy .

This was my knowledge on it, as for using ebay'd stickers, its a thing of the past. In this day and age and with vista breaking its way to the top, all post vista licences will become obsolete..

If anyone heard, Windows are cutting XP support if not already have, so everything is pushing toward vista. personally, vista is crap so the industry is gonna see some big changes

aidan_walsh

St0n3d wrote:

If anyone heard, Windows are cutting XP support

Yes they are, in 2014.

Design_Dude

Yea, vista is pretty brutal!

St0n3d

Woah 2014, More like next year mate.

Micro have a plan to cut everything else and switch all to Vista, a main reason i quit my job and told them i wouldn't work with such a ridiculas operating system..

Id rather have windows 98 crossed with some crappy version of Sun, than use Vista.

If indeed it is 2014, explain to me why they released sp3 and called off support for it?

aidan_walsh

2009 - Mainstream support ends, non security enhancements, etc.
2014 - Extended support ends, all releases end.

SP3 isn't out yet, and they never support release candidates.

St0n3d

Mm,. as a beta tester for Ms,

I was informed it was happening sooner , this extended support is crap.. Once 2009 comes, mainstream users meaning all the businesses etc, will use vista because it has the supposed full support.

Vista is about a compataible as a snake and a mouse, it breaks itself ,

I have timed a copy of vista, 15 days 11 hours before it broke down itself.

I have also used sp3, its not so nice, seen as they fixed alot of bugs, alot of new ones have come to light. Personally i believe sp3 will be thrown out, the main release isn't out, but Ms have a version realeased for its testers... If you want to see some of this, let me know..

astrofool

Extended support basically means they fix whats essential to keep it running till 2014 (or else business's wouldn't buy the OS), but they stop all active development on non critical bugs.

Capt'n Midnight

St0n3d wrote:

I have timed a copy of vista, 15 days 11 hours before it broke down itself.

this is one of my favorites http://support.microsoft.com/kb/216641

Please don't pm people codes unless you intend to send on the CoA too as that would be warez and against the charter.


XP support ending, it will continue as long as the corporates pay for it to continue and I doubt few would want to stump up after the proposed date of 2014 but you never know.

St0n3d

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

Please don't pm people codes unless you intend to send on the CoA too as that would be warez and against the charter.
.

Not a problem. I have discussed and arranged this with the other party.

ALso the code is a personal unused one, and is not in breach of any copyright or charter. I can photocopy the orignal unopened case if you like :P

Its not tech illegal unless i sold or gave away a second hand one. So poot ;D

St0n3d

Ah lol that bug.

It was resolved before 2000.

SO vista wouldnt have it, Vista has a way more complex problem, and its called schizophrenia, the lack of being able to agree on something, to do what the user requests and to function without man.

In other words, its destined to die, Its a matter of time and It will take years to stomp out the bugs, if they were to have an open source bug tracking, it would perhaps be much better. Look at linux and all the forms off it, Look at the support it has.

Vista is a pre realsed edited version of Windows Codename Longhorn, for those of who you had the punishment of using longhorn, you would see it was destined to fail... What changes this for vista? Anyone?

St0n3d

St0n3d wrote: »

Vista is a pre realsed edited version of Windows Codename Longhorn, for those of who you had the punishment of using longhorn, you would see it was destined to fail... What changes this for vista? Anyone?

They didn't try hard enough. If you look carefully you'll still see some references to Longhorn in the final release, even in SP1. I don't ever recall seeing any references to Whistler in the released XP.

I'm kind of being pushed on to Vista now because my job depends on it. If it didn't I'd happily stay with XP.

St0n3d

What type of work do you do Karsini?

I wouldn't agree to support vista so left my old company. I'm self employed now, registered as a sole trader.

It's amazing the amount of laughable problems that comes with vista. I cant see it becoming the main os, for security reasons. The networking is a joke..

St0n3d

St0n3d wrote: »

What type of work do you do Karsini?

I wouldn't agree to support vista so left my old company. I'm self employed now, registered as a sole trader.

It's amazing the amount of laughable problems that comes with vista. I cant see it becoming the main os, for security reasons. The networking is a joke..

I work for Marx Computers as a technician so need to support customers who buy machines with Vista preloaded.

I nearly refused to work with Vista after experiencing severe stability issues with the 64-bit version and SLI on a brand new PC - it took me days to work out the problem. The only thing stopping me is that I'd end up having to quit my job if I did.

St0n3d

Haha Marx?

I think i used ye a few times to set up clients.. Basic exchange server , sql servers etc.

All hand goes out to you , I wouldnt have the patience to support vista, i hate the look and feel of it alone never mind the way it works. Also with the whole driver compatibilty issue. I still to this day see PC world selling printers that boast Vista compatible, and yet even months after saying this, its stil not fully working..

I have several clients which have issues with printers when switched to vista, never mind the issues with sound, network, graphic, disk managemnt.