Windows 7 questions

mickysquint

Hi folks,
I'm really sorry if these questions have been asked before but here goes. Im building my very first system which a family member will be buying for the price it cost me to make it. I've got everything I need except the operating system. so looking online for a copy of windows 7. looking at the usual sites like hardwareversand.de, Amazon and dabs but I didn't realise a full copy would cost so much (sorry if I sound stupid). I've stumbled across websites selling OEM copies which are cheaper and I understand that it will be tied to that system for ever which is fine but will that be the only problem as I don't want any problems for the family member I'll be passing the system on too.
Also any suggestions on sites or places to get the best possible prices for windows 7 home premium would be greatly appreciated.
Cheers all

uncle_sam_ie

You also won't get phone support from MS. But so what, you have the internet if you need help. The OEM is fine. If your a student you can get windows cheap here,
http://www.software4students.ie/Windows_7-list.aspx

Torqay

Upgrade paths (i.e. to Windows 8) will only be available to retail versions.

Capt'n Midnight

Torqay wrote: »

Upgrade paths (i.e. to Windows 8) will only be available to retail versions.

are you sure ?

They've always offered upgrades , OEM accounts for the vast majority of home user machines

mickysquint

uncle_sam_ie wrote: »

You also won't get phone support from MS. But so what, you have the internet if you need help. The OEM is fine. If your a student you can get windows cheap here,
http://www.software4students.ie/Windows_7-list.aspx

yeah I don't think phone support will be too important either. Its only going to be used for web browsing and the usual photo storage so as long as it does that with no problems I don't think MS will be needed. Im not a student but my other half is so was looking at a student copy but only upgrade versions are availiable and not clean install versions. Eventually got an OEM clean install from Amazon for 68 Euro, not too bad.

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

are you sure ?

They've always offered upgrades , OEM accounts for the vast majority of home user machines

I was thinking that myself to be honest, I'm no where near an expert so excuse me if I'm completely wrong but aren't most pre built systems bought from places like PC World or even Dell fitted with OEM copies? So would that mean they couldn't be upgraded?

uncle_sam_ie

You can actually clean install an upgrade version. I've done it. Google is your friend.

uncle_sam_ie

mickysquint wrote: »

Its only going to be used for web browsing and the usual photo storage ?

If that's all your using it for then why not put Linux on it. It's free and safer.
http://linuxmint.com/

Torqay

mickysquint wrote: »

aren't most pre built systems bought from places like PC World or even Dell fitted with OEM copies? So would that mean they couldn't be upgraded?

Not at a discount.

Unless, of course, the OEM offer a free upgrade, as it happened with Vista. Nobody would have bought a Vista PC with Windows 7 around the corner, if they hadn't offered the free upgrade.

If the OP is getting a retail version of Windows 7 instead of an OEM version, he will most likely get a discount if they wish to upgrade to Windows 8.

Capt'n Midnight

uncle_sam_ie wrote: »

You can actually clean install an upgrade version. I've done it. Google is your friend.

uncle_sam_ie wrote: »

If that's all your using it for then why not put Linux on it. It's free and safer.
http://linuxmint.com/

Please read the charter.

Re Software you own - you must follow the EULA
You can only do a clean install with an upgrade if you have the appropiate license to upgrade from and you transfer any of it's OEM restrictions to the upgrade, and it's really only for cases where 32<-->64 bit conversions are difficult or the original install is broken

Re off topic advocacy
Mint has some license issues, if it was as popular as Ubuntu it would probably be in court



TBH the pricing of Retail Vs. OEM windows is such that it's a large chunk of any saving you could make on an entry level system bare bones system

uncle_sam_ie

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

Please read the charter.

you must follow the EULA

Okley dokely Capt'n! Sorry OP, don't Google <snip>
Hmm,
http://www.pcper.com/news/General-Tech/Linux-Mint-Rising-Popularity-And-Surpassing-Ubuntu-Top-Spot

Capt'n Midnight

uncle_sam_ie wrote: »

http://www.pcper.com/news/General-Tech/Linux-Mint-Rising-Popularity-And-Surpassing-Ubuntu-Top-Spot

IMHO it's the new touchpad interface, exactly the same thing as teh fuss over windows 8.

Freedom to innovate / follow Apple / ignore the mistakes of others , sorta thing.

Don't get me wrong there are lots of things to like about Mint, but because of licensing issues I can't recommend it any more than I could suggest spending €30 on a copy of Apple Mac OSX and making a Hackintosh.



Suffice it to say that there are plenty of free alternatives to windows, including
windows. 240 day trial with Windows workstation 2008 = 2008 server tweaked. The windows 8 preview is out there, but not for production systems and it will die and you can't upgrade it.

Another option is to buy a RETAIL - non OEM, non upgrade - copy of windows on ebay - but check many times that it is genuine

MiCr0

tunedout banned for a week

mickysquint

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

Another option is to buy a RETAIL - non OEM, non upgrade - copy of windows on ebay - but check many times that it is genuine

To be honest I wasn't seeing too much difference on prices on eBay. I saw a couple offering download versions but wasn't sure if I should go with a download version or disc.

Really appreciate all your help guys, really useful to know every thing you all have said. Sorry if I sound like a bit of a Noob, all part of the learning curve I suppose.