View Full Version : Win 7 Purchase
I think I know the answer to this, but...
I run a desktop and a laptop (I don't operate both at once). They share much software on single licences.
Do I need two copies of Win 7 for them, or can I install the same one on both?
Mike-Bracknell
13th Jul 2009, 12:13
It depends upon the type of license you buy, and what MS's licensing smallprint is going to say this time.
In the past it's flip-flopped between one license per PC to one license per desktop/laptop to one license per 3 machines and perm any one of three (dependent upon if you bought OEM/Open/Select/Enterprise etc).
MS licensing is one of the hardest parts of my job, and if I was Steve Ballmer i'd fire the whole marketing/licensing depts and start again.:ugh:
Oh well. I only want two, and the 3-machine licence looks like it's more than two licences.
I'll buy two and be done with it.
For those of you who may not have seen it Currys are offering W7 Home for £50 and Professional for £100, can be pre-ordered from tomorrow. Priced lower than XP, seems very reasonable.
That's the general MS "pre-launch ordering" deal. Actually, MS say £49.99 and £99.99, but 1p for postage ain't bad.
Available for pre-order from your favourite store from 15th July.
The US pre-order window is almost ended, I believe.
Loose rivets
14th Jul 2009, 16:58
Ooo Err...better get a move on.
We're intending to be back in the UK more for the next period. Laptops I guess can be anywhere, but what about a PC. Does MS grumble about their OS being out of the country of origin ?
Sprogget
14th Jul 2009, 17:00
You'll be alright - it doesn't want to know where you are until halfway through the install - remember?
I rounded the prices up Keef. £99.99 makes no sense to me.
T
Loose rivets
14th Jul 2009, 17:52
You'll be alright - it doesn't want to know where you are until halfway through the install - remember?
Is there a mid Atlantic setting? That'd fool them.:rolleyes:
Sprogget
14th Jul 2009, 18:15
Yeah, it's between Narnia & Middle Earth.:p
Sprogget
15th Jul 2009, 13:55
I've just ordered up a copy of Home Premium for a penny under fifty sheets. That is remarkably good value for a retail copy of what promises to be a decent os.
Ms say on their site that copies are limited for the promo offer & Ebuyer stated 101 left when I ordered. Whether or not that's a load of old rubbish or not I have no idea. Still, at least mine's on it's way...in October.:{
I don't know why, but Amazon told me they'd charge me £44.97 incl VAT for Home Premium. They got the business.
stickyb
16th Jul 2009, 11:08
The blurb I have been reading says that in Europe the option to upgrade your system is not available, only a "clean install" which means wiping out all previously installlled programs and data. Also there is no browser in the European version, blurb says you need to ensure IE8 or other browser available on CD before you start the installation.
green granite
16th Jul 2009, 11:51
The blurb I have been reading says that in Europe the option to upgrade your system is not available, only a "clean install" which means wiping out all previously installlled programs and data.
Yep, it's Microsoft's reaction to the EU competition commission's ruling on bundling Internet Explorer with windows, only the full edition without IE will be available in Europe to comply with the directive. IE will be on the disc but will have to be installed separately.
Perhaps we should all write to the commission complaining that, thanks to their ruling, we have to pay twice as much for the product than we need to. :ugh:
stickyb
16th Jul 2009, 14:37
IE will be on the disc but will have to be installed separately.
Not according to Microsoft.....
You will need to back up all your files before starting and you will need to have a browser such as Internet Explorer 8 or a browser from another software manufacturer saved to a CD/DVD or external storage device before starting.
green granite
16th Jul 2009, 15:25
Then they have changed their minds again, which is very likely.
What I want to know is, if you don't have a computer and buy one without an operating system installed off of say E-Bay, how are you going to get on line to download a browser?
The EU didn't think it through IMHO.
green granite
17th Jul 2009, 10:31
Just been on Amazon and they are currently asking £74.97 for pre-ordered home premium. :confused::confused::confused:
I reckon Amazon must have sold their allocation of preorder Win 7.
It pays to get in early :)
Micro Anvika phoned me yesterday trying to sell me a copy, so they may have some left at £49.99.
itwasme
17th Jul 2009, 12:35
Apparently it's been too popular and Bill has decided to pull the promo early:
Microsoft shock drops Windows 7 discount News - PC Advisor (http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news/index.cfm?newsid=119367)
Dixons still showing availability at £44.97 and £89.97 with free delivery.
I just had to snap one up :-)
green granite
17th Jul 2009, 13:40
How to ensure that a great number of pirated copies are downloaded and installed :ugh::ugh:
spannersatcx
18th Jul 2009, 08:12
As a home user, with Vista, mainly ms office. internet, maybe the odd scan, CD/DVD burn (nero), etc do I need pro or premium. Don't play games (that's what the xbox is for!).
The biggest worry is software compatability, is it safe or not to assume that if it works on Vista it'll generally be ok on W7?
Tempted to get it whilst on discount.
seanbean
18th Jul 2009, 09:55
All our experience is telling us to wait 6 months post launch and then review the situation. There are going to be some bugs/glitches/compatability and driver issues - there always are. I can never understand why people always leap to buy the latest/newest software while the code is still warm - let others play with it first, expose the problems and derive the answers. Basic Risk Management...
green granite
18th Jul 2009, 10:55
let others play with it first,
We already are :ok:
Lancelot37
18th Jul 2009, 10:56
We already are http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/src:www.pprune.org/get/images/smilies/thumbs.gif
And your thoughts?
Sprogget
18th Jul 2009, 11:38
Best since xp. It works.
john50uk
18th Jul 2009, 12:11
Been playing with the Beta and RC versions since release, not touched XP for months. Win 7 is the dog's gonads, it works!:ok:
Ordered my copy from Staples .
X vat £43.46
Ordercare £1.09
Vat £6.68
TOTAL £51.23
green granite
19th Jul 2009, 12:55
And your thoughts?
Lancelot37
http://www.pprune.org/computer-internet-issues-troubleshooting/371078-windows-7-rc.html
Mike-Bracknell
19th Jul 2009, 13:41
Best since xp. It works.
What he said.
So far i've installed it on a Shuttle barebones desktop with a quad core, ICH7R SATA RAID, and an Nvidia GeForce 8800GTS, and a Sony Vaio laptop. I've added a VPN, webcam, Canon MP630 printer, etc.
Not ONCE have I reached for a driver disk yet. THAT is exceptional :ok:
Pontius Navigator
19th Jul 2009, 17:44
Ordered mine from PC World - £44.99 incl and free delivery.
And if by October I decide it is not for me, then there is always eBay.
frostbite
23rd Jul 2009, 14:58
This may interest/annoy some:-
UK may not get Windows 7 family pack - ZDNet.co.uk (http://news.zdnet.co.uk/software/0,1000000121,39692512,00.htm)
amanoffewwords
23rd Jul 2009, 15:33
I like their reasoning:
We're evaluating that, to see how attractive it will be to the market
Nope, I can't see anyone being interested in it, we'd all rather pay for 3 licenses. :ugh:
I wonder if they're doing that as revenge for the EU fines etc.
green granite
23rd Jul 2009, 15:52
I wonder if they're doing that as revenge for the EU fines etc.
Almost certainly.
spannersatcx
23rd Jul 2009, 18:48
and look at the pricing Microsoft ran a deal in the US where people in the US could order Windows 7 Home Premium for $49 (£29) and Professional edition for $99
So Europe ripped off again!:mad:
Mr Grumps
25th Jul 2009, 20:55
The reason for the clean install instead of an upgrade from XP is that it requires Vista drivers or at least that's what the copy I've got says. The upgrade doesn't do the drivers so I believe.
I tried the Beta version on my desktop (with XP as the primary system). Within a few weeks, I switched to Win7 as primary. It's startlingly better.
I cheated on the change to RC - I did an upgrade rather than a fresh install; that caused a few minor hiccups but nothing dramatic.
I bought a new hard drive for my laptop so I can switch between XP and Win7 - but the XP drive has stayed in the bag ever since. It's that good.
I'll be installing it as a fresh operating system as soon as the two copies arrive.
It's impressive how it goes off and finds drivers - even for some pretty obscure hardware. It looks like Vista, but it works like XP (only a lot faster).
I've had one nasty moment, when I switched off the "Homegroup" and it locked up the hard drives on both laptop and desktop. Nothing would work! That's a known "bug" - there is a fix, but it involves having another, healthy Win 7 installation to "unlock" the hard drives. I know how to do that now :)
I keep a USB hard drive caddy for the purpose.
Mike-Bracknell
27th Jul 2009, 00:51
I've currently got a nagging problem with a video driver on a Dell Latitude D610 (which appears to be related to the fact that the video chipset is ancient). Lots of people have mentioned it, but there's not been a fix as of yet.
Can't really grumble though, what with the laptop being 5 years old.