1. Windows 7 Pro (upgrade) - Is this a full version of the OS? They say i can upgrade from XP to win7, but the kernel is different, so is it just a cosmetic change or is it really the entire OS? If its the whole OS, then whats the difference between the upgrade and the full retail version?
2. If i buy the full retail version of Windows 7 Pro, how many PC's can i install it on? If i have 3 PC's at home, do i have to buy 3 copies of the OS to put it on all 3? I heard that the OEM versions were 1 license per copy, and that the retail versions licensed more than 1 PC. Is the number of licenses available different between the upgrade and the full retail version?
3. I read on the windows website that the current RC for win7 allows you to install it on up to 3 PC's with a single product key. I also read that the RC will be updated and supported until June of 2010. Then what would i gain buy purchasing the full retail version of win7 this fall?
Windows 7 Questions
Moderators: NeilBlanchard, Ralf Hutter, sthayashi, Lawrence Lee
Re: Windows 7 Questions
Yes and no and kinda sorta. You can upgrade from XP to W7--but it's a clean install, not in-place. But your files will stay on the drive and can then be imported.Aris wrote:1. Windows 7 Pro (upgrade) - Is this a full version of the OS? They say i can upgrade from XP to win7, but the kernel is different, so is it just a cosmetic change or is it really the entire OS? If its the whole OS, then whats the difference between the upgrade and the full retail version?
link on MS site
Also it is reported that you will be able to use the upgrade media to do clean installs, as you were able to with Vista (install, do not enter license key, this results in a trial version. Then upgrade that and enter license key. MS knows of it, and it is NOT prohibited in the license agreement).
Currently it's 1:1 for all versions. Hopefully MS comes up with something better. Also, I saw on another site someone recommended the Technet subscription as it gives you access to just about everything for a much cheaper price (well for all the different software and how many copies you can use).[2. If i buy the full retail version of Windows 7 Pro, how many PC's can i install it on? If i have 3 PC's at home, do i have to buy 3 copies of the OS to put it on all 3? I heard that the OEM versions were 1 license per copy, and that the retail versions licensed more than 1 PC. Is the number of licenses available different between the upgrade and the full retail version?
Not much. The upgrade pre-sale is an attractive price for the next 2 weeks. I'm considering it--especially the Professional version, which includes the XP Mode, a complete and licensed version of XP running in VirtualPC and integrated with the OS. No more dual boot!3. I read on the windows website that the current RC for win7 allows you to install it on up to 3 PC's with a single product key. I also read that the RC will be updated and supported until June of 2010. Then what would i gain buy purchasing the full retail version of win7 this fall?
That said, I did play with the W7 beta when it came out, and I did like it. But, I have 3 Vista licenses (one I'm not even using) and really don't see enough to upgrade. And while the Pro version would be nice for my desktop (dualboot XP and Vista), the Home Premium upgrade would be nice for the HTPC with the newer version of Media Center.
But I think the next OS I will spend time and money on will be Windows Home Server.
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BillyBuerger
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First, there's a difference between a license and what you can physically do. A license is an agreement between the purchaser and the seller. They then put physical restrictions on the software to try to keep the user within that license. But they can't restrict it too much so as to make it too difficult to do normal things such as re-install or upgrade some hardware. With that in mind, here's what I understand.
1) An upgrade version is really the same thing as the full version. But the license agreement requires that you have a qualifying previous version that you also have a license for. If you are physically upgrading from XP to 7, it's not tweaking the kernel to try to make XP work like 7. It's replacing XP completely with 7 but then attempting to migrate all your software and settings with it. The end result should be the same as doing a clean 7 install and re-installing your programs and copying your files and settings. I prefer the clean install myself as upgrading can sometimes leave a lot of junk behind. But then again I generally do a clean install a couple times a year on my main desktop PC. Also, since you're upgrading, that XP license is no longer valid. You can't upgrade your XP PC to 7 and then re-use the XP license somewhere else. If you bought the full version, you could.... Legally that is.
2) A single license of Windows is for a single PC. The physical restrictions they put into the software will probably let you install it on 2 or 3 before it will stop you. But you are only suppose to use it on 1. If you have to re-install for some reason, you might run into some issues and would have to lie to microsoft when you have to call them to get it re-activated. I'm still not 100% sure on what differences are in the OEM and Retail licenses. OEM is suppose to be for system builders to include with new PCs. This seems to suggest that OEM is tied to one specific PC that if it dies, so does the license. But the retail version has similar language in its agreement that states that the license can't be transferred to a different PC. But I don't think they really enforce that in either case. The other difference is support. Retail comes with support from microsoft while support for OEM is the responsibility of the system builder.
3) Like the full version, the RC doesn't physically stop you from installing on multiple PCs. But unlike the full license, the RC license says that you are allowed to install it more than once since the idea is to test it and give Microsoft feedback. I myself plan on installing the RC soon hopefully if I can scrape up some money for some new parts. And I will probably use the RC until next spring. All you're doing is delaying the purchase. Plus if you forget and suddenly your PC starts shutting down on you because the RC is expiring, you have to deal with a forces re-install instead of planning one. And by that time, you may have more things installed and stuff that you'll need to make sure get through the re-install. Not sure if you can *upgrade* from the RC to the full version.
1) An upgrade version is really the same thing as the full version. But the license agreement requires that you have a qualifying previous version that you also have a license for. If you are physically upgrading from XP to 7, it's not tweaking the kernel to try to make XP work like 7. It's replacing XP completely with 7 but then attempting to migrate all your software and settings with it. The end result should be the same as doing a clean 7 install and re-installing your programs and copying your files and settings. I prefer the clean install myself as upgrading can sometimes leave a lot of junk behind. But then again I generally do a clean install a couple times a year on my main desktop PC. Also, since you're upgrading, that XP license is no longer valid. You can't upgrade your XP PC to 7 and then re-use the XP license somewhere else. If you bought the full version, you could.... Legally that is.
2) A single license of Windows is for a single PC. The physical restrictions they put into the software will probably let you install it on 2 or 3 before it will stop you. But you are only suppose to use it on 1. If you have to re-install for some reason, you might run into some issues and would have to lie to microsoft when you have to call them to get it re-activated. I'm still not 100% sure on what differences are in the OEM and Retail licenses. OEM is suppose to be for system builders to include with new PCs. This seems to suggest that OEM is tied to one specific PC that if it dies, so does the license. But the retail version has similar language in its agreement that states that the license can't be transferred to a different PC. But I don't think they really enforce that in either case. The other difference is support. Retail comes with support from microsoft while support for OEM is the responsibility of the system builder.
3) Like the full version, the RC doesn't physically stop you from installing on multiple PCs. But unlike the full license, the RC license says that you are allowed to install it more than once since the idea is to test it and give Microsoft feedback. I myself plan on installing the RC soon hopefully if I can scrape up some money for some new parts. And I will probably use the RC until next spring. All you're doing is delaying the purchase. Plus if you forget and suddenly your PC starts shutting down on you because the RC is expiring, you have to deal with a forces re-install instead of planning one. And by that time, you may have more things installed and stuff that you'll need to make sure get through the re-install. Not sure if you can *upgrade* from the RC to the full version.
Regarding the RC, I just downloaded it (it's free for now and I need a windows OS to run one app, now installed in a VM) and it says that after March 1, 2010 it'll start rebooting every 2 hours so that you'll get the full version. So even if it'll technically work until June 1, it'll be very annoying to use for the last few months.