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Solve : Where and How to Buy a New Windows 7. Yes, 7, not 10.? |
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Answer» I want to recommend to my friends and others to buy Windows 7 if possible. How about buying an old junk PC that has a product key? While people have done this, its against the Microsoft EULA. I had a run in with Microsoft years ago with XP on a HP DC5000 tower that the motherboard got fried. Yet the RAM and CPU were still good. I replaced the motherboard and moved the CPU and RAM into the new cheap MSI socket 478 motherboard to get the 2.8Ghz Pentium 4 back up and running. Well the computer was fine until I went to install Windows XP Pro and use the key that was on the side of the box. I was directed to contact microsoft as for there was a key activation issue. I CALLED microsoft and talked with a guy in india and he asked questions. I answered them and he refused to give me an activation claiming that the motherboard was what the license was valid for and swapping motherboards meant that I would have to buy a new copy of Windows XP Pro. I got off the phone with him and tried again and got this other guy. I was asked same questions and i answered them and the other guy also was not going to activate it, but I got talking with him that the CPU which is what the EULA is licensed to is still the same, so shouldnt i be ok. He then PUT me on hold in which i thought i was going to get disconnected, and he came back asking a few more questions. He granted me an activation over the phone given that the only thing swapped was the motherboard and that the CPU and computer case was the same. Additionally a person I knew went to use a dead computer from the local dump and use that key for their new build and found out that others must have used the key on the system the same way before dumping it. So if someone buys a dead computer thinking they will use the key. There is no guarantee that someone else hasnt done the same with the key figuring the system is dead and the key is free for the taking, and then not be able to activate the Windows installation and have a paperweight junk computer with a junk key that microsoft will not activate. If buying a PC for Windows 7, I would buy a used working computer with Windows 7 and verified that the system has been activated and key is genuine with microsoft or buy it from a known good seller of refurb computers in which its GUARANTEED to have a good key and maybe even a warranty on the HARDWARE.Some time back, Microsoft had a program to allow others to fix up old computers and load Windows 7 and get a product key for that PC. Some vendors did have warranties for up to one year. The machine I have now is one of them. Severasl times I have swapped out the hard drive and have not had any problems with Microsoft about the COA. Ut is a 64 bit CPU, but just happens to be one that can not run Windows 10 64 bit. Th Microsoft program is well documented and seems to be still active. Microsoft Authorized Refurbisher program Quote There are several options for refurbishers to become a member of a Microsoft Refurbisher program. Members of the following programs are able to supply computers with genuine Microsoft software preinstalled to businesses, consumers, and nonprofits. The above would suggest that Windows 7 is still available. This was confimed by another reference. But f MS does not want people to get Windows 7, you would think they would edit the information published. Best Buy is well known. Here is a link: Refurbished Desktops with Windows 7 This is not an endorsement, just some helpful info for those that want Windows 7 and are willing to use older hardware. The COA is not transferable. Even so, most of these can take more RAM and upgrade to a bigger Hard Drive. If you get one with a standard case, you can upgrade the power supply. Quote Microsoft Authorized Refurbisher program Wow, that is moving a LOT of old systems... There is a place locally to me http://wincycle.org/ that sells refurb computers and has a store front, and I doubt they are selling 1000 or more computers a month as for a friend works there and tells me about the computers. Somehow they are able to be in this program and I have been told that relicensing systems with Windows 7 costs only about $10 per refurb computer to make a XP or Vista system have Windows 7 for the license fee. And thats how they are able to sell Core 2 Duo computers with Windows 7 that never came originally with 7 for under $100 each. By the way... I havent bought any used/refurb computers through them because i feel the price tags are a bit high for what they are offering. Additionally I have no problem getting computers cheaply or free from people after they upgrade and are looking for a way to dispose of their old computer safely. If I am given a dead computer I will fix it or strip it of good parts and toss out the junk parts. Last count, I had 15 working computers ( 3 pentium 4's, 7 dual cores, 2 intel atoms, 1 Athlon quadcore, and 2 AMD FX 8 Core systems ) ... I only bought 5 of them, the other 10 were acquired cheaply or free. Have downgrade rights gone away? I bought a new machine exactly 1 year ago from a large UK retailer that was advertised as "Windows 8.1 Professional downgraded to Windows 7 Professional", (I took the Windows 10 upgrade 1 month later) and i see that Microsoft still shows downgrade options. https://www.microsoft.com/OEM/en/licensing/sblicensing/Pages/downgrade_rights.aspx Also... "How to Downgrade Preinstalled Windows 10 to Windows 7/8.1" http://www.groovypost.com/howto/downgrade-windows-10-to-windows-7-windows-81/2/ |
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