Author Topic: Windows 7 limited time upgrade discount starting tomorrow (June 26th) (Read 46,918 times)

Hirudin · « **on:** June 25, 2009, 09:34 PM »

Sorry, I didn't like the first version of this post, so I re-wrote it...

Microsoft has announced the prices for the various Windows 7 editions, they're keeping them at pretty much the same prices as Vista... They're also starting a promotion tomorrow that will let people order the upgrade versions for around 50% of what they will be a couple weeks from now.

Prices...
Ultimate
Upgrade Promo: not available
Upgrade: $220
Retail: $320
OEM: ?

Professional
Upgrade Promo: $100
Upgrade: $200
Retail: $300
OEM: ?

Home Premium
Upgrade Promo: $50
Upgrade: $120
Retail: $200
OEM: ?

Here's an article with more info: Computerworld: Microsoft discounts Windows 7 Home Premium to $50; deal to last two weeks

I'm weary of "upgrading" Windows from one version to another, but this deal is just about too good to pass up. If I wasn't so broke I'd grab one of these up and just plan to install XP first, then be forced do do a CLEAN install of Windows 7.

tomos · « **Reply #1 on:** June 26, 2009, 01:18 PM »

thanks for the heads up Hirudin

If I understand the comment/answer at the end correctly - means you will have to format and start afresh - not a bad idea anyway with a new OS install

note for (parts of) Europe - (or all?)

Quote

The pre-order discount prices are valid from June 26 through July 11 in the U.S. and Canada, but end July 5 in Japan. Customers in the U.K., France and Germany will be offered similar pre-order discounts starting July 15, said LeBlanc.

or is it only the 'bigger' countries are getting this . .

f0dder · « **Reply #2 on:** June 26, 2009, 01:33 PM »

Quote from: tomos on June 26, 2009, 01:18 PM

note for (parts of) Europe - (or all?)
Quote
The pre-order discount prices are valid from June 26 through July 11 in the U.S. and Canada, but end July 5 in Japan. Customers in the U.K., France and Germany will be offered similar pre-order discounts starting July 15, said LeBlanc.

or is it only the 'bigger' countries are getting this . .

The reasoning behind this is that for EU countries (which doesn't mean all of europe

), MS has been forced to cut IE from Windows. They haven't had enough time to test the implications of this for upgrade installs, and thus offer the full version for upgrade price.

Or at least that's the official story.

Tekzel · « **Reply #3 on:** June 26, 2009, 02:42 PM »

I pre-ordered 2 copies this morning. I just couldn't resist that price, and I know I don't want to go back to WinXP or Vista after the RC1 drops dead.

KenR · « **Reply #4 on:** June 26, 2009, 09:52 PM »

This may not be the place for this question, but does anyone know what the difference between the pro and home version will be?

Thanks, Ken

P.S. Sorry if this reply is sorely out of place or so obvious most barnyard animals would know the answer.

Hirudin · « **Reply #5 on:** June 26, 2009, 11:42 PM »

Here's a comparison chart: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/products/compare-editions

The differences are few. The only thing I see that Home Premium doesn't have that I might want is BitLocker. I figure I'll just use TrueCrypt instead.

Dormouse · « **Reply #6 on:** June 27, 2009, 12:06 AM »

There's WinXP mode too. Presumably that will become less useful as the years go by.

SKA · « **Reply #7 on:** June 27, 2009, 08:06 AM »

Does anyone know if Win7Pro media will have the 64-bit version as well , or its only 32-bit ?
MS seems to be silent about 64-bit Win7Pro in this promo.

SKA

CleverCat · « **Reply #8 on:** June 27, 2009, 09:51 AM »

And once again Darkest Africa is left out in the cold!

Carol Haynes · « **Reply #9 on:** June 27, 2009, 11:58 AM »

Of course if you live in the UK simply change US$ for UK£

I can't believe MS can't convert currencies.

So we get a 'special' deal on Windows 7 HP and Pro- more expensive and no Internet Explorer installed.

Maybe it is a good deal getting Windows without IE

eve if it is more expensive.

Trouble is everyone know the first thing most people will do is to install IE because there are so many badly designed websites that don't work properly in anything but IE.

UK Aside

I was working with a client the other day trying to solve a problem using the ParcelForce courier delivery website. He has to use it to generate the labels that the driver scans when collecting parcels and it wasn't working for him. Turns out it was an ISP server issue (that they won't admit) but I was shocked to see that a website that generates PDF files to print insists on using Internet Explorer and fails if you use any other browser. SO they are saying that anyone who wants to use their service has to use Windows based computers! How stupid is that?

Dormouse · « **Reply #10 on:** June 27, 2009, 12:27 PM »

The trouble is that it is not a simple currency conversion for the UK.

MS aren't offering the upgrade versions at all, but are offering promo prices on the retail version.
For instance, Home Premium £50 = approx $83 at current rates. There are advantages for some people with this. Still have to see what sale prices will actually be. Compared to prices in the past, the pre-order pricing is very good and MS seem to have the marketing right on this to get W7 off to a good start, unlike Vista. Feel sorry for anyone who paid good money for Vista, but that's probably what has got the rest of us better prices now.

The long-term prices, like-for-like, are of course higher in the UK, but the % seems to vary a lot according to the version.

Not sure how easy it will be to access US versions, or how well they will install/activate. Will be watching out for any info on this.

Hirudin · « **Reply #11 on:** June 27, 2009, 12:36 PM »

Quote from: SKA on June 27, 2009, 08:06 AM

Does anyone know if Win7Pro media will have the 64-bit version as well , or its only 32-bit ?
MS seems to be silent about 64-bit Win7Pro in this promo.

SKA

I don't know what was there before, but here's the Microsoft site now...

Quote from: Dormouse on June 27, 2009, 12:27 PM

The trouble is that it is not a simple currency conversion for the UK.

MS aren't offering the upgrade versions at all, but are offering promo prices on the retail version.
For instance, Home Premium £50 = approx $83 at current rates. There are advantages for some people with this. Still have to see what sale prices will actually be. Compared to prices in the past, the pre-order pricing is very good and MS seem to have the marketing right on this to get W7 off to a good start, unlike Vista.
...

I wish I could order a full version at a discounted price! $83 is less than most of the copies of Vista I bought (I think I got one of them for like $35 though).

Quote from: Dormouse on June 27, 2009, 12:27 PM

...
Feel sorry for anyone who paid good money for Vista, but that's probably what has got the rest of us better prices now.
...

Yeah... I've got a full retail version of Vista Home Premium that I bought, but have never used. I wish I could "trade up" or something.

tomos · « **Reply #12 on:** June 27, 2009, 03:40 PM »

Quote from: Dormouse on June 27, 2009, 12:27 PM

MS aren't offering the upgrade versions at all, but are offering promo prices on the retail version.
For instance, Home Premium £50

where did you see the prices for UK Carol ? and any idea of Euro prices?

Dormouse · « **Reply #13 on:** June 27, 2009, 04:05 PM »

Euro prices are commonly reported as the same as £ prices, ... so much cheaper in euros.

We'll see what retailers actually do when it becomes available for pre-order.

Carol Haynes · « **Reply #14 on:** June 27, 2009, 04:45 PM »

Quote from: tomos on June 27, 2009, 03:40 PM

Quote from: Dormouse on June 27, 2009, 12:27 PM
MS aren't offering the upgrade versions at all, but are offering promo prices on the retail version.
For instance, Home Premium £50

where did you see the prices for UK Carol ? and any idea of Euro prices?

I got an email from MS.

Yes they are offering promo pre-sale prices on the full version but only because they have to because the Euro version will not have a functioning version of Windows 7 that will upgrade anything.

OK it is a good idea to clean install but it is a big inconvenience for European Vista users that they can't use an upgrade even if they want to.

tomos · « **Reply #15 on:** June 27, 2009, 07:15 PM »

Quote from: Carol Haynes on June 27, 2009, 04:45 PM

OK it is a good idea to clean install but it is a big inconvenience for European Vista users that they can't use an upgrade even if they want to.

Quote from: Dormouse on June 27, 2009, 12:27 PM

MS aren't offering the upgrade versions at all, but are offering promo prices on the retail version.

wonder will that mean there'll be no upgrade pricing available in Europe at all - even when it's released? (just because of the IE fiasco?)

f0dder · « **Reply #16 on:** June 27, 2009, 07:20 PM »

Quote from: tomos on June 27, 2009, 07:15 PM

Quote from: Carol Haynes on June 27, 2009, 04:45 PM
OK it is a good idea to clean install but it is a big inconvenience for European Vista users that they can't use an upgrade even if they want to.
Quote from: Dormouse on June 27, 2009, 12:27 PM
MS aren't offering the upgrade versions at all, but are offering promo prices on the retail version.

wonder will that mean there'll be no upgrade pricing available in Europe at all - even when it's released? (just because of the IE fiasco?)

As mentioned earlier, supposedly the countries that are part of the EU (which isn't the entire Europe) get the full version for upgrade price.

Ted M · « **Reply #17 on:** June 27, 2009, 07:46 PM »

The $49 offer sounds great. However, does anyone know, for certain, if the Microsoft-bought Windows 7 will upgrade a Dell computer that came with a Dell-installed Vista Home Premium OS?

Or, do I have to buy Windows 7 from Dell?

Thank you.

Dormouse · « **Reply #18 on:** June 27, 2009, 07:49 PM »

Quote from: tomos on June 27, 2009, 07:15 PM

wonder will that mean there'll be no upgrade pricing available in Europe at all - even when it's released? (just because of the IE fiasco?)

They have already announced the pricing for upgrades in Europe. It's just that they won't have an upgrade version available for quite a while, and it will be too late for the promo.

Innuendo · « **Reply #19 on:** June 27, 2009, 08:09 PM »

Quote from: f0dder

As mentioned earlier, supposedly the countries that are part of the EU (which isn't the entire Europe) get the full version for upgrade price.

This statement is in line with everything I have read so far. EU users get all the benefits of upgrade pricing with the benefits of having a full non-upgrade version.

Innuendo · « **Reply #20 on:** June 27, 2009, 08:14 PM »

Quote from: Ted M

The $49 offer sounds great. However, does anyone know, for certain, if the Microsoft-bought Windows 7 will upgrade a Dell computer that came with a Dell-installed Vista Home Premium OS?

Or, do I have to buy Windows 7 from Dell?

You do not have to buy Windows 7 from Dell. The version one can buy from Microsoft will work perfectly. And with Windows 7 upgrade installs are for once a viable option. Microsoft have finally perfected the upgrade process to the point there's no weirdness due to upgrading an old OS to a new one.

However, if you are advised during the upgrade process to uninstall certain apps before allowing the upgrade process to continue then you darn well better do so. I can tell you in no uncertain terms that this is NOT a "just do it to be safe" suggestion, but rather a "do this now or there are not enough words in the world tot ell you how sorry you will be if you continue" mandate.

EDIT: to fix omitted NOT.

Dormouse · « **Reply #21 on:** June 27, 2009, 08:19 PM »

Quote from: Innuendo on June 27, 2009, 08:09 PM

This statement is in line with everything I have read so far. EU users get all the benefits of upgrade pricing with the benefits of having a full non-upgrade version.

But it's not strictly true. They talk about the reduction for the promo, but the prices are higher than the upgrade promo in the US. Good deal if you want the non-upgrade version, not a good deal if you want the cheapest price.

Carol Haynes · « **Reply #22 on:** June 27, 2009, 08:23 PM »

Quote from: Innuendo on June 27, 2009, 08:09 PM

Quote from: f0dder
As mentioned earlier, supposedly the countries that are part of the EU (which isn't the entire Europe) get the full version for upgrade price.

This statement is in line with everything I have read so far. EU users get all the benefits of upgrade pricing with the benefits of having a full non-upgrade version.

Thta's true but the only reason for this is not preferential treatment for Europe but rather than comply with the EU in any other way MS are being b****y awkward and not offering any Windows 7 build in the UK with Internet Explorer included. Consequently EU Win7 discs will have to be installed from scratch (even if you want to upgrade).

Having said that if you buy a Win 7 upgrade in other parts of the world it will probably work in the same way as Vista and WinXP SP3 and let you install it from clean without the need for a preinstalled version.

tomos · « **Reply #23 on:** June 28, 2009, 12:15 PM »

well it took me a while to find it but here's the german offer . .

Quote from: http://www.microsoft.com/germany/presseservice/detail.mspx?id=532742

Vor Verfügbarkeit bietet Microsoft auch ein Vorverkaufsangebot für Windows 7 an. In Deutschland können Kunden vom 15. Juli bis Mitte August 2009 oder solange der Vorrat reicht die Windows 7 Home Premium E zu einer unverbindlichen Preisempfehlung von 49,99 Euro im Fachhandel und bei E-Tailern vorbestellen

in germany as of 15 july until the middle of august - or until supplies run out [whatever that means] you can get Windows 7 Home Premium E for 49.99 euros

.
€49 = $70 = £42.5

Darwin · « **Reply #24 on:** June 28, 2009, 01:27 PM »

Quote from: Innuendo on June 27, 2009, 08:14 PM

I can tell you in no uncertain terms that this is a "just do it to be safe" suggestion, but rather a "do this now or there are not enough words in the world tot ell you how sorry you will be if you continue" mandate.

I assume that "this is 'just a do it to be safe suggestion'" was meant to read 'this is not 'just a do it to be safe'"?