Windows 7: 32 or 64 bit? UPDATE: Install done!

[TheU]

Windows 7 at futureshop is 220 or so, and comes with 32 and 64 bit discs

Memory express comes with 32 and 64 sold seperatly for 110 OEM

[Burninator]

What's the deal with the OEM versions? Why is it so much cheaper?

[FlamesPuck12]

Originally Posted by GoinAllTheWay

I don't think that's terribly unusual. These newer operating systems prefer to be put to 'sleep' rather than be turned off. I've been running Win 7 since July and I rarely shutdown the computer. In fact, only time I did was when I went on holidays. Just put it in sleep mode. Wake up from sleep is insanely fast.

Even the laptops, especially when you're carrying them around a lot?

[photon]

Originally Posted by Burninator

What's the deal with the OEM versions? Why is it so much cheaper?

The EULA with an OEM version is more restrictive.

With the OEM version there's no support.

Also with the OEM version you are limited to just one computer.. not meaning one computer at a time, but one computer ever. If you build a computer and put the OEM version on it, and then build yourself a new computer a year later you have to buy a whole new OEM license while with the full retail version you can transfer it.

And with activation in Windows now, they actually enforce this (though not as strictly as they probably could). I've had to call Microsoft a couple of times because my Windows wouldn't activate over the Internet from making changes to a PC.

[GoinAllTheWay]

Originally Posted by FlamesPuck12

Even the laptops, especially when you're carrying them around a lot?

Oh, laptop, right. You would have to check but I wouldn't be surprised if the read/write arms on the HD are locked when in sleep mode as well.

[Bobblehead]

Originally Posted by photon

The EULA with an OEM version is more restrictive.

With the OEM version there's no support.

Also with the OEM version you are limited to just one computer.. not meaning one computer at a time, but one computer ever. If you build a computer and put the OEM version on it, and then build yourself a new computer a year later you have to buy a whole new OEM license while with the full retail version you can transfer it.

And with activation in Windows now, they actually enforce this (though not as strictly as they probably could). I've had to call Microsoft a couple of times because my Windows wouldn't activate over the Internet from making changes to a PC.

I've had to call, too; and I didn't get any grief. From tech forums it seems MS is pretty lenient about it.

[psicodude]

This is weird. a Microsoft thread that is 2 weeks old now....and not one smart ass post from Fanin80? Must be too busy dreaming of new Mac sku's.

[LockedOut]

So no launch parties or midnight openings for Windows 7? Doesn't seem to be the same hype as their previous OS.

[Kipper is King]

Originally Posted by LockedOut

So no launch parties or midnight openings for Windows 7? Doesn't seem to be the same hype as their previous OS.

They have some in the States, at Fry's Electronics stores, I read.

I think Vista made Microsoft eat some humble pie...but that isn't necessarily bad. Windows 7 is a big improvement in ease of use and performance. I think word of mouth would beat anything Microsoft's marketing could come up with. Case in point: the ads for the House Party promo. Great promo, brutal ads.

[FanIn80]

Originally Posted by psicodude

This is weird. a Microsoft thread that is 2 weeks old now....and not one smart ass post from Fanin80? Must be too busy dreaming of new Mac sku's.

There's no need for a smart-ass comment from me. As far as Windows goes, 7 is a decent product. Although I liked Vista, 7 is today what Vista should have been three years ago. My smart-ass comments might not be as funny as I think they are, but there is usually an element of truth to them, and there's nothing to really be smart-assed about in this thread.

Edit: I chopped a bunch out of my post. Essentially, the above snippet was all I was trying to say. I just "Microsoft'ed" it by bloating and over-complicating it.

(zing )

[Kipper is King]

Originally Posted by FanIn80

Edit: I chopped a bunch out of my post. Essentially, the above snippet was all I was trying to say. I just "Microsoft'ed" it by bloating and over-complicating it.

(zing )

Your humour has been "Appled"- it is over-valued.

[photon]

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/w...ds/personalize

Some new themes out.

[GoinAllTheWay]

Originally Posted by photon

The EULA with an OEM version is more restrictive.

With the OEM version there's no support.

Also with the OEM version you are limited to just one computer.. not meaning one computer at a time, but one computer ever. If you build a computer and put the OEM version on it, and then build yourself a new computer a year later you have to buy a whole new OEM license while with the full retail version you can transfer it.

And with activation in Windows now, they actually enforce this (though not as strictly as they probably could). I've had to call Microsoft a couple of times because my Windows wouldn't activate over the Internet from making changes to a PC.

How would minor hardware changes affect that? What, to Microsoft, constitutes a new computer? I can certainly understand that applying an OEM key to a whole new build would be a problem but what if I changed out to new vid cards and wanted to re-load the O/S, would that be a problem?

[Double_Dion]

I doubt an older laptop still running windowsXP could make the switch to 7?

[silentsim]

Originally Posted by Double_Dion

I doubt an older laptop still running windowsXP could make the switch to 7?

If you want to run Windows 7 on your PC, here's what it takes:
1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor
1 gigabyte (GB) RAM (32-bit) or 2 GB RAM (64-bit)
16 GB available hard disk space (32-bit) or 20 GB (64-bit)
DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM 1.0 or higher driver


Run the windows upgrade advisor here
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/win...uirements.aspx

and it will tell you for sure

[Vulcan]

I like windows 7 ( paid $35 US for a key) so much I also installed it on an old Dell 2.4 gigahertz Celeron with only 768 MB of ram. I since upgraded to 1.5 GB but I don't notice any real difference. The PCI 6200 video card gives a graphics rating of 2.3 so it runs Aero ok. All in all it's fine for surfing and it gave me a nice clean easy install that's a little bit faster.

[photon]

Originally Posted by GoinAllTheWay

How would minor hardware changes affect that? What, to Microsoft, constitutes a new computer? I can certainly understand that applying an OEM key to a whole new build would be a problem but what if I changed out to new vid cards and wanted to re-load the O/S, would that be a problem?

Been a while so I can't remember for sure (or even if the info is public), just remembering from what I've read others go through.

For some things you can change the item and have no problems, not even need to re-activate (like a video card). Some things will trigger a reactivation if you change them all at once (like if you did a video card and hard drive and sound card all at the same time), but if you did them one at a time it would be OK.

Some things (like the motherboard) probably always trigger it, and sometimes even required you to call in rather than just reactivating over the Internet. They'll ask you to explain the change before they give you an activation key (I've had to do this once), and they probably keep a history.

[mykalberta]

Originally Posted by Burninator

What's the deal with the OEM versions? Why is it so much cheaper?

When you purchase an OS OEM - you cannot call Microsoft for support. You are supposed to get your support from where you purchased it from.

So if you get it stand alone from MemX techinically MemX is supposed to provide the support for it - good luck calling them about it though.