Windows 7 Pricing announced, pre-order deals starting June 26 - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

photon · 06-25-2009, 07:43 AM

http://arstechnica.com/microsoft/new...than-vista.ars

Quote:

In select markets, Microsoft is offering its customers the ability to preorder Windows 7 at a significantly reduced price. This is easily the most aggressive pricing Microsoft has ever offered for Windows. The low preorder price will vary per country:

US: Windows 7 Home Premium ($49.99) and Windows 7 Professional ($99.99)
Canada: Windows 7 Home Premium ($64.99) and Windows 7 Professional ($124.99)
Japan: Windows 7 Home Premium (¥7,407) and Windows 7 Professional (¥14,073)
UK: Windows 7 Home Premium (£49.99) and Windows 7 Professional (£99.99)
France and Germany: Windows 7 Home Premium (€49.99) and Windows 7 Professional (€109.99)

The deal includes select retail partners, such as Best Buy and Amazon, as well as the online Microsoft Store. This program begins Friday, June 26 in the US, Canada, and Japan.

Also:

Quote:

Unlike Vista, every edition of Windows 7 is a superset of the previous edition, so you will not lose any features when upgrading. Once you have some edition of Windows 7 on your system, whether you purchased it via an OEM or just upgraded from Windows XP or Windows Vista, you will be able to upgrade to a "more premium" version of Windows 7 by purchasing an upgrade key to unlock additional features, just as with Vista. This is called Windows Anytime Upgrade (WAU). For example, you could start off with Windows Vista Home Premium, upgrade to Windows 7 Home Premium, and then later choose to upgrade to Windows 7 Professional.

So might be worth pre-ordering actually.

mykalberta · 06-25-2009, 09:13 AM

I dont like upgrade copies. I will be interested in the full version. Once they release the differences I will make my choice then.

Although that pricing makes me think twice.

Also funny, how Apple slammed the pricing claiming snow leopard is better at a lower price, and microsoft shot back calling snow leopard nothing more than a "service pack" and said we dont charge for service packs.

Gots to love this.

Boblobla · 06-25-2009, 09:17 AM

So can I buy it in USD via paypal then and save $10?

http://www.google.ca/search?q=100+us...ient=firefox-a

GoinAllTheWay · 06-25-2009, 09:59 AM

So if you installed the Win 7 RC, can you still purchase at the reduced price?

alltherage · 06-25-2009, 10:13 AM

My friend installed Win7 the other night and it made his laptop battery last way longer. It seems to be a pretty legitimate upgrade.

mykalberta · 06-25-2009, 10:29 AM

Here is the link

https://windows7upgradeoption.com/Landing.aspx

Its "limited quantities" for the special pricing whatever that means. Site is supposed to go live at 1am.

I also have the RC candidate installed to test, it works fine. No annoying Vista issues and some soft users will complain about. The word on the RC candidate is that it will stop working when w7 is released. You cannot upgrade the RC copy, only XP and Vista.

The shafty part is Europe gets and E version with no IE. That pricing is for full versions of the software since they cannot upgrade to non IE - that kind of blows.

photon · 06-25-2009, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boblobla

So can I buy it in USD via paypal then and save $10?

Can't see why not.

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoinAllTheWay

So if you installed the Win 7 RC, can you still purchase at the reduced price?

Can't see why not, though the RC would not count as the previous OS for an upgrade price, you have to have XP or Vista to get the upgrade.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mykalberta

The word on the RC candidate is that it will stop working when w7 is released.

Incorrect, the RC will work until next year. On March 1, 2010 the RC will start doing automatic shutdowns ever few hours, and then on August 1, 2010 it will stop working entirely.

Vulcan · 06-25-2009, 08:01 PM

I'd like to upgrade my 32 bit Vista to 64 bit Windows 7. This will require a clean install, so will this upgrade copy work for me? I'd like to do it on a new Hard Drive. Anybody got an idea?

cSpooge · 06-25-2009, 08:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mykalberta

I dont like upgrade copies. I will be interested in the full version. Once they release the differences I will make my choice then.

Although that pricing makes me think twice.

Also funny, how Apple slammed the pricing claiming snow leopard is better at a lower price, and microsoft shot back calling snow leopard nothing more than a "service pack" and said we dont charge for service packs.

Gots to love this.

the upgrade versions of windows 7 will do fresh installs you just need to put in your old key apparently.

OBCT · 06-25-2009, 09:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cSpooge

the upgrade versions of windows 7 will do fresh installs you just need to put in your old key apparently.

Might as well ask this before I desperately need it. Is there any way to locate the key on a system that you're currently running? I mean, I built my rig custom, and I remember purchasing my version of XP legit... I just don't feel like digging around piles of junk for hours trying to come up with a CD key I haven't needed in years, but will need to upgrade to 7. Thanks in advance.

Also, I'm all out of "Thanks", but this thread is excellent.

Rathji · 06-25-2009, 10:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OBCT

Might as well ask this before I desperately need it. Is there any way to locate the key on a system that you're currently running? I mean, I built my rig custom, and I remember purchasing my version of XP legit... I just don't feel like digging around piles of junk for hours trying to come up with a CD key I haven't needed in years, but will need to upgrade to 7. Thanks in advance.

Also, I'm all out of "Thanks", but this thread is excellent.

http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html

OBCT · 06-25-2009, 11:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rathji

http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html

Perfect, thanks!

Minor follow-up question... for the "Microsoft - Windows XP Home Edition" entry, it has a software license code (other programs also have a code listed here), and a product key code (no others have this code listed). I'm assuming all I need is the Product Key code, correct?

There is also a note attached to the Product Key and explained at the bottom of the page. It reads:

" This is the manufacturer's factory installed product key rather than yours. You can change it to your product key here http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=45668 for Windows, or here http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=895456 for Office. "

I'm wondering if I should go to that link and "change my product key" ... ideas?

Oh, I also noticed that the "Microsoft - Windows XP Home Edition" software license code is different than the others... instead of all numbers like the other programs listed, it has some letters, as follows:

#####-OEM-#######-#####

This reminded me that I bought an OEM version of Windows XP, I think (not sure why... or what OEM even means), which some people were talking about in the comments section of the article photon linked to in the OP. Does this matter? Thanks again.

I-Hate-Hulse · 06-26-2009, 12:00 AM

Hello MS - what about us Ultimate users?

photon · 06-26-2009, 07:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mykalberta

Here is the link

https://windows7upgradeoption.com/Landing.aspx

This is also the incorrect link, this is for people that purchased a computer with Vista that included a redemption coupon for Windows 7.

The US store has the deals up today, the Canadian store mentions it doesn't list the retailers..

http://www.microsoft.com/canada/wind...pre-order.aspx

mykalberta · 06-26-2009, 02:00 PM

Its on amazon - thats where I got it.

Dont pay up front, free shipping, can cancel if i choose later.

calculoso · 06-26-2009, 04:55 PM

Also available through Futureshop and Staples, from what I've received via email.

I'm debating on whether to upgrade... I don't want to go through the whole "back up before install" charade and figure out what works and what doesn't afterwards...

photon · 06-26-2009, 04:59 PM

Hm, I wonder if there's a Staples coupon..

LockedOut · 06-26-2009, 07:34 PM

Oooh tempting. I've got a $25 off $75 Staples coupon I received in the mail.

Mango · 06-26-2009, 10:34 PM

I've sort of removed myself from the tech world lately. However, I'm looking to purchase a new laptop at the end of the summer. Does this also mean that Windows 7 will be the OS on new laptops this fall?

OBCT · 06-27-2009, 12:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mango

I've sort of removed myself from the tech world lately. However, I'm looking to purchase a new laptop at the end of the summer. Does this also mean that Windows 7 will be the OS on new laptops this fall?

Yes, most likely. It is difficult to estimate how much variety you'll have to choose from between laptops w/ 7 upon it's initial release, but yes, they should be out by November at the latest (though you shouldn't quote me on that! ... you never know about availability with combined software/hardware releases).

Otherwise, Microsoft is guaranteeing free (or very cheap - ie. advertised as $9.99 at Amazon.com today) upgrades to Windows 7 from Windows Vista (of equal version - ie. Windows Vista Home Premium Edition gets upgraded to Windows 7 Home Premium Edition, etc) included in the paid price of Windows Vista (including those bundled with PC systems) purchases between June 26th (ie. right now) and 7's release date in your region - reportedly slated as October 22nd. Read the section under "Windows 7 Upgrade Option Program" in the link provided by photon in the opening post for more information. You might also be interested the direct link to Microsoft's page explaining the deal, here.