For SMBs that have quite a few workstations that need a reliable and consistent source of Windows 7 or Windows 8 installations, one of the best alternatives is volume licensing. Despite the fact that Microsoft will attempt to upsell Windows 8. Ironically however, you technically still need to buy Windows 8. The way it works through volume licensing is that you need to purchase Windows 8. The main downside of volume licensing though is cost. So those are the three primary methods of purchasing Windows 7 despite it being end of sale status.
As it stands right now, the most cost-effect method is to purchase what is left in stock on shelves. However, if anyone else as any tips on how to purchase Windows 7, please let us know in the comments below. Shop for all your business tech needs at. Close Search. Tags: operating systems software Windows.
Windows No Comments. Subscribe you company. Popular Posts. Why NeweggBusiness? Michael Levanduski 0. Author Wallace Chu A self-professed tech hipster that loves computers and music. Uses an iPhone ironically. What's your take? There are plenty of sites where you can find "factory reconditioned" PCs for sale at legitimately low prices. Amazon-owned Woot, for example, always has lots of choices in its Computers section , although you'll have to dig into the specs to confirm that the operating system you're looking for is included.
I don't recommend taking a chance with random sellers on eBay or Craigslist--not when there are so many well-established merchants that offer proper warranties and return policies, as well as an assurance that the underlying Windows license is legitimate. Under Microsoft's arcane licensing rules, you can legitimately purchase OEM copies of Windows 7 any edition. However, the license agreement with those copies explicitly prohibits you from using that software on a PC you build or refurbish for your own personal use.
Crazy, huh? ZDNet takes a look back at very best tech stories and features of From the year's tech turkeys to products and services that get business done, we round up top gadgets, cloud highs, security lows -- and much more. Read More. There are no technical limitations to prevent you from using OEM software on your own PC, although this software will work only for a clean installation and not for an upgrade.
In the past, Microsoft has been remarkably inconsistent in its advice to customers about whether this practice is allowed. Don't ask Microsoft. To make the subject even more confusing, Microsoft briefly changed its licensing rules with Windows 8, adding a Personal Use Rights clause that allowed individuals to buy OEM Windows and install it on personal PCs. That change lasted exactly one year: with the launch of Windows 8. The bottom line?
Yes, you can install an OEM copy of Windows 7 on a PC for your own personal use; I recommend that you avoid doing so for your business, however, especially if you have a licensing agreement with Microsoft.
Most of the readily available options for new PCs include the latest version of Windows--that's Windows 10 today with many Windows 8. If you love a particular piece of hardware and your preferred version of Windows 7 isn't available on the build-to-order options list, don't despair. You have four choices available. If you purchase a new PC with a business version of Windows 8, Windows 8. Note that downgrade rights are not included on systems that ship with the core version of Windows 8, 8.
To exercise downgrade rights, you can use media for Windows 7 Professional that you acquire from any source. During installation, don't enter a product key. After completing installation, you'll need to activate your newly installed copy of Windows 7 by using the telephone activation option and explaining that you are using downgrade rights. Did you purchase a retail copy of Windows 7 any time in the past six years? Any full or upgrade license purchased through the retail channel or directly from Microsoft can legally be transferred to another PC.
That includes any of the deeply discounted upgrade offers that Microsoft made available when Windows 7 was new, including the three-license Family Packs of Windows 7 Home Premium.
If you have the original Windows 7 installation media and product key and have removed the operating system from the PC on which it was originally installed, you can reuse that key on any PC. You might be required to activate over the phone; when asked, be sure to specify truthfully that your copy of Windows 7 is installed on only one PC. Note that OEM copies of Windows 7 that were installed on PCs by the manufacturer are locked to that device and cannot be transferred.
If the PC on which you want to install Windows 7 originally included a license for any version of Windows, you can buy a Windows 7 upgrade license from any vendor that has the software in stock and install that upgrade on your PC. You don't need to reinstall the old operating system; if you want to perform a clean install using upgrade media, you can use the workaround I describe in this post : Boot from the upgrade media and do an installation without entering a product key.
Then use the same media to "upgrade" your brand-new installation. Follow the instructions in this post. The most expensive option is to purchase a full retail license for Windows 7. It's guaranteed to work with any PC, with no installation or licensing complications. The problem is finding this software, which Microsoft stopped selling years ago.
Most online merchants today offer only OEM copies of Windows 7. All the options I described earlier apply to PCs you plan to use in the home or office. But if you're a developer, an IT pro, or a student, you might have a completely different set of needs, including a desire to have one or more PCs running Windows 7 for testing purposes.
Sadly, Microsoft ended the TechNet subscription service in But there are still useful options available to anyone who needs Windows 7 in a lab or virtual machine. Windows 7 evaluation versions are also no longer available. MSDN subscription s are specifically intended for professional software developers. An annual subscription gives you access to a wide range of professional developer tools and pre-release products. How long should you wait before deploying Windows 10?
You can choose from different levels of MSDN subscriptions. It offers full access to every client and server version of Windows going as far back as Windows 3. For a full list of available packages, see this chart. The MSDN license agreement is detailed and worth reading in full. There's an excellent summary of your rights as a subscriber here. This paragraph is especially noteworthy:.
Many MSDN subscribers use a computer for mixed use--both design, development, testing, and demonstration of your programs the use allowed under the MSDN Subscription license and some other use. Using the software in any other way, such as for doing email, playing games, or editing a document is another use and is not covered by the MSDN Subscription license.
When this happens, the underlying operating system must also be licensed normally by purchasing a regular copy of Windows such as the one that came with a new OEM PC. If you're a professional developer or designer who uses Microsoft products, MSDN subscriptions can be a bargain. If you just want cheap access to Windows 7, you have better options. If you are enrolled in a science, technology, engineering, or math department at an educational institution that subscribes to Microsoft DreamSpark Premium , you can get free software for use in your studies.
It includes server software and development tools but does not include Windows client software. To check your eligibility through these programs, register here using a school-issued email address or a code supplied by an academic institution.
I've changed the way I charge my iPhone.
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