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Windows 7 - More Licensing/Upgrade questions....

pawhe955
Grafter
Posts: 111
Registered: ‎31-07-2007

Windows 7 - More Licensing/Upgrade questions....

Hi all,
I posted a query last year about a company called "software4students" who were selling cheap MS software - and after that discussion, and subsequent checking, it turns out that they are indeed legit., and fully supported by Microsoft.
However, I'm really confused by the Windows 7 versions that they are selling, and wondered if anyone else had bought the Win7 Upgrades from them, and could shed light on what they got (and in what scenario they used it....). Basically, they don't seem to be 'normal' OEM versions (as they are specifically upgrades only, and OEM versions are normally aimed at Full Installs only) and don't seem to be Retail versions, as the editions that they are selling are only available in 32-bit OR 64-bit - not both, which all Retail versions (upgrade and full) seem to ship with.
XP is a qualifying "previous OS" for upgrades version of Windows7, but you *cannot* do an "in-situ" upgrade from XP to Win7 - so the Retail Upgrade packages also allow you to do clean installs (e.g. via "Custom Installs"). However, on S4S website, the web page for the upgrades that they are selling have a comment that states:
"This version of Windows 7 ships as an upgrade edition. It is NOT possible or permitted to perform a clean install with this product. You must have an existing valid Windows operating system on your hard disk."
The 3rd sentence of the above paragraph is obviously correct (they are upgrades, after all) - but I'm concerned about the 2nd sentence. I have sent an email query to them querying why their editions don't have both 32-bit and 64-bit on disk, and whether the statement about not being able to perform a clean install is actually correct - but I haven't received a reply....  and they state that they don't do "technical support", so I wonder if I will actually get a reply, as the questions might be considered to be of a technical nature....
So I just wondered if anyone else had picked up these editions from S4S - they seem bargains, at £60 for Win7 Ultimate, and £37 for Win7 Professional - but I would always want to do a "Clean Install" (whether upgrading from XP or Vista), so will need this facility - and would also like to consider buying the 64-bit version to upgrade from an existing (32-bit) XP installation - which I believe would technically possible (and with regards to EULA, permissible), but only if I can do a clean install....
Thanks,
P.
8 REPLIES 8
leeanthony
Grafter
Posts: 372
Registered: ‎27-07-2008

Re: Windows 7 - More Licensing/Upgrade questions....

Hi m8
I think I can help with this
http://www.microsoft.com/uk/education/studentoffer/
This is my version I bought, its "apparently" only an upgrade Smiley
I wasnt aware of that until after I bought/downloaded it  Tongue
Some googling made me very happy, Im 99% sure this was the guide I used (But there are others too)
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/30470-make-bootable-iso-student-d-l.html
Then its just exactly the same as a Retail Home Premium 64bit [for me] (or 32bit, whichever you choose) I did a clean install with it Smiley It worked perfectly £30 = bargain!
Oldjim
Resting Legend
Posts: 38,460
Thanks: 787
Fixes: 63
Registered: ‎15-06-2007

Re: Windows 7 - More Licensing/Upgrade questions....

Easy part first - if you install as an upgrade you stil have the option of a clean install as well as the upgrade. Note that you can't upgrade from 32 bit to 64 bit so the upgrade option won't be there on install.
Regarding a clean install where there isn't a existing version on the computer - this is against the EULA but have a read of this http://www.winsupersite.com/win7/clean_install_upgrade_media.asp
Finally as far as I know all the retail versions of Windows 7 include the 32 bit and 64 bit versions so what they are selling may be the OEM version which does come in 32 bit and 64 bit editions. Alternatively they may have just screwed up
pawhe955
Grafter
Posts: 111
Registered: ‎31-07-2007

Re: Windows 7 - More Licensing/Upgrade questions....

@ leeanthony - Unfortunately, we don't have a University email address to use (.ac.uk) which is required for the very special (£30) Student offer - hence the redirection (by the Microsoft website itself) to S4S, who (are one of 3 retailers who) cater for the Primary/Secondary School students. And it's the versions that they sell that seem a little.... weird...  and the (possibly misleading) technical information they have published on their website.....
One question for you though - does the StudentOffer version come with both 32-bit and 64-bit versions, allowing you to choose which to use?  Or did you have to specify which one to download?
@oldjim - my feeling is that the statement about it being "not possible" to do a clean install with their edition is wrong - if they are selling it as supporting an upgrade from XP, it *MUST* offer the option of a clean install. I don't think I said that I wanted to do a clean install on a m/c where there isn't an existing (qualifying) OS - that's against the rules, isn't it  Wink - I just want to be able to do a clean install (e.g. verify the original qualifying OS, then wipe it and install a clean Win7), which their statement says the edition they are selling won't do....  (and I agree - winsupersite has loads of very useful articles on the subject of ways to use upgrade media, etc....).  
What confuses me is that they appear to be selling an OEM version (being that you have to choose 32-bit or 64-bit), but it's an upgrade only version, which contradicts 'normal' OEM versions, which must be "full install" (being that they are for "new machines") - so this appears to be a product that is not documented on the Microsoft website; and which I have not seen mentioned anywhere when Googling; and which doesn't seem to be sold anywhere else in the UK other than the 3 "student software" sites that Microsoft direct you to - and which all have a lack of technical information about the specific version of the products they are selling....  Huh  Strange....
P.
leeanthony
Grafter
Posts: 372
Registered: ‎27-07-2008

Re: Windows 7 - More Licensing/Upgrade questions....

Hiya yeah I had to choose 32bit or 64bit. They were weird files that downloaded:
   * Windows 7-HP-Retail-en-us-x64.exe
   * setup1.box
   * setup2.box

So yeah I used that guide and converted them into a ISO Smiley Put on disc and whalla!
*edit* That wasnt the exact  name of mine, but it was similar. I just copy pasted that from the guide. So if you go ahead and buy it, and you get files like that, you know your in the same boat as me  Cool
pawhe955
Grafter
Posts: 111
Registered: ‎31-07-2007

Re: Windows 7 - More Licensing/Upgrade questions....

Well, I guess that means that discrete 32-bit and 64-bit upgrade versions are a "standard" product from MS's Win7 portfolio of editions - but only available via specific channels (e.g. student, download, etc.), and certainly nowhere near normal retail channels (not something you'd find in PC World!)....
leeanthony
Grafter
Posts: 372
Registered: ‎27-07-2008

Re: Windows 7 - More Licensing/Upgrade questions....

I dont know about the one your talking about, but with the price being the same and both for students etc I think they be the same really, when I ordered it I remember seeing it say expires sometime in Jan10 so.. maybe yours is limited time offer too
pawhe955
Grafter
Posts: 111
Registered: ‎31-07-2007
leeanthony
Grafter
Posts: 372
Registered: ‎27-07-2008

Re: Windows 7 - More Licensing/Upgrade questions....

ok I see now, nevermind me then
Yours is to actually buy the dvd, mine was to download it
I duno then sorry cant really pretend I know  Cry