Least expensive way to get Windows?

H

Heliocentrical

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Hello [H] friends! What is the least expensive (legal) way to get Windows nowadays? How do you guys usually get your OS? I'm putting together a couple of budget rigs for the kids to use and its hard to spend $100 each for a copy of Windows...especially when I'm only spending a few hundred dollars on the hardware itself for BOTH systems. May just go with Linux to save that money. ;)
 
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OEM is the cheapest legal way to get it. $100 is a bite especially when that makes it the most expensive part in a budget build but ya gotta have it. Considering what all it does and how good it is, $100 really isn't that bad of a price.

If you're a student you can sometimes get it for like $30 or so.
 
As an IT student, I got 1 free copy of Windows 7 pro and I got a Windows 7 home for $30. Besides that, not much you can do besides get the OEM

EDIT: Apparently the student discount for upgrade version is $68 now...I miss the $30 deal.
 
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yep. knowing a college student is best. there are millions of college kids who dont use theirs every year. i know when i was in school we got 2 copies of win 7 for free and none of my friends knew about it. got any young cousins, or old nieces and nephews? :)
 
I wonder how much companies like HP or Dell pay for each copy. I mean they sell a complete system for $300...how do they make any money?
 
remove the cd key sticker from a dell computer and stick it on your computer and input that key?
 
ekuest said:
i thought those keys were tied to the mobo?
Click to expand...

Na those keys are not tied to the mobo.

Dell install disks all have oem cert build in. The oem cert will auto activate dell computer because the bios have the other part of the oem code.


The sticker they put on the computer is really for installing windows using some other oem disk or retail disk. That cd key is like a real key that can work on other computers just fine.


You are not really suppose to use that key for other computer just for the computer if you install without using the right oem disk
 
ah gotcha. ive thrown out a ton of those stickers, but always for xp. i dont think win 7 is old enough yet that you can just find them all over the place for free. as for OPs question, i doubt this is the way to go since its really just as illegal as pirating the windows off tpb. :)
 
you can get a microsoft technet account, thats what I do...there is usually a discount code each year. The keys still work even if you let your membership run out. Its the most cost effective way to get Windows and Office.
 
I've gotten 2x of win 7 Pro and 2x of win7 ultimate for free with student discounts. If you look around it isn't too hard to find good deals.
 
totally depends on your personal situation....


$135 for a copy of OEM pro, or $98 for a OEM copy of Home is a fair deal.

If you are in school, either $35, $65 or free sounds about right for home edition.

If you need a family pack 3 installs for $150 is also a great deal.

If you need unlimited reinstalls $190 for a Retail ultimate upgrade copy is also great.

Knowing what you need and not overpaying is key.
 
If you buy the windows 7 upgrade from the student site do I need to have a copy of windows vista/xp to actually install and activate it? Could I just buy that and install it on a new computer I am building?
 
americanbeast said:
If you buy the windows 7 upgrade from the student site do I need to have a copy of windows vista/xp to actually install and activate it? Could I just buy that and install it on a new computer I am building?
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the student thing gives you an upgrade, but it also works fine on a fresh install. i think there is an option to download the image from the same site as you get the key, or you can just torrent an image.
 
If they're for the kids, then I'd just use Linux. Then you won't have to worry about them getting the computer infected with spyware. Or spending more money for a virus scanner.
 
I'd say Linux depending on the use. As an operating system itself I find it superior and there are many programs that are as-good or better than Windows available easily, safely, and securely for free open source and otherwise. You can run MOST 2D Windows programs, many 3D ones including games (easily with all the eye candy if they support OpenGL or DirectX9. Not sure about 10 and 11 complete featuresets) through the use of WINE, but be sure to use the latest version; the stables can be behind. However, if you have a particular Windows program or game that HAS to work and/or you don't want to put any time into figuring out any tweaks necessary, then that's Linux's biggest negative right now (which, isn't actually the fault of Linux or any distro, but rather those that program exclusively using APIs and SDKs that are locked down for Windows only).

That said, if you decide on Windows, you're going to likely want Windows 7 x64. Version is up to what will be done. Generally, you'll at least want Home Premium for basic users, but for power users and gamers you're going to want Ultimate.

Cheapest way that's "mostly" legal is to use the same copy off any OEM volume key you may have. Students, purchased PCs etc... all have easy activation versions of Windows. Cheapest thing to do if you actually have/want to purchase is to buy a key from a student that comes from their volume license their university is granted. You'll be able to use that thing damn near forever; back when I was at uni our XP Pro copy was the same serial for the entire campus. Failing that, buying an OEM Upgrade version of the version you want is the way to go - remember that Upgrade just means you are asserting you have a prior Windows license somewhere, it doesn't mean you can't do a clean install on any hardware you like.
 
Xaeos said:
Generally, you'll at least want Home Premium for basic users, but for power users and gamers you're going to want Ultimate.
Click to expand...

Pro adds XP mode, Domain Join, EFS, and network backups.
Ultimate adds Bitlocker, localization (language packs), and a couple more features you'll never use outside the enterprise environment.

I don't see how any of that is necessary for gamers, especially if it's for kids like the OP. If you need to be on a domain/RDC/network backups/group policy, then Pro. If you absolutely must have Bitlocker, then Ultimate. For most gamers, I think home-premium actually covers the bases pretty well.

I don't even consider XP mode a real feature, plenty of better free options to virtualize XP. I don't play with Bitlocker and EFS, but I bet there are some free apps out there for that too if you really need it.

I'm on Pro just because that's what the student deal was good for. Else I would have just bought a 3 pack of Home Premium (and changed the startup screens to say something silly like 'Ultimate +1', or 'OpenOSX' :p)

In the end, I vote for Linux for the kids too if feasible, make 'em start learning it early! Wish I had, I had very little exposure to any 'nix growing up.
 
I would say just use nix. But not being able to use common software, or teaching the kids to use the OS, and other software that the world uses for business is prolly not the greatest move, unless you are really just too broke to pick up an OEM or student copy of Win7.
 
I got mine free through MSDN. As long as I'm taking tech classes I can use it.

When I'm done this year with Tech classes I'll be looking to purchase. (hopefully Windows 8 is out by then)
 
I would think the student option would be the way to go, especially if they are going to be used by the kiddies.
 
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