Using EU Win7 in US?

[Matthew1034]

The EU version of Windows 7 Professional is about $75 cheaper than its US-counterpart on Amazon. I was wondering if it would be legal to buy, install, activate, and use an EU version here in the States?

 

[MisterSparkle]

As long as it doesn't say "Not for sale outside the EU" or some such, and Amazon allows you to purchase it Not exactly sure. Activation process itself may stop you if you're outside the correct region.

 

[asyork]

You'd have to find and carefully read the EULA to be sure. I'd assume it would be a violation of the EULA to do it.

Edit: There's got to be a reason it's cheaper, too. Make sure it's got all the same features.

 

[Matthew1034]

It would be wise to search the EULA before purchasing, good advice. I know that the EU is getting it without IE8, but am not sure of the other differences. Perhaps I will look through Amazon.co.uk's details on the listing some more, I'm sure I'm not the first to ask.

Thanks guys.

 

[Catweazle]

I'd be wary of that Amazon pre-order thingy because, quite frankly, the specifics and costs of the EU version of Windows 7 are NOT yet finalised.


Initially it was gonna be a cheaper product which did not include a web browser and also did not include a mechanism fo9r obtaining or installing a web browser. Because of that situation, it was gonna be sold only as a full install product, but priced at the level of an upgrade product.

At the end of July Microsoft announced that they were abandoning that plan. Instead, a proposal is before the EU to have EU Windows 7 ship with IE in place, and an 'on first run' facility which provides details of the most commonly used browsers, in order of market share, and links to both a 'more information' facility and a 'download and install' facility for the alternatives. Microsoft has also mentioned that some of its previously mentioned European pricings would be revised. (Obviously, if the EU accepts the proposal then Microsoft can include 'upgrade' products in the product range, and price the products accordingly.)

 

[pxc]

The retail prices of upgrade and full versions of Win7 were announced over a month ago. The features list was also finalized in the "E" RTM versions.

 

[gimp]

MS is also currently selling the full version of 7 at the same price as the upgarde. Kind of like the $50 upgrade deal that went on here.

 

[retro]

The retail prices of upgrade and full versions of Win7 were announced over a month ago. The features list was also finalized in the "E" RTM versions.

The E version was recently abandoned.

 

[Catweazle]

The E version was recently abandoned.

Correct. European customers will receive the exact same installation that everybody else gets, rather than a version which is devoid of Internet Explorer. Compliance with EEC requirements will be achieved via Windows Update. Those installations which are denoted 'EU' in their licensing, and which have region code set to an appropriate region, will receive via Windows Update a patch which attaches itself to Internet Explorer and then prompts the user with the choice of browsers.

Microsoft denotes it as a 'ballot' for browsers, presumably because users will get the opportunity to 'vote' Internet Explorer out of use. The update will also be retrospectively applied, in relevent areas, to Windows XP and Windows Vista installations.


Apparently, as far as I could determine, the EEC has accepted Microsoft's proposal. The 'E' version of Windows 7 is dead! And that means Upgrade versions can now be sold in Europe as elsewhere, and that pricing structures can be set accordingly. the earlier announcements of pricings were made before this all occurred, and under the assumption that all European Windows 7 products would need to be 'full install' products. Now that that's no longer the case.....




Edit: Yet another report:

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-10301299-56.html


Further edit:

By the way. That all means that anybody who has purchased the 'EU' version, and has region code set to US or elsewhere, will simply have the thing operate just the same way as if it were a 'local' version. The feature set is identical, and the 'browser ballot' update won't be applied to installations which aren't region-set to Europe.