Windows 7: Upgrading and pricing

Hi,

I have seen loads of stories since Microsoft announced the pricing for Windows 7 last week and I've read several stories that seem to conflict with each other. The main conflict seem to be over the "No upgrade in Europe" thing. I currently have a machine running Windows 7 RC that was originally a Vista PC.

Can some explain to me what the options (e.g. what price) will be to upgrade this computer Windows 7 Home Premium once the full version is released in October.

Also, apart from that, will I be able to "in place" upgrade from Windows 7 RC to Windows 7 release? (e.g. upgrade instead of wipe and install???)

Thanks.

Andrew.

All your question are addressed (multiple times, I might add ) here --> For everyone concerned about buying the upgrade disk

Hi andew and welcome to sevenforums. Im sure you have heard all the different talking heads. If you want there are two thread running right now about upgrading vs clean install and their prices. Im not sure abt what MS has in store for europpe but you could ask someone who lives in your country in that thread

again welcome

Ken

from what I understand in Europe... there will be no separate "products" for upgrade. Every OS for sometime has always had Retail, Upgrade, and OEM. Due to the EU lawsuits and problems, they chose not to include the upgrade products in Europe.... but you can use a retail version as an upgrade, or a fresh clean install.

Some info here Microsoft to charge Europeans double for Windows 7

http://www.neowin.net/news/main/09/0...tion-in-the-eu
http://arstechnica.com/microsoft/new...than-vista.ars

Windows 7 E: no upgrades for the EU

Both Windows XP and Windows Vista come with Internet Explorer, and the upgrade editions of Windows 7 were never tested to handle the installation of Windows 7 without Internet Explorer. Mike Ybarra, general manager of product management of Windows, told Ars that Microsoft had three choices for the release of Windows 7 E: delay the whole release of Windows 7 to make sure everyone gets the release of Windows 7 at the same time and without any upgrade problems, delay the release of Windows 7 just in Europe and have this market wait till Windows 7 E passes all upgrade tests, or don't offer upgrade versions at all.
Microsoft chose the last solution, and it's actually a pretty good one, for both Microsoft and consumers. Windows 7 E editions will be sold only in full versions: there will be no upgrade versions available in the European Union. The good news is that the full versions will be available at the upgrade price, though if history is any indication, they'll likely still be higher than the US upgrade prices shown above. Microsoft announced two weeks ago that it was shipping Windows 7 in Europe without Internet Explorer 8 installed in response to the EU's antitrust investigation of its browser with Windows.

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

Windows 7 in Europe: no upgrades, no IE, up to 2X the price
http://www.neowin.net/news/main/09/0...o-2x-the-price
Article update - to reflect the fact that pricing is based on Full edition in Europe as Microsoft will not be supplying upgrade editions initially.