New
#1
So i installed windows 7 on my comp and i want to buy
Ok basically, story goes i used to have vista on my desktop and i had to reinstall windows
A laptop i bought conveniently had a windows 7 CD so i used that to install windows on my desktop 30 days ago
Now im getting genuine nagware complaining at me so i guess its time to actually pay for this software
I live in the UK, im a uni student at southampton, and i have acess to a maestro debit card aswell as paypal/moneybookers to pay
A few questions
a> my laptop didnt have any kind of sticker or anything with a product key on it - i assume that nowadays windows is coded to be liscenced via the hardware (am i right)? What happens if i reinstall windows in the future on my laptop using that CD? Will i have to pay again? What happens if i format my laptop or anything like that?
b> what about if i decide to change some of my hardware on my desktop? If i pay for windows how am i going to be able to prove ive bought windows?
c> What is my best option for buying windows right now? Annoyingly their website doesnt accept maestro - money isnt too much of an issue but i would like to get a decent deal regardless (any discounts availiable for uk uni students?)
Ideally i would like to buy it online so i can get a product key or something and just use that whenever i install windows on this desktop (because i usually reinstall every now and then and i also might be formatting my hard drive every now and then also) - is there such an option
d> when i first installed windows on my desktop, it didnt ask for a product key or anything - whats up with that? Does windows 7 not use product keys? If i get a product key, how on earth am i going to enter it?
e> what happens if i don't validate? Atm i got a black desktop but what other functionality is going to disappear?
Thanks so much for any help you guys can give me i really appreciate it!