Cheap Windows 8 upgrade may now require your Windows 7 key

[Brink]

People who bought a Windows 7 PC on or after June 2 can upgrade to Windows 8 Pro for just $14.99, but they now have to supply the Windows 7 product ID.

Microsoft kicked off registration for the $14.99 deal in August. Anyone who bought or will buy a new Windows 7 PC between June 2 of this year and January 31 of next year can upgrade to Windows 8 Pro for that special price. Shelling out the $14.99 lets you download a copy of the Windows 8 Upgrade Assistant, which helps you install the new operating system.

Read more at source:
Cheap Windows 8 upgrade may now require your Windows 7 key | Microsoft - CNET News

 

[x BlueRobot]

Microsoft really want to push the Metro UI and Windows 8 onto consumers, with IE10 and Hotmail/Outlook both adopting the Metro UI; I like the clean Metro interface with IE10, although Opera is still my primary and favourite browser.

I do like the idea of Microsoft asking for a Windows 7 Product ID, as a further means of validation for the upgrade to Windows 8, it will stop many users with non-genuine version of Windows taking the advantage of not having to paid for a non-genuine Windows 7 OS and still being able to upgrade at a low cost.

 

[FuturDreamz]

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[Dwarf]

This is no different to when I first got XP. Although it was an upgrade version, you didn't actually have to have an OS installed (it would clean install), but it would ask you to insert qualifying media (in my case, Win98SE) before it proceeded.

 

[Mark Phelps]

My own objection to this (and I ADMIT that I didn't actually read the article!) is that, in my case, I used Vista as the qualifying OS, not Win7 -- which is in agreement with the upgrade terms.

So, as long as they allow you to enter a Vista key, then this is OK.

 

[alphanumeric]

I glanced at the article. It's for "People who bought a Windows 7 PC on or after June 2". I would think that Vista doesn't qualify?

 

[severedsolo]

I glanced at the article. It's for "People who bought a Windows 7 PC on or after June 2". I would think that Vista doesn't qualify?

The terms are that if you buy a PC with Win 7 on it between the qualifying dates you are entitled to the upgrade, but you don't have to install it on that machine, you can install on any machine running a qualifying (ie legal) version of Windows.

From my own experience of going through this upgrade process, I don't understand how this is going to make a difference, it is possible (nay even recommended) to grab an ISO copy of your upgrade, and then a clean install is possible.

To even qualify for the upgrade, you need a legal and recently bought copy of Windows, if windows asks you for a genuine product key, and the machine you are installing on is not running genuine windows, would you not just put the key from the COA sticker in? You must have at least one genuine license key to upgrade, so I don't see how its going to make a difference.

DRM for the sake of DRM I say - Also Mark in your case, I imagine the COA key for the machine you bought rather than the machine you plan to install it on would do.

 

[M1GU31]

Doesn't really matter anyways, I saw windows 8 pro selling for $49.99usd at best buy last week which is still extremely cheap.

 

[bigmck]

If I download the $14.99 deal, do they give me a Product ID or do I use the same Win 7 ID?

 

[FuturDreamz]

If I download the $14.99 deal, do they give me a Product ID or do I use the same Win 7 ID?

You get a new product key.

 

[Nelly]

If I download the $14.99 deal, do they give me a Product ID or do I use the same Win 7 ID?

You get a new product key.

Hello All,
I am right then in thinking that I can upgrade my sons' PC that is running Windows 7 to Windows 8 and then use the Windows 7 disc and product key for a clean install to my PC (running XP) and it will activate ?
Thanks,Nelly
p.s. Apologies for jumping in

 

[marsmimar]

Hello All,
I am right then in thinking that I can upgrade my sons' PC that is running Windows 7 to Windows 8 and then use the Windows 7 disc and product key for a clean install to my PC (running XP) and it will activate ?
Thanks,Nelly
p.s. Apologies for jumping in

I believe it will depend on whether or not the Windows 7 is OEM or full install. An OEM version of Windows 7 (whether installed by a manufacturer or by your son with an OEM installation disk) would be tied to that one specific computer. But a full install version can be moved from one computer to another as long as there's only one copy activated at a time. If I'm mistaken I'm sure others will jump in to correct me.

 

[bigmck]

Hello All,
I am right then in thinking that I can upgrade my sons' PC that is running Windows 7 to Windows 8 and then use the Windows 7 disc and product key for a clean install to my PC (running XP) and it will activate ?
Thanks,Nelly
p.s. Apologies for jumping in

I believe it will depend on whether or not the Windows 7 is OEM or full install. An OEM version of Windows 7 (whether installed by a manufacturer or by your son with an OEM installation disk) would be tied to that one specific computer. But a full install version can be moved from one computer to another as long as there's only one copy activated at a time. If I'm mistaken I'm sure others will jump in to correct me.

What Marsmimar said sounds correct to me.

 

[Nelly]

Thanks for the quick reply.
Another thought : surely the key entered at the upgrade assistant stage must be a Windows 7 key from the PC that was purchased ?

 

[bigmck]

Thanks for the quick reply.
Another thought : surely the key entered at the upgrade assistant stage must be a Windows 7 key from the PC that was purchased ?

If your son's PC had Windows 7 on it when you purchased the PC new, it is an OEM Win 7 copy which means you can not transfer it to another computer. If his PC came with another Windows (Vista for example) and you purchased a Win 7 Upgrade disk, then you can take the Upgrade disk and put it on your PC after his has been upgraded to Win 8.

 

[Nelly]

Thanks bigmck. I thought as much, thanks for clarifying that for me.

 

[severedsolo]

You have to purchase (and download) the upgrade from the PC that qualifies you for the upgrade. This is the point where it will ask you for your product key.

BUT once you have the download, you can turn it into an ISO and install it on any qualifying machine. (ie any machine running genuine Windows). It is also worth pointing out that an unactivated copy of 7 (ie within the 30 day trial period) is running genuine Windows. OEM or not, it doesn't matter. The win 8 key you get is a retail key, and the previous Win 7 key is still valid as well if you choose to install it on a different machine.

Personally, I didn't even buy mine from the Win 7 laptop I bought, I bought it straight from the machine that was going to Win 8, but it didn't actually ask me to prove I had bought a computer. With the new rules they may enforce that bit.