Solved Upgrading Home Premium to New Computer

[bobland]

My wife's old system is being replaced with a new computer. The old one has an ancient IDE hard disk. The new one has an SSD. Will I have trouble moving the contents of the old to the new in regards to licensing issues?

Ideally, I'd like to reinstall Windows on the new computer and just copy the pertinent files over. They are backed up every night to my backup drive. Will this be an option?

Any other options or suggestions are welcome.

Thanks,
Burt

 

[Boozad]

It all depends whether you have a retail copy of Windows or an OEM copy. If you have a retail copy you're good to go, if it's OEM it's tied to the old machine.

 

[bobland]

The package says "Windows 7 Home Prem OEM Software" Does this mean I have to buy another copy? Are there other options?

 

[Kaktussoft]

The package says "Windows 7 Home Prem OEM Software" Does this mean I have to buy another copy? Are there other options?

That's the old or new machine?

 

[SIW2]

Is her new computer going to have an os on it preinstalled already?

 

[bobland]

The new machine is home built. It's on my desk waiting for a new SSD and is otherwise all ready to go. So far, I'm reading that re-licensing an OEM license is a crap shoot. However, if I have to buy a new license, I'm wondering if I should buy 8.1 because, apparently, 8.1 is not tied to the motherboard.

I'm sensing that 8.x is near its end of life because not many people are buying it. For that reason, I'd hate to have to buy 2 more OS just to get this machine working.

 

[AddRAM]

Did you use this "Windows 7 Home Prem OEM Software" to install windows 7 on this ancient hard drive ?

Or did you recently purchase it and have not used it yet ?

 

[bobland]

It was installed years ago on the old computer. I really don't want to buy another license especially since the old computer is barely alive.

 

[AddRAM]

You could always use it to install 7 on the ssd, and see if it will activate.

 

[bigmck]

The new machine is home built. It's on my desk waiting for a new SSD and is otherwise all ready to go. So far, I'm reading that re-licensing an OEM license is a crap shoot. However, if I have to buy a new license, I'm wondering if I should buy 8.1 because, apparently, 8.1 is not tied to the motherboard.

I'm sensing that 8.x is near its end of life because not many people are buying it. For that reason, I'd hate to have to buy 2 more OS just to get this machine working.

It sounds to me that you are saying the Win 7 came on the old computer pre-installed. If that is the case, you can not move it to the PC you just built. You would need to buy a new copy of either Win 7 or Win 8.1, whichever you decide on. I am sure that most people here would suggest Win 7. There are many here who have tried Win 8 and gone back to Win 7.

 

[bobland]

I bought the OEM Win 7 at a local computer shop because of the price. The original OS on the computer was pre Windows 2000, upgraded to W2000 then directly to Win 7 OEM.

 

[derekimo]

I bought the OEM Win 7 at a local computer shop because of the price. The original OS on the computer was pre Windows 2000, upgraded to W2000 then directly to Win 7 OEM.

That sounds like a system builders license.

Something of a gray area as to whether home builders are allowed to use them, technically you are supposed to sell the system.

OEM System Builder Licensing

Either way, it is still an OEM and therefore tied to the first machine it was installed on.

I bought one for my computer because of the price too.

 

[gregrocker]

I think they've given up on the System Builder requirement for good now since OEM is all that's available for Win7 unless they come to their senses and re-release Win7 Full and Upgrade versions.

If it says OEM there's little chance they will reactivate it on new hardware after so long a time. We hear that they will sometimes make exceptions but that doesn't sound like a candidate.

But you can try nonetheless and if not buy an $89 Home Premium key from Tiger Direct when the price dips there every few weeks. You have 30 days+ to activate.

 

[AddRAM]

You are sooo right Jim

 

[bobland]

Wasn't hard at all. Loaded the disc, let it do its thing. When it came time to enter the Product Key, it didn't like it but asked if I wanted to activate via phone. I did this. The only problem was me entering wrong numbers. When I finally got that right, I was completely and essentially easily activated.

I'm thinking that this is the new Microsoft paradigm, that is, allow Windows 7 HE OEM to be updated at will.

I just saved $100 and my wife's computer is up and running. Actually, her $250 upgrade is blowing the sockets off my i7-920 and I'm jelous as heck.

 

[bigmck]

I just saved $100 and my wife's computer is up and running. Actually, her $250 upgrade is blowing the sockets off my i7-920 and I'm jelous as heck.

If you want to speed your PC up a lot, take that $100 and get a SSD. They are easy to install.

 

[Offa]

I remember the good old days, when you switched on your o/s was there, waiting for you to select your programme.
It went something like this :-

OK >
OK > CLOAD "NIM"

About 10 minutes later your block graphics game would be ready with on screen instructions.

All written in TRS BASIC the o/s and basic interpreter was written by some guy called W Gates..

 

[Offa]

Try installing it, if you have the key you should have no problems as you usually got a disc provided with old ide pc's.
But I thought they stopped using them with Windows 98

 

[gregrocker]

Did you say that you activated an old OEM copy of Win7 that had been on another mobo via phone Activation?

Did you have to speak with an agent and what did they say exactly?

If you only traded numbers with them then it means they were allowing the hardware ID to be updated to new hardware. This may be new. I wonder if they plan to change the Win7 EULA?

 

[andrew129260]

@greg,

I have done that all the time. Works all the time for me. Oem or upgrade. Talk to the robot, activation.

Didn't realize it was anything new...