Upgrading to 7 on multiple computers

[a73]

Hello all,

We have 3 PC`s & 3 laptops in our household, I also maintain my Mums laptop.

All bar 2 laptops are on XP (one on Vista, one on 8).

With the news that XP will loose support imminently, & with a general dislike of the W8 laptop, I`d like to upgrade all of them to 7.

However, I am on a small budget, I cant afford to buy individual OE keys for all of them, I wish to do them all as I did with XP, on 1 pro type licence.

I`ve been looking at various posts online today and I`m not much wiser, especially in regard to multiple PC keys.

My computers are all similar specs, P4`s between 2.7 & 3.06, 2-4gb of memory, 100-400gb main drives, all fairly basic, no extra graphics or soundcards etc & all (for the most part) work perfectly well on XP.

So, can anyone advise me, especially on the licence question.

Many thanks.

 

[Kari]

Hi and welcome to the Seven Forums.

The Windows EULA (End User License Agreement) is pretty straight forward: one valid license per computer. Anything else is piracy, in which you will receive no help here.

From http://www.sevenforums.com/general-discussion/8-forum-rules-info-please-read.html:

4) No discussion of piracy or anything illegal is allowed at all. Such as software, music, videos and other intellectual property violations (e.g. downloading youtube videos locally etc).

If obtaining enough valid licenses is not possible, you need to either upgrade gradually, one PC at the time and the next when obtaining an additional license is possible, stay on XP or consider free alternatives (list of Linux distros).

Kari

 

[badger906]

Microsoft have actually said they are extending support for XP to 2015, but only focusing on security aspects of it, as 60% of its users still use XP.

Microsoft do family packs that can be used to upgrade 3 pcs Get Windows 7 for the whole family.

you can also pick up OEM copies from the likes of ebay for about £50 a pop, however these tend to be distribution copies so will come with bundled guff as well as making your computer think its a Dell/HP

 

[Kari]

you can also pick up OEM copies from the likes of ebay for about £50 a pop, however these tend to be distribution copies so will come with bundled guff as well as making your computer think its a Dell/HP

Checking our activation threads people seem to have quite a lot of issues with these "cheap" ebay Windows licenses. I recommend only to buy from trusted sources.

 

[andrew129260]

The best option for you would be the windows 7 family pack. I recommend that as the easiest way to upgrade all 3 machines. This is a pack with 3 licenses.

This site seems okay but I have not bought anything from them before:

http://www.rakuten.com/prod/windows-7-family-pack-premium-upgrade/211406681.html?listingId=156048921

This seller has a 100% good feedback and is a top seller:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Sealed-Bran...2-64-bit-/150770734323?_trksid=p2054897.l4276

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Microsoft have actually said they are extending support for XP to 2015, but only focusing on security aspects of it, as 60% of its users still use XP...

Do you have a link for that?

 

[andrew129260]

He is talking about the crappy Microsoft security essentials updates, not actual windows security updates.

 

[a73]

Thanks for the replies people.

I wasnt implying I wanted any kind of piracy Kari, I wouldnt want pirated copies.

That does seem to be the way to go Badger & Andrew, although I`m in the Uk. So 2 family packs to upgrade 6 computers & leave the one on W8, on W8 I guess.

What happens if I have to do a fresh install on a new drive? Does it accept the same licence or do you then need to buy another?

I dont feel comfortable relying on the essentials but not OS updates, the computers are used for banking/paypal etc.

Thanks again guys.

 

[badger906]

heres where i read it
Microsoft extends security support for Windows XP - Telegraph

Its only anti maulware and virus updates, but thats about all you can expect seeings theyve had 12 years to fix everything else!!

 

[Kari]

I wasnt implying I wanted any kind of piracy Kari, I wouldnt want pirated copies.

I was referring to this from your original post:

However, I am on a small budget, I cant afford to buy individual OE keys for all of them, I wish to do them all as I did with XP, on 1 pro type licence.

It might be due English not being my native language, but I understood you would like to use the same product key on multiple Windows installations.

The family pack contains three licenses, so in your case you would need two of those.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

heres where i read it
Microsoft extends security support for Windows XP - Telegraph

Its only anti maulware and virus updates, but thats about all you can expect seeings theyve had 12 years to fix everything else!!

Thanks. That will reduce my worries about businesses that I use my plastic at still being on XP.

 

[Kari]

heres where i read it
Microsoft extends security support for Windows XP - Telegraph

Its only anti maulware and virus updates, but thats about all you can expect seeings theyve had 12 years to fix everything else!!

Thanks. That will reduce my worries about businesses that I use my plastic at still being on XP.

Considering for instance the vast amount of ATMs around the world still on XP, Microsoft had to give some leeway.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

heres where i read it
Microsoft extends security support for Windows XP - Telegraph

Its only anti maulware and virus updates, but thats about all you can expect seeings theyve had 12 years to fix everything else!!

Thanks. That will reduce my worries about businesses that I use my plastic at still being on XP.

Considering for instance the vast amount of ATMs around the world still on XP, Microsoft had to give some leeway.

I haven't used an ATM in years.

 

[Kari]

Thanks. That will reduce my worries about businesses that I use my plastic at still being on XP.

Considering for instance the vast amount of ATMs around the world still on XP, Microsoft had to give some leeway.

I haven't used an ATM in years.

OK. So as you do not use ATM, they are globally thinking unimportant.

 

[Kari]

Thanks. That will reduce my worries about businesses that I use my plastic at still being on XP.

Considering for instance the vast amount of ATMs around the world still on XP, Microsoft had to give some leeway.

I haven't used an ATM in years.

OK. So as you do not use ATM, they are globally thinking totally unimportant.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Considering for instance the vast amount of ATMs around the world still on XP, Microsoft had to give some leeway.

I haven't used an ATM in years.

OK. So as you do not use ATM, they are globally thinking totally unimportant.

You're still losing me here.

 

[margrave]

I wouldn't worry about the upgrade because:
1. Computers running XP will likely not run well with Windows 7.
2. Just because support ends doesn't mean your computer will stop working. Just keep your anti-malware up to date.