Windows 7: Any inexpensive ways to get this legally?

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MrFace

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Feb 23, 2003
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Two issues:

1. My laptop's hard drive took a shit and it doesn't appear that Lenovo offers any way to restore the laptop. I don't even see an option on their website to get a recovery CD.

2. Want to put Windows 7 on my other PC.

So, does anyone know any places, even for students, where I can get something similar to the $30 deal that used to go on?
 
Check out Microsoft Dreamspark if you are a student. Free Microsoft Apps and Operating Systems. You have to register with your school e-mail.

Otherwise Staples runs windows family packs (3packs) for $100 from time to time if you use one of their common coupons for $25. IE Staples price = $120 or $130 on sale for a 3 pack of windows 7 home upgrades (works as a new install).

Then use coupon and you are at $95 or $105 depending on starting price for three windows 7 licenses.


Check out www.slickdeals.net for details. I did this and purchased my coupon code on ebay for $3 to save $25. Worked like a champion. I used the upgrade installs for fresh images and that worked fine too. All three licenses activated just fine.
 
Thanks.

I see Microsoft also offers Windows 7 Professional Upgrade to students for $65. If I can just use that for a fresh install without an underlying OS(remember laptop HD is toast), maybe I'll just go that route.
 
Yes you can. There is a registry key you can just switch on upgrade versions if you run into trouble. The fix is googleable if do happen to run into it. I didn't, and I installed on a fdisked/formated drive, but my friend who did the same thing I did with the family pack did run into the issue on one of his machines for some reason. He was able to fix the issue by the registry modification.
 
MrFace said:
Thanks.

I see Microsoft also offers Windows 7 Professional Upgrade to students for $65. If I can just use that for a fresh install without an underlying OS(remember laptop HD is toast), maybe I'll just go that route.
Click to expand...

As long as you have an older OS to upgrade from, then you can do a clean install with an upgrade version and still be "legal".


As for your laptop, you can get recovery media from Lenovo, but you have to call them.
 
Archaea said:
Check out Microsoft Dreamspark if you are a student. Free Microsoft Apps and Operating Systems. You have to register with your school e-mail.

Otherwise Staples runs windows family packs (3packs) for $100 from time to time if you use one of their common coupons for $25. IE Staples price = $120 or $130 on sale for a 3 pack of windows 7 home upgrades (works as a new install).

Then use coupon and you are at $95 or $105 depending on starting price for three windows 7 licenses.


Check out www.slickdeals.net for details. I did this and purchased my coupon code on ebay for $3 to save $25. Worked like a champion. I used the upgrade installs for fresh images and that worked fine too. All three licenses activated just fine.
Click to expand...
Those coupons are generated fraudulently and have a good chance of you getting kicked out of the store if management knows what is going on.
 
PersonalJ said:
Those coupons are generated fraudulently and have a good chance of you getting kicked out of the store if management knows what is going on.
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I didn't know that, and I don't think that is true. I actual got a coupon to print off from the seller. Management had to come over and enter the approval code on my coupon. They didn't bat an eye. Staples gives those coupons to certain customers anyway so it isn't some odd one off.
 
Archaea said:
I didn't know that, and I don't think that is true. I actual got a coupon to print off from the seller. Management had to come over and enter the approval code on my coupon. They didn't bat an eye. Staples gives those coupons to certain customers anyway so it isn't some odd one off.
Click to expand...
It is true. The ebay coupon sellers use a cracked algorithm to generate an hundreds of working coupon codes. Up until recently, it seems like Staples either didn't care or didn't know about this but I have read that some managers are now requiring proof that the coupons came directly from Staples(via email or snail mail) since those coupons(the legit ones) are not supposed to sold or transferred. I doubt you'd get kicked out of the store for trying to use one, though.
 
Dinh said:
Check your local campus IT store. $20 for a copy here.
Click to expand...

Where is here?
Of the three colleges I have attended I have never once found the mythical cheap software that is always spoken of. At best they have matched (but are usually higher) than what microsoft is offering to students.
 
for office depot and staples you can just go online and sign up with your home address (or order something in shipping) and you'll get their 10% off/$5/$25/$50 off coupons in mail around once a week, lows offers it too but it's around three/six month on $10 off. i got plenty of coupons at my work/house and i hardly use them.

as far as the TS's question goes as long as you have a key you can download the windows 7 (yes free and legit) from just googling it and there might be one on microsoft's site. download/burn and use the key and you are good to go.

there are few options and depends which you want to do, there are i think $35 home premium license from W7 for students too which is cheaper but of course pro has it's advantage.
 
JapaneseGorilla said:
Where is here?
Of the three colleges I have attended I have never once found the mythical cheap software that is always spoken of. At best they have matched (but are usually higher) than what microsoft is offering to students.
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Well, my campus has free Windows 7 Pro, Microsoft Office 2007 (may be 2010 by now) and a few other packages.. so it's definitely not a myth. Maybe you went to the wrong places.
 
ryan_975 said:
Well, my campus has free Windows 7 Pro, Microsoft Office 2007 (may be 2010 by now) and a few other packages.. so it's definitely not a myth. Maybe you went to the wrong places.
Click to expand...

Wow, must be lucky. I remember when I started college back in 2005 they were charging 25$ per copy for Windows XP. Currently now I just started back college again and was hoping Windows 7 would be around the same but they want 70$. So I guess it just depends on your college/university you go to.

-Xzi
 
ryan_975 said:
Well, my campus has free Windows 7 Pro, Microsoft Office 2007 (may be 2010 by now) and a few other packages.. so it's definitely not a myth. Maybe you went to the wrong places.
Click to expand...

This website can be sketchy, however I have personal experience from this seller so I can guarantee you will get a key within 24 hours. These keys require NO crack and therefore lead me to believe they are somehow 100% genuine, just like they say.

http://www.dhgate.com/p_ff80808129d5ad3c0129d5c79f5d162d.html

This post will probably get flamed but if you really want the best price this is it. Otherwise listen to people complain and buy somewhere else.
 
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Honestly join some student clubs/organization, i know i use to be part of organization sponsor by HP and after applying (took around 3 min) i got free vista 64 bit. look your campus's local student store will have time to time free software specially during August when new semester starts. of course in the end it will depend on what university you are involved in.
 
Logan the Huge said:
It is true. The ebay coupon sellers use a cracked algorithm to generate an hundreds of working coupon codes. Up until recently, it seems like Staples either didn't care or didn't know about this but I have read that some managers are now requiring proof that the coupons came directly from Staples(via email or snail mail) since those coupons(the legit ones) are not supposed to sold or transferred. I doubt you'd get kicked out of the store for trying to use one, though.
Click to expand...

Yes, that's right. Staples doesn't really train the cashiers to identify fraudulent coupons, I only know of them from hanging out on Slickdeals for a few years. Most of the time the cashiers either A) don't care as they already come to work drunk, high, or fall asleep at work or B) Don't know policy. Managers are a different story and most "easy techs" as they are hired differently. Pretty much the only person with a college degree is the general manager. But this is a problem you run into anywhere with retail employees who happen to be primarily single mothers and simply don't give a shit.

Retail sucks in general.
 
MrFace said:
Two issues:

1. My laptop's hard drive took a shit and it doesn't appear that Lenovo offers any way to restore the laptop. I don't even see an option on their website to get a recovery CD.
Click to expand...

I used the tools from their website to get my Lenovo T42 a few months ago, worked fine.
Lenovo Rescue and Recovery

And you can buy a recovery disc if can't burn one or had a total HDD failure.
Buying a Recovery Disc
That won't help you with #2 though.
 
Logan the Huge said:
It is true. The ebay coupon sellers use a cracked algorithm to generate an hundreds of working coupon codes. Up until recently, it seems like Staples either didn't care or didn't know about this but I have read that some managers are now requiring proof that the coupons came directly from Staples(via email or snail mail) since those coupons(the legit ones) are not supposed to sold or transferred. I doubt you'd get kicked out of the store for trying to use one, though.
Click to expand...
Staples has always seemed lax when it came to coupons. Over 10 years ago now the online coupon codes used to be either a 5 digit or 6 digit number. People would guess numbers until they found a code that worked. I don't know what their codes look like now.
 
TheWeazmeister said:
I posted this a while back. If you're a student, you can get it for 29.99
http://www.microsoft.com/student/en/us/windows/buynow/default.aspx
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Tried to purchase one for the wife's computer with her student email and it seems that the deal is dead for the 64bit upgrade. Adding it to cart gets message below.

The purchase limit for this product has been exceeded, no more purchases are allowed. If you would like to purchase a different product, click here. If you have questions about your account, please contact customer support here.
Click to expand...
 
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YamahaAlex37 said:
This website can be sketchy, however I have personal experience from this seller so I can guarantee you will get a key within 24 hours. These keys require NO crack and therefore lead me to believe they are somehow 100% genuine, just like they say.

http://www.dhgate.com/p_ff80808129d5ad3c0129d5c79f5d162d.html

This post will probably get flamed but if you really want the best price this is it. Otherwise listen to people complain and buy somewhere else.
Click to expand...


I know that too, the price is competitive, but some said the trans of them are not so safe.
 
I get 4 copies of windows 7 pro for free from my school. (At washington state university, its part of the MSDNAA) See if you school is part of the MSDNAA. We get hundreds of free microsoft products.
 
MrFace said:
Two issues:

1. My laptop's hard drive took a shit and it doesn't appear that Lenovo offers any way to restore the laptop. I don't even see an option on their website to get a recovery CD.

2. Want to put Windows 7 on my other PC.

So, does anyone know any places, even for students, where I can get something similar to the $30 deal that used to go on?
Click to expand...

out of curiosity did you actually call lenovo?
 
Found a site that sells Windows 7 Ultimate keys for about three dollars. But for some reason I have this nagging feeling that it might not be fully legal though.
 
{Wired} said:
Found a site that sells Windows 7 Ultimate keys for about three dollars. But for some reason I have this nagging feeling that it might not be fully legal though.
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$1.50 over here :D 100% legit activation. No crack required. I think the chinese may have actually replicated the software that creates the keys :confused:
 
YamahaAlex37 said:
$1.50 over here :D 100% legit activation. No crack required. I think the chinese may have actually replicated the software that creates the keys :confused:
Click to expand...

I think they must be MSDN keys. Which you would be lucky to have it last three months before Microsoft figures out what's up and makes the key fail authentication.
 
I don't know when Windows 8 is coming out but everywhere sold Windows 7 for $50 when it first came out. It was a limited time offer. I still have a box unopened.

That was the lowest legit way for non students. Hopefully they do the same for Windows 8 so keep an eye out.
 
The Beta of Windows is rumored to be released next month. If you could throw on an old OS like Vista to get you to that point, you could run with W8 beta until you find a good deal on a W7 or W8 release.
 
I got several copies of Win7 Pro from MSDNAA for going to university. Among other Microsoft software, like Server 2008 Datacenter 64-bit :p
 
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