Windows 7 Professional source

[Andrew Mawson]

Anyone know a decently priced source of genuine Windows 7 Professional ?

Looks like I've been stung, I bought two sealed copies on ebay best part of two years ago - each can be loaded legitimately onto up to three computers, so I used the first one three times, registered with Microsoft - all ok. I now take the second box off the shelf to use to get another pc up and running - all loads fine, but when I do the registration thing I get a message saying Microsoft have blocked that product code :( The packing and the disks and COA's look absolutely identical but I suppose the second must be a ringer. Seller no longer on eBay of course though after so much time I'd be on a loser anyway.

. . . so need another copy !!!!

Andrew

[dennis]

You have tried telephone activation?

[Peter Crosland]

I had a similar problem albeit with a single item. In the end I sent all the details and the disk etc. to Microsoft with a grovelling letter. They sent me a genuine item. No guarantee that it will work but the cost of trying is low.

[Andrew Mawson]

.. no - I'll try that

Andrew

[Andrew Mawson]

Update: telephone registration results ultimately in message 'you may be the victim of software piracy' - I'm now dead sure I am :(

Andrew

[Mike Barnes]

FWIW three years ago I bought a Windows 7 Pro which came with a key but no proper COA. I got all my money back from the (Chinese, as it turned out) supplier with a MasterCard chargeback.

My enquiries at that time indicated that unless you buy from an authorised Microsoft dealer, it's most probably a fake. And even if it works when you install it, it could get blocked later.

[John Rumm]

Depends on what you call a decent price... I can get them, but they are still silly money. (about 109 inc VAT ex delivery). That is from a MS Gold certified partner supplier.

[dennis]

Did you get as far as a person to try and blag a new license?

[Andrew Mawson]

No they don't give you the option :(

Andrew

[news]

Makes you appreciate the "bargain price" of the downloads just after a new OS launches. I have in the past bought several copies of both W7 and W8 at about £25 per licence just after launch. At that sort of discount its worth buying a couple "just in case". (Esp as I invariably get invited to repair or upgrade the computers of several friends/relatives) I will certainly be on the lookout for a similar offer when W9 launches.

[GB]

£50 here for Win 8 Pro, providing you have an eligible student handy to buy it for you.

[Geoff Pearson]

Do you need the Pro version? What extra does it offer?

[Geoff Pearson]

Indeed, I bought two W7s for £40 each and W8 for £29 (glad I didn't buy two of that madness.

[John Rumm]

Some technical differences, and a few licensing ones. Only Pro can join a domain. Various utilities are missing from the others like the group policy editor. The number of concurrent service processes licensed is lower etc

[Huge]

Only Pro can run Services for Unix. :o(

[stuart noble]

Stuff you wouldn't want to do without :-)

[Rick Hughes]

Buy a student copy