Blighty customers see some Windows 7 prices halved

Amazon UK is punting the full version of Windows 7 Home Premium at half the price it's selling for in the US, and scoring a healthy amount of publicity to boot. The retailer is heavily trailing Microsoft's forthcoming operating system on its homepage. The Windows 7 Home Premium edition can be scooped up for around £65, which …

[lansalot]

or...

or even grabbing the RTM version that hit MSDN last week...

[Alex Walsh]

@lansalot

Personally I'm waiting for the RTFM version :D

[Darren Coleman]

Hell called, they said "send coats"

Something is cheaper in the UK than the US, from a US-based company? Don't they normally just drop the dollar sign and replace it with the pound sign?

What's going on? I'm scared :(

[Simon Lacey]

OEM/Upgrade

I've not seen any upgrade or OEM prices for the UK anywhere yet. To upgrade my Vista Ultimate, I seem to currently be stuck with paying either £199+ for Windows 7 Ultimate (full) or spending circa-£120 for Vista Ultimate 64bit OEM with Windows 7 Ultimate voucher.

All seems a little odd. Did I miss an announcement?

[Anonymous Coward]

Downloaded from MSDN, running it now...

Its better than I suspected. Runs as fast as XP, maybe a little faster. The 64-bit version actually worked. No driver issues on a Dell laptop. There are still some IE 8 quirks and file copying is still infuriatingly slow for no good reason.

[Anonymous Coward]

Pfeh...

Pfeh... I preordered my copy from Amazon the day they started taking preorders for a much healthier £44.99

Still, it's a bit wasted on me as a Mac user just to use for gaming in Boot Camp...

[mittfh]

So when's SP1 coming out? :)

Despite all the hype, I'm still expecting Win 7 won't be completely ready until SP1 is released.

After all, Vista had several major flaws that were only resolved with SP1...

-oOo-

As for me, I'll be watching all the media coverage with wry amusement, as the last 3 upgrades to my operating system have been downloaded automatically (for free!), and only required a handful of clicks and one reboot each to install. And once I've managed to excise the steaming pile of poo called Pulse Audio, I'll rarely need to reboot my Mandriva 2009.1 box :)

[Annihilator]

@Simon Lacey

"I've not seen any upgrade or OEM prices for the UK anywhere yet"

Don't know about OEM, but upgrade versions are sort of on hold while MS figure out whether they're going for the "E" version or not (currently not IIRC) - which doesn't have an upgrade path.

[James 12]

or just stick with a release client

As it seems that the versions of Win7 that are supposed to be shutting down every two hours simply keep running just fine...

Wonder if they ever will... or if we are being crafty moved over to Win7 with Free RC and various builds that never run out.

[Coyote]

It's the Betas that start expiring.

The RC doesn't expire until something far off like June 2010. Well after it hits retail.

Even after the RC is no longer offered for download... I'm sure you can find it somewhere... and it's been discovered the product key you're given for the RC is actually one of only six.... so there's apparently no limit or uniqueness to RC activation keys.

In fact, you could install the RC, activate it, upgrade it to RTM, and just not reactivate until it hits the shelves and you can purchase a copy for the key. That's what I did, and about as legit as you can get with RTM right now.

[NogginTheNog]

@ Lansalot

"or even grabbing the RTM version that hit MSDN last week..."

Technically the MSDN or Technet versions aren't free since you (should) have shelled out for a subscription already...

[Bill Fresher]

@James 12

They're only supposed to start automatically rebooting every two hours in March 2010.

[D@v3]

family pack

£65 for the full version you say? very tempted, have been using the RC for some time, and dont really wanna go back to xp, however as long as im not gonna have to wait too long, (or pay too much extra) id like to know if/when/how much im gonna be expected to pay for a UK family license so i can upgrade some other machines while im at it.

[Tony Paulazzo]

can't you just put a random title here if

>As it seems that the versions of Win7 that are supposed to be shutting down every two hours simply keep running just fine...<

I don't think that happens until October (or is it March next year)?

To the guy with the Dell laptop, I've got the RC running fine on mine too, but it won't recognise my MMC expresscard - which did work in Vista. It recognises it being plugged in, but not as a drive - any ideas?

[Karim Bourouba]

@ James 12

Your comments dont make sense.

You think people should just stick with the release client?

[Andy ORourke]

@ OEM / Upgrade

Take a look on eBuyer - http://www.ebuyer.com/product/167584

£148.24 for Vista Ultimate x32Bit Edition - System Builders Only. This Version will contain a voucher entitling the user to upgrade to the equivilant Windows 7 version released October 22nd 2009

[Anonymous Coward]

@NogginTheNog

I think maybe there MSDN reference was to MSDN leaks to torrent sites.

[Anonymous Coward]

this is news?

I already have my £45 pre-order in too.

[Anonymous Coward]

@Tony

Sorry, but no. I just checked Device Manager, and mine is running as "SDA Standard Compliant SD Host Controller Vendor". Mine is an older laptop now, bought it right when Vista was first RTM, so maybe there are more issues with newer hardware.

[Adam Foxton]

@Alex Walsh

The RTFM version of an operating system? That'd be every version of Linux.

[Simon Lacey]

@ORourke

That was essentially the circa £120 option from my original comment. Just seems odd to me that the only available OEM or Upgrade path essentially involves me buying my current OS again :).

I probably wouldn't have given it another thought normally, but seeing Apple be so reasonable with the upgrade price from Leopard to Snow Leopard, and the somewhat overriding feeling that Win 7 is essentially what Vista should've been...

[Tony Paulazzo]

@ VoodooTrucker

Cheers for the info. Synchronicity being what it is, maybe the thing just died when I switched over. I'm pretty sure it was just out of warranty. This place really needs a forum, 'cause half the time I'm more focussed on the comments.

[wsm]

Let me count the ways...

Windows 7 RTM is currently available (legitimately) through, at the very least, M\SDN, TechNet public and registered member offerings, OEM channels, Academic Alliance affiliated student groups, and the latest Microsoft roadshow giveaways.

When the pre-orders are released, many more installations will occur and MS will collect error messages leading up to the next service pack.

It's all part of the product life-cycle of an operating system. Isn't it wondrous?

BTW, the upgrade pre-order is less expensive in the states: $50.00 for Home Premium, $100.00 for Professional or Ultimate.

[Mike Lovell]

Running it on my EEE PC

Works like I charm, mind you I had no issues with the RC either

[Bronek Kozicki]

upgrade ...

... to Windows 7 _E_ from Vista is not possible (because that would require _removal_ of IE and Microsoft wont stoop to THAT!). Now, because they apparently only sell version _E_ in Europe, this explains two things : 1. why Windows 7 upgrade is not available in Blighty and 2. why pricing of full version is closer to upgrade price in US. Of course, this is to protect Microsoft from ire of mighty European Comission.

BTW, I am also using RTM from MSDN (as a customer - many programmers, or their employees, are) and it's very nice indeed. Will fork for buy full license, this one is not really suitable for general use.

[Anonymous Coward]

Cheap as chips

Dont see the need for the Ultimate version to be honest so Pre ordered 2 x Home Premium for £99, it does everything I need.

I think the mess Vista caused has ensured MS keep prices down, Vista was Very expensive and Rubbish,

I stayed away from vista like it was the Plague.

Laptop XP MCE

Gaming Rig, XP Home

HTPC, XP/W7 RC

Netbook XP Home

[Jeremy 2]

So tell me this...

Question:

I'm assuming that Amazon won't be allowing the shipping the UK-priced copies to the US but...

What's to stop me getting a cheapo UK copy shipped to my mother in cold, rainy Lancashire and getting her to send it over to me in the US? Presumably, like previous Windows versions, it's not 'region locked' and ultimately, it's the same disc no matter where in the English-speaking world you buy it?

[Christopher Rogers]

cost?

I managed to pick up Win7 home premium pre-order for £37 :)

To be honest, Installing Win7 on my machine has been no different an experience to installing a modern Linux flavour. Win 7 has infact pulled me back from the *nix brink.

[Anonymous Coward]

Codeswallop

"Of course, that won't stop people pootling along to a BitTorrent tracker site where they'll be able to grab the RC version, and soon perhaps even a copy of the complete OS after it hits the shelves."

Maybe - but they need the activation code/Product Key if they going to use it for more than a few months.

You're surely not suggesting that these essential letters and numbers can be pirated?!

[Anonymous Coward]

Hit's the Shelves?

>> Of course, that won't stop people pootling along to a BitTorrent tracker site where they'll be able to grab the RC version, and soon perhaps even a copy of the complete OS after it hits the shelves. (from the article)

Why on earth would they need to wait for the final release version to hit the shelves - it has been available to technet plus subscribers and to volume licensing customers since early this month. I haven't looked (I'm happy using the legit. RC) but I imagine the final RTM version is already available on BitTorrent.

[lansalot]

err...

@NogginTheNog

I didn't shell out for MSDN subscription - my company did and if I find my self sufficiently bored I'll try it over the weekend (stupid, as Vista works fine for me). But that wasn't the point - it was a reference in the article :

"Of course, that won't stop people pootling along to a BitTorrent tracker site where they'll be able to grab the RC version,"

If you were going to do that, you'd more likely grab the RTM version instead of the RC.

[Mathew White]

Problem with RC1...

From the Microsoft download page:

"Watch the calendar. The RC will expire on June 1, 2010. Starting on March 1, 2010, your PC will begin shutting down every two hours. Windows will notify you two weeks before the bi-hourly shutdowns start. To avoid interruption, you'll need to install a non-expired version of Windows before March 1, 2010. You'll also need to install the programs and data that you want to use."

I wonder how much they will make from people phoning tech support puzzled why their computers are sporadically shutting down.

I also wonder how many people are going to stubbornly keep on using their RC1 installation up until june, despite knowing the above.

[Anonymous Coward]

Haha!

I've been running the final RTM version of Ultimate for a couple of weeks now. Obtainable very easily from bittorrent. Untouched ISO that matches the CRC value of the ones on Technet MSDN etc. You can install it without any serial number for 30 days 'trial' and you can rearm it again for another 30 days several times using MS own rearm technique (It's so OEM's and retailers can reset it on their demo machines). There is even a leaked activation method that came out of Lenovo that still have not been pluggged even though MS said they would.

As soon as every OEM has it in stores you can either use a loader or better still a BIOS flash that fools the OS into thinking it is running on OEM hardware and activates without any serial number required too. It's been the same with Vista for ages now and never been plugged.

But if you really feel the need to go out and buy it...especially those who feel stung by Vista.

[Gareth.]

RE: Matthew White's post Problem with RC1...

Zoiks, their site really says, " You'll also need to install the programs and data that you want to use" - does that mean that installing a non-expired version of Windows over the top of an expired version has to be a complete re-install?

Can't you just change the serial from the RC to the full blown thing without needing to reinstall the damn thing? My OS doesn't bother with serial numbers, so it's a very bizarre concept for me to need a valid serial before I can use an OS.

If you do have to reinstall, does Windows not allow you to put /home on a different partition so reinstalling applications after a reinstall of the OS is a piece of cake?

Can someone remind me again why people still use Windows?

With Sony announcing a slimmed down version of the PS3 at almost the same price Microsoft charge for an Ultimate Dogs' Bollocks edition of their OS, I don't get why gamers stick with Windows.

[Anonymous Coward]

fanboi

After running windows 7 RC for a few months, I finally decided I'd had it with windows.

Whilst I considered it a step in the right direction, after the Vista debacle, it also felt like a step backwards - basically, it's Vista done right, which was effectively a reskinned XP with a telly tubby interface.

So I went and got a Mac Book Pro and am converted.

[JC 2]

@ fanboi

Indeed, it's always interesting what people will pay to feel *modern*, when in the end their technical prowess basically does little but cause more money spent on hardware and software to do the same things they've been doing for years.

Once we were rid of the win9x bluescreens, paying tribute to Redmond gets a little long in the tooth. Fair enough if it doesn't add much if anything to the cost of an OEM box to have it come with the current OS, but all the talk of buying new licenses for existing hardware is madness. Either you can get XP and Vista to work, or the OS isn't the problem.

[lukewarmdog]

fanboi

"I didn't like win 7 so i bought a macbook"

Nice to have that kind of money lying around I guess.

But in terms of a step backward, you bought a laptop with one mouse button?

Riiiight..