Windows 8 Professional retail - $69

[PokerGuy]

Once again, legitimate users have to deal with restrictions and limits while pirates happily use whatever version to do whatever they need unencumbered by restrictions. :thumbsdown:

 

[tedrodai]

Yeah, the only thing available atm is an upgrade Windows 8 Pro that doesn't explicitly say "upgrade version" on the box or the System Builder which is another term for OEM.

There's no "full version" to buy, at least at this point in time.

 

[PokerGuy]

Yeah, the only thing available atm is an upgrade Windows 8 Pro that doesn't explicitly say "upgrade version" on the box or the System Builder which is another term for OEM.

There's no "full version" to buy, at least at this point in time.

My understanding is that there will never be a retail "full version". There appear to be two 'oem' type products: oem pre-installed on a PC you purchase, where the license is tied specifically to the hardware it's on and can't be transferred, and system builder, where you are free to remove the OS from one PC and put it on any other PC as a fresh install.

Then there is the retail version, which is meant as an upgrade to an existing OS and will never be sold as a 'full' version to allow a fresh install.

That's just my understanding, I could very well be wrong.

 

[thestrangebrew1]

So I have a laptop running vista on a 5200rpm hdd. I'm planning on putting in an blank ssd on it, I'll need to buy the System Builder version, since I don't plan on making any other hardware changes other than the hard drive? Couldn't I just upgrade the vista then clone it to the blank ssd or does this violate a ToS/EULA?

 

[chucky2]

Does anyone know if they're running like XP or Vista, and buys this Upgrade, could they then use downgrade rights and install Windows 7 instead? Seems like a cheap way to maybe get Windows 7 for now, and then 8 later if someone so chooses...

Chuck

 

[DrPizza]

Does anyone know if they're running like XP or Vista, and buys this Upgrade, could they then use downgrade rights and install Windows 7 instead? Seems like a cheap way to maybe get Windows 7 for now, and then 8 later if someone so chooses...

Chuck

Bumping, because it's a good idea! I have a system in the attic with XP. In fact, I just downgraded a system from win 7 to Vista (because I didn't have the win 7 disks & had to replace the hard drive.) I just ordered some parts for a new build; that would be a much cheaper route to go, if possible.