Yesterday I bought my first ever MS Windows retail

[DesiPower]

Between MS blocking all the "work around" and dealing with all the heart burn of OEM/Mobo change, my frustration level was pretty high. So I ended up pulling the trigger on a full version of Windows 10 pro. I got the digital version for $180, created boot USB, installation barely took 10 minutes!!!
Looked for windows 7 but they were all 200 at reputable retailers, there were some discount on 10 so went for that. I hear 7 will be supported thru 2019, so I am guessing this will survive for many years to come, will work thru several platform upgrades...

 

[Crono]

I'll probably buy one of those whenever my Insider build stops functioning. Been on Microsoft's betas since 8.

 

[nakedfrog]

Do you feel dirty now?

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

Between MS blocking all the "work around" and dealing with all the heart burn of OEM/Mobo change, my frustration level was pretty high. So I ended up pulling the trigger on a full version of Windows 10 pro. I got the digital version for $180, created boot USB, installation barely took 10 minutes!!!
Looked for windows 7 but they were all 200 at reputable retailers, there were some discount on 10 so went for that. I hear 7 will be supported thru 2019, so I am guessing this will survive for many years to come, will work thru several platform upgrades...

Since when have they been blocking the "work around"s?

Just curious >_>.....

 

[Crono]

Do you feel dirty now?

I don't know about dirty, but it's hard to not feel violated when Steve Ballmer shows up outside your window and does this:

I told him I'm on board with Satya Nadella's vision of Microsoft, but he doesn't listen... he just stands there.

 

[mmntech]

You'd think with all the adware they crammed in there, they'd at least have the common courtesy to give you a reach around and lower the price.

Why didn't you just buy the $130 (IIRC) OEM version? Need multiple licenses?

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

You'd think with all the adware they crammed in there, they'd at least have the common courtesy to give you a reach around and lower the price.

Why didn't you just buy the $130 (IIRC) OEM version? Need multiple licenses?

There are some pretty top notch guides on how to disable most of the adware.

Disable certain features, plus toss some sites into the hosts file or your router settings and you are pretty much good to go.

 

[marmasatt]

What am I missing. I thought I remember reading W10 was free?!

 

[DesiPower]

Do you feel dirty now?

Yes, if fact I do. I never imagined one day I would be one of them...

 

[DesiPower]

Since when have they been blocking the "work around"s?

Just curious >_>.....

One by one, slowly, they have stopped working, they have been patching holes... they are some still out there but not as many any more. Specially with 8+ its been almost impossible.

 

[DesiPower]

You'd think with all the adware they crammed in there, they'd at least have the common courtesy to give you a reach around and lower the price.

Why didn't you just buy the $130 (IIRC) OEM version? Need multiple licenses?

As I mentioned in OP, is you change the chipset, technically it does not work. You have to call to activate.

 

[DesiPower]

You'd think with all the adware they crammed in there, they'd at least have the common courtesy to give you a reach around and lower the price.

Why didn't you just buy the $130 (IIRC) OEM version? Need multiple licenses?

As I mentioned in OP, if you change the chipset (replace motherboard with a one with different chipset), technically it wont activate. You have to call to activate, big hassle... I just got an i7 devli's canyon to experiment with, but I am planning to move on to skylark within the year.

 

[DesiPower]

What am I missing. I thought I remember reading W10 was free?!

Free Upgrade only if you have Win 7.

 

[DesiPower]

There are some pretty top notch guides on how to disable most of the adware.

Disable certain features, plus toss some sites into the hosts file or your router settings and you are pretty much good to go.

Yap, did a few of those already, but more you read, its not actually that bad... few of those things I dont mind...

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

One by one, slowly, they have stopped working, they have been patching holes... they are some still out there but not as many any more. Specially with 8+ its been almost impossible.

I think your sources just suck :whiste:

There are multiple loaders that I haven't heard stopped working... like ever.

As I mentioned in OP, if you change the chipset (replace motherboard with a one with different chipset), technically it wont activate. You have to call to activate, big hassle... I just got an i7 devli's canyon to experiment with, but I am planning to move on to skylark within the year.

Ahhh the good ol' hassles of... being a legitimate customer. Damn those pirates forcing Microsoft to make things difficult for legitimate customers!!!

 

[natto fire]

I went from a pirated W7 to a GGOK. I also bought a home server disc with valid license from microcenter, accidentally. My days of stealing software are long behind me, and although it has its nuances, I am happier for it.

 

[lxskllr]

I've paid for two oem copies of XP, and MS gave me Vista. That was the last Windows I used.

 

[emperus]

Free Upgrade only if you have Win 7.

I thought they didn't even care if Win 7 was pirated. Maybe I am wrong.

 

[XavierMace]

I don't know about pirated copies, but the free upgrade works on non-retail keys.

 

[JEDIYoda]

Free Upgrade only if you have Win 7.

umm actually 7 or 8 or 8.1.......free upgrade!

 

[DesiPower]

True, it's all true, all versions of Windows can be upgraded to 10; 7 8.x, pirated, whatever. But here is my situation -

I am running a certain version of Windows 7, let's call it win7P, on a Sandy bridge platform. Everything's fine and dandy, eligible for upgrade to 10 and the whole 9 yards...

Then, I decided to upgrade my hardware to devils canyon. I installs my win7P, try to activate it and it fails. Calling and trying to activate is nat an option, all my "work around" that I know of fails. Now since I cannot activate 7 I cannot upgrade to 10 either.

Now my only option is to get another OS. Instead of trying other version with different work arounds, I device to buy Windows. I can buy either OEM or retail. Since I plan to upgrade hardware to skylark or beyond "soon", I device to go retail, as that way, when I upgrade hardware I don't have to call Microsoft to activate.

 

[Pulsar]

I thought they didn't even care if Win 7 was pirated. Maybe I am wrong.

I can tell you that I have several less-than-legitimate copies of Windows 7, and was offered a free Windows 10 upgrade for ALL of them (electronically).

I actually have legitimate licenses, but much like desi I've upgraded these computers so many times that I finally stopped calling into the Microsoft 1-800 number and getting the 16 digit 'reactivation' code over the phone. It's a pain in the posterior when you're cranking through your installations at 2 in the morning.

 

[cbrunny]

This thread is confusing. Is OP saying that he's upset that he can't pirate Windows?

 

[DesiPower]

This thread is confusing. Is OP saying that he's upset that he can't pirate Windows?

OP doesn't know how to feel about it, so looking towards strangers on the internet for help...

 

[Linux23]

This thread is confusing. Is OP saying that he's upset that he can't pirate Windows?

I believe that to be so.