windows 8 Upgrade to Windows 8 Pro for $39.99

[vcfan]

why are you so concerned for the feelings of oems.

most of them offered lackluster support for windows phone,and just threw out some rehashed android phones with no originality. they went after the temporary money instead of being loyal to the company that made them or helped make them what they are today.

its payback,and its also payback for oems tarnishing microsofts image with crappy drivers,bloatware,****ty designs and materials.

microsoft is sending a message. i dont need you, you need me.

[George P Global Moderator]

MS did the same thing with Windows 7 and it's Family Pack, which gave you 3 upgrade copeis for $150. That didn't seem to effect OEMs in the least. This Win8 upgrade deal is temporary, and is mostly for the holiday season since it ends shortly after.

[Steven P. Administrators]

Yeah it's temporary anyway.

[FaiKee]

AFAIK pre-installed OEM windows are not eligible for the upgrade. And btw, GP007, think you are happy now, you can get your win8 X64 after all, just install a WRP X64 and run WUA.exe in it. :laugh:

[sagum]

AFAIK pre-installed OEM windows are not eligible for the upgrade. And btw, GP007, think you are happy now, you can get your win8 X64 after all, just install a WRP X64 and run WUA.exe in it. :laugh:

ALL users will be eligible. pre-installs are required to provide an actual key on the PC via the COA sticker. If need be they can just change the product key with the product key changer tool (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=204141) provided by Microsoft. Of course this is forgetting the slip bios requirements that could be checked.

Regardless of that, I really don't think Microsoft are too fussed about who can and can't upgrade. I bet they'd be more then willing to let pirates upgrade to a paid version as it gets more people onboard with Windows 8 and their metro eco system.

[spaceelf]

MS did the same thing with Windows 7 and it's Family Pack, which gave you 3 upgrade copeis for $150. That didn't seem to effect OEMs in the least. This Win8 upgrade deal is temporary, and is mostly for the holiday season since it ends shortly after.

They also had $50 preorders for 7.

[FaiKee]

ALL users will be eligible. pre-installs are required to provide an actual key on the PC via the COA sticker. If need be they can just change the product key with the product key changer tool (http://go.microsoft..../?LinkId=204141) provided by Microsoft. Of course this is forgetting the slip bios requirements that could be checked.

Regardless of that, I really don't think Microsoft are too fussed about who can and can't upgrade. I bet they'd be more then willing to let pirates upgrade to a paid version as it gets more people onboard with Windows 8 and their metro eco system.

1. That's what I heard from a MS guy, so just wait and see, however, a interesting thing is, in Mr. Leblanc's blog, many people are asking if a pre-installed OEM is eligible, Mr.Leblanc responded to other questions promptly, but seemingly avoided to answeer to this question.

2. There is no way MS would allow pirated copies to get upgrade, otherwise the underground factories will burn the lights out to make "pre-installed windows", spend 39.99 to get a legit win8, then sell PC's with "totally legit win8" for a good price.

[sagum]

1. That's what I heard from a MS guy, so just wait and see, however, a interesting thing is, in Mr. Leblanc's blog, many people are asking if a pre-installed OEM is eligible, Mr.Leblanc responded to other questions promptly, but seemingly avoided to answeer to this question.

2. There is no way MS would allow pirated copies to get upgrade, otherwise the underground factories will burn the lights out to make "pre-installed windows", spend 39.99 to get a legit win8, then sell PC's with "totally legit win8" for a good price.

Maybe, but the actual offer only lasts few a few months until the new year so they won't be losing out forever, but will get a bulk load of people on the uptake of the windows store (locked in)... with that alone + the press release telling people who it was the fastest selling windows ever they'll be more then happy with it. Still, I don't assume they'd make it too easy, as people would see it as devalued as an existing paid customer.

If nothing else, it could be a very fast way to upgrade all them age old, unsecured pirate xp boxes out there. That itself can't be a bad thing, right?

[PsYcHoKiLLa]

OEMs are going to be bringing out tablets en force, I don't think they're bothered about this offer in the slightest.

[bjoswald]

Well, at least they came back down to Earth and realized $199 is ridiculous for a Windows upgrade. Besides, OEMs will pay Microsoft to bundle all of their crapware anyway, so they'll make up the difference somewhere.

[neo1911]

Windows 8 should have been a free Windows 7 SP2. Main source of income over app sales.

[xendrome]

Not like the OEMs are making any money off the software as it is, they just want to sell their overpriced hardware. They are making a killing on the hardware since they buy in HUGE quantities.

[FaiKee]

Maybe, but the actual offer only lasts few a few months until the new year so they won't be losing out forever, but will get a bulk load of people on the uptake of the windows store (locked in)... with that alone + the press release telling people who it was the fastest selling windows ever they'll be more then happy with it. Still, I don't assume they'd make it too easy, as people would see it as devalued as an existing paid customer.

If nothing else, it could be a very fast way to upgrade all them age old, unsecured pirate xp boxes out there. That itself can't be a bad thing, right?

MS doesn't care for legit XP, they won't give a damn to pirated XP(or Vista). :laugh:

[.Neo]

Now Microsoft comes along and tells the market: You don't need a new PC. Buy Windows 8 for $39.99 and upgrade the one you already have.

God forbid people not throwing away their perfectly fine PCs.

I also don't really follow your train of thought here. Apple sells OS X Lion for ?24 and will be selling OS X Mountain Lion for ?16. Mac sales are doing just fine. People aren't buying new computers just for the sake of a new operating system. They'll buy a new Mac or PC when their old one don't fit their needs anymore.

[efjay]

1. That's what I heard from a MS guy, so just wait and see, however, a interesting thing is, in Mr. Leblanc's blog, many people are asking if a pre-installed OEM is eligible, Mr.Leblanc responded to other questions promptly, but seemingly avoided to answeer to this question.

2. There is no way MS would allow pirated copies to get upgrade, otherwise the underground factories will burn the lights out to make "pre-installed windows", spend 39.99 to get a legit win8, then sell PC's with "totally legit win8" for a good price.

Seems the majority of PC's sold come with an OEM copy and people who buy the OS to install themselves are a small minority of techies. Makes no sense to only offer the upgrade to the smaller set of buyers.

[PGHammer]

God forbid people not throwing away their perfectly fine PCs.

I also don't really follow your train of thought here. Apple sells OS X Lion for ?24 and will be selling OS X Mountain Lion for ?16. Mac sales are doing just fine. People aren't buying new computers just for the sake of a new operating system. They'll buy a new Mac or PC when their old one don't fit their needs anymore.

Also, folks generally buy (or upgrade) their PC when they want to do more, but are held back by what they have.

I'm in the process of upgrading my existing PC (said upgrade has been in the planning stages for a year), and the upgrade itself has absolutely nothing to do with Windows 8 and what it brings to the table.

Post-upgrade, it will have far more memory (16GB vs. 4GB today) and a newer CPU (i5-3570K v. Q6600) - both upgrades are for improved performance in my two driving uses - gaming and desktop virtualization (mostly virtualization, not gaming).

In addition, I'll be adding an SSD (128GB Crucial m4) and upgrading the GPU (HIS HD7770 iCooler 1GB GDDR5 v. Visiontek HD5450 512MB DDR3) - only the latter is strictly related to gaming performance.

I build/upgrade my PCs - mostly upgrade. This will be the fourth motherboard the *case* has seen since I bought it in 2003 because I generally follow the "replace only what you have to" method (popularized by "One Piece At A Time" by the late Johnny Cash). Unless you are absolutely thumb-fingered (basic competence with a screwdriver isn't beyond you), there is literally little to no reason you can't upgrade your own PC outside of the time it takes to do so. The reason that more folks don't upgrade arguably has more to do with the comfort factor with the process - especially during poor economic times.

[Noir Angel]

I doubt it will hurt OEM's. They get their licenses for next to nothing anyway, and as an upgrade is only aimed at people coming from a previous version of Windows it won't harm their market anyway, as their market is people who want new computers.

[Detection]

Wonder if it will accept a Technet Windows 7 as the upgrade base

EDIT - Can get it for this cheap even if you are just testing the RC

[Sszecret Veteran]

Wonder if it will accept a Technet Windows 7 as the upgrade base

EDIT - Can get it for this cheap even if you are just testing the RC

They said you can upgrade from the RC, but you still need to have a valid underlying license from a previous version of Windows.

To quote Brandon LeBlanc : "@math_ace - people can move from the Windows 8 Release Preview to Windows 8 Pro using the Windows 8 Upgrade Assistant and will only have the options to migrate their personal files or keep nothing at all when upgrading. People moving from the Windows 8 Release Preview will need to make sure you have an underlying license for either Windows XP, Windows Vista or Windows 7".

[theyarecomingforyou]

Well, my impression is it's a digital purchase so unless you live in Washington state or a state that charges sales tax on online purchases you shouldn't be charged any tax.

Why would any state not charge sales tax? That would lead to a massive shortfall in the budget.

[Eric Veteran]

[Threads merged]

[Stokkolm]

Why would any state not charge sales tax? That would lead to a massive shortfall in the budget.

States can only charge sales tax if the company selling a product and the person buying it are located in that state. Otherwise, I believe, it would fall under interstate commerce which is the Federal Governments area.

[rfirth]

States can only charge sales tax if the company selling a product and the person buying it are located in that state. Otherwise, I believe, it would fall under interstate commerce which is the Federal Governments area.

No, they still charge tax. The problem is in collections. Most states have no reliable way to collect it. You're required to voluntarily report it to the state at the end of the year when you fill out your state income taxes. Very few people do.

[calimike]

Costco has offer $14.99 for Windows 8 Pro upgrade when you buy notebook/ultrabook with Windows 7 until Jan. 31th, 2013.

[Dane]

So I have a question. I am not a fan of Windows 8, however for $40 I'll upgrade. My question is, I have an OEM copy of Windows 7 x64.

Will I qualify for the upgrade? Also, will I be able to clean install over windows 7?

I ask cause it states "You will be able to upgrade from any consumer edition of Windows 7 to Windows 8 Pro " Is OEM a "consumer edition"?

I wish this would go live now, or even let you pre-order it now.