Full Version?


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I think the difference might be full vs. upgrade.   Upgrade requires that you have windows already installed. Full means you could do it from a clean slate.

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There was nothing confusing about it in the past, it just means you are paying more for something that you shouldn't. The upgrade version works just fine. If your computer didn't come with an initial windows license then buying a generic oem version was the better approach to that from a legal standpoint but again like I said before the upgrade version works just fine.


I think the difference might be full vs. upgrade.   Upgrade requires that you have windows already installed. Full means you could do it from a clean slate.

You can do a clean install with an upgrade, you either have to do a double install or the registry trick, both of which are supported by Microsoft.

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You can do a clean install with an upgrade, you either have to do a double install or the registry trick, both of which are supported by Microsoft.

 

I know there are the tricks for doing it.. but usually it's classified as separate (upgrade vs full)

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In my case, I prefer using a "retail" version. I can change my whole PC without fear of having activation issues. I can even get a replacement disk if my copy gets damaged. 

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In my case, I prefer using a "retail" version. I can change my whole PC without fear of having activation issues. I can even get a replacement disk if my copy gets damaged. 

 

Agreed, that is what was so confusing about the Windows 8 licensing.  What if I wanted to upgrade parts of my computer with the Windows 8 Personal License?

 

So this Windows 8.1 Full Version is just like what we remember with Windows 7?

 

And in terms of a legal standpoint, isn't the OEM license ONLY supposed to be used for computers that you create for other people.  Dell for example?  This is what was so confusing about Windows 8 OEM / Personal Use license.  If I get the personal use license, can I use it for business related tasks?  

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There was nothing confusing about it in the past, it just means you are paying more for something that you shouldn't. The upgrade version works just fine. If your computer didn't come with an initial windows license then buying a generic oem version was the better approach to that from a legal standpoint but again like I said before the upgrade version works just fine.

You can do a clean install with an upgrade, you either have to do a double install or the registry trick, both of which are supported by Microsoft.

 

You can do the clean install from the upgrade DVD but you can insert previous version of Windows DVD in and the system will take system files from DVD and place in HDD/SSD and then you can finish the Windows installation ... you don't have to install old Windows and then install new one in which takes too much time.  

 

I have done many installations in my time for friends/family for many years.

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In my case, I prefer using a "retail" version. I can change my whole PC without fear of having activation issues. I can even get a replacement disk if my copy gets damaged. 

I don't see the issues. How hard is it to make a 3 to 5 minute phone call to get reactivated? I have never seen where the phone activation failed for that. You are just paying more for something when you don't have to. You would easily have to reactivate with an upgrade as you would for full/retail product key.

Agreed, that is what was so confusing about the Windows 8 licensing.  What if I wanted to upgrade parts of my computer with the Windows 8 Personal License?

 

So this Windows 8.1 Full Version is just like what we remember with Windows 7?

 

And in terms of a legal standpoint, isn't the OEM license ONLY supposed to be used for computers that you create for other people.  Dell for example?  This is what was so confusing about Windows 8 OEM / Personal Use license.  If I get the personal use license, can I use it for business related tasks?  

You can change parts as needed. The only thing that I have seen that matters is if you change the motherboard and even then you can still call them and they will still reactivate you. Seriously people don't spend more money than you have to on this. Its not as hard as you are making this out to be.

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I don't see the issues. How hard is it to make a 3 to 5 minute phone call to get reactivated? I have never seen where the phone activation failed for that. You are just paying more for something when you don't have to. You would easily have to reactivate with an upgrade as you would for full/retail product key.

You can change parts as needed. The only thing that I have seen that matters is if you change the motherboard and even then you can still call them and they will still reactivate you. Seriously people don't spend more money than you have to on this. Its not as hard as you are making this out to be.

 

It is still not correct regarding the EULA.  The upgrade edition is just that an upgrade.  Can it be done?  Yes.  I am "by the books" kind of guy.  I get the correct version.  If I get a Apple laptop, I should NOT get an upgrade edition because that has never had a Windows license on there.  And what was confusing about the OEM / Personal License is, was it okay to use for business use?  What if my laptop died and I had to get it replaced?  Sure I can call, but still the EULA states one thing.

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You can do the clean install from the upgrade DVD but you can insert previous version of Windows DVD in and the system will take system files from DVD and place in HDD/SSD and then you can finish the Windows installation ... you don't have to install old Windows and then install new one in which takes too much time.  

 

I have done many installations in my time for friends/family for many years.

Thats incorrect, this hasn't been true since Windows XP, starting with vista this has changed. In order for the install to count as an upgrade a windows installation has to be on the hard drive. Thats if your booting from the disc. The installer does not check for previous OS media.

It is still not correct regarding the EULA.  The upgrade edition is just that an upgrade.  Can it be done?  Yes.  I am "by the books" kind of guy.  I get the correct version.  If I get a Apple laptop, I should NOT get an upgrade edition because that has never had a Windows license on there.  And what was confusing about the OEM / Personal License is, was it okay to use for business use?  What if my laptop died and I had to get it replaced?  Sure I can call, but still the EULA states one thing.

If your laptop dies then you either buy a new license or use the recovery media from the manufacturer. Those are your real options. Technically speaking if it died with windows 7 and you wanted to go to Windows 8.1 you could do it as an upgrade.

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Let me make this more clear, in order to comply with the EULA when using upgrade, some version of windows has to already be there meaning you have a license for it. You could do Win 7 home premium and upgrade to Win 7 Pro/Ultimate/Win8.0 Core/Win 8.0 Pro/8.1 Core/Pro versions.

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But the question on my first post was:  Is this new Windows 8.1 Full Version the same as a Windows 7 Retail version that we are used to?  The link to the product is in the first post.

 

As in:  Will that Windows 8.1 Full Version allow me (in terms of following the EULA to the letter) to get an Apple Laptop and use Windows 8.1 for business use?

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Thats incorrect, this hasn't been true since Windows XP, starting with vista this has changed. In order for the install to count as an upgrade a windows installation has to be on the hard drive. Thats if your booting from the disc. The installer does not check for previous OS media.

 

 

Hahaha... No!  It is correct! Trust me.   I have done this for many years.. 

 

It works fine since the day one I installed this way and even friends and family have no problems since I fixed for them.

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Yes what you want to do is fine. I have even seen some Eulas where Microsoft considers an upgrade with going from Mac OSX. I remember seeing this on Dreamspark at one time.

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I think the difference might be full vs. upgrade.   Upgrade requires that you have windows already installed. Full means you could do it from a clean slate.

 

You can do a clean install with an upgrade copy. I think you just need to have a previous version of Windows activated on the same machine to be able to activate the upgrade without calling MS.

 

Anyway i always did clean install with my upgrade copy and never had problem activating them.

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You can do a clean install with an upgrade, you either have to do a double install or the registry trick, both of which are supported by Microsoft.

 

Never did any of them. On all my upgrade installs (7 upgrade and 8 upgrade) there was an option in the install process to do a clean install.

 

In fact before installing Windows 7 and 8 upgrade i formatted my HD both time to remove any trace of Windows and was able to install them without any trouble.

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You can do a clean install with an upgrade copy. I think you just need to have a previous version of Windows activated on the same machine to be able to activate the upgrade without calling MS.

 

Anyway i always did clean install with my upgrade copy and never had problem activating them.

 

by clean slate I meant empty hdd fresh from the factory with nothing on it.

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Never did any of them. On all my upgrade installs (7 upgrade and 8 upgrade) there was an option in the install process to do a clean install.

 

In fact before installing Windows 7 and 8 upgrade i formatted my HD both time to remove any trace of Windows and was able to install them without any trouble.

This is like what said earlier, you get the option to do a custom install if booting from the disc. The windows setup looks on the HDD to see if there is a Windows install there. It does not have to be an activated install, it just needs to be some install. That essentially sets the flag in the registry to say this was an upgrade so when you get to the activation part it works. That's why it works even if you format. It checks for that before you format it.

 

If you had a blank HDD, you would have to install Windows then edit the registry to change the flag to say it was an upgrade and then it would let you activate after you do the rearm command.

 

It in no way looks at the previous installation disc. In fact you don't even get that option to do such during Windows setup for Vista going forward to insert a disc. In the XP days you would get that prompt.

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This is like what said earlier, you get the option to do a custom install if booting from the disc. The windows setup looks on the HDD to see if there is a Windows install there. It does not have to be an activated install, it just needs to be some install. That essentially sets the flag in the registry to say this was an upgrade so when you get to the activation part it works. That's why it works even if you format. It checks for that before you format it.

 

If you had a blank HDD, you would have to install Windows then edit the registry to change the flag to say it was an upgrade and then it would let you activate after you do the rearm command.

 

It in no way looks at the previous installation disc. In fact you don't even get that option to do such during Windows setup for Vista going forward to insert a disc. In the XP days you would get that prompt.

 

But regarding the EULA, it is not right installing an upgrade edition on a blank drive right?  Or more importantly, it is not within the EULA to install on a blank drive on a computer that has had NO windows version at all right?

 

I know these things are possible, but I like to follow EULAs to the letter.  That is why I found the OEM and Personal Use License so confusing.  I am glad 8.1 brought back the Full License.

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But regarding the EULA, it is not right installing an upgrade edition on a blank drive right?  Or more importantly, it is not within the EULA to install on a blank drive on a computer that has had NO windows version at all right?

 

I know these things are possible, but I like to follow EULAs to the letter.  That is why I found the OEM and Personal Use License so confusing.  I am glad 8.1 brought back the Full License.

 

If going by the EULA you can only do upgrade if you have a license for another OS. whether the drive is blank does not matter or not. OEM is just a cheaper version of the full license thats not transferable to another system. Full can be transferred. However I have seen people call MS for activation to transfer an OEM license due to motherboard failure. They will do this but you might have to speak to an agent instead of the robo dialer.

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Why does the MS page say this?

 

"Important: Windows 8.1 Pro full version is for Windows 7 users only. Currently running Windows Vista or XP? First upgrade to Windows 8 Pro. Upon installation you can update to 8.1 for free.".  I thought this is the full version not the upgrade version?  What if I want 8.1 on my Mac and follow the EULA?

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So it is not the full version then?  Why the hell does it say full version?  How am I supposed to get 8.1 on a mac or on a built computer?

There is only one version, which you can use to upgrade from a Windows OS, install on a built computer, or put on a mac.

I would recommend for you to buy directly from Microsoft.

http://www.microsoftstore.com/store?Action=pdp&Locale=en_US&SiteID=msusa&Windows-8=1-Pro&productID=288401500

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