Cheapest Place to get Windows XP
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WolfPac_Ite
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And remember, in order for the sale of Windows xx software to be valid, it must be sold with hardware...
WolfPac_Ite
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I was surprised as well. There are not as many scum bags as I thought, so far...
I might be able to pick you up a cheap one from our campus store. We get HUGE discounts on stuff like this. I'm thinking I can pick it up for like 20 or so, if you have any feedback I can ship it out, otherwise I'll check to see how much it is and if you send me the money I'll buy it for you and ship it out, PM me if interested.
albaguirre
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[quote name='strebor']Are you a student or affliated with a university? You can get it cheap that way if your university has a deal with MS.
Otherwise, probably newegg.[/QUOTE]
This would be your best bet if you are, I'm in the UT Texas system (UT Austin, UT El Paso and others are part of it) and you can get Windows XP Pro for $6. Might be more now. Office is about $20 and Visual .NET is about $30 to $40.
Of course they come with envelopes and no support at all but who needs the shiny carton case or the support anyway...
Otherwise, probably newegg.[/QUOTE]
This would be your best bet if you are, I'm in the UT Texas system (UT Austin, UT El Paso and others are part of it) and you can get Windows XP Pro for $6. Might be more now. Office is about $20 and Visual .NET is about $30 to $40.
Of course they come with envelopes and no support at all but who needs the shiny carton case or the support anyway...
Be aware when you buy the OEM versions of windows, they get linked to the motherboard, and you cannot reinstall if you ever switch motherboards. I'm sorta thinking about building a new PC, and I definitely don't want the OEM version. It's hard to pay so much money for retail, though, this late into XP's life cycle. When's the supposed release date for the new windows?
video_gamer
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[quote name='swetooth9']if you go to school (my school at least), ask one of the CTE teachers about it...you can get a copy of windows xp pro or windows 2003 for 5 dollars a piece...at my school at least...YMMV, lol[/QUOTE]
Wow, a legit copy of XP for $5. That's insane.
Wow, a legit copy of XP for $5. That's insane.
Saint'sRow911
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i can get xp through my school..think its like 10 bucks? give or take a little..i would have to get some info on it.
[quote name='mbstuff']Be aware when you buy the OEM versions of windows, they get linked to the motherboard, and you cannot reinstall if you ever switch motherboards. [/QUOTE]
Um no. Yesterday I just installed my OEM Windows on my rebuilt comp with no issues.
Um no. Yesterday I just installed my OEM Windows on my rebuilt comp with no issues.
I say your best (non student) bet is New Egg's OEM XP with SP2. You can save a couple bucks (literally) if you go with SP1, but SP2's probably worth it to avoid the downloading, and to get that fresh install off the bat. Don't worry about the hardware requirement. When you place an OEM Windows SKU in your cart, New Egg automatically adds a $5 cable that satisfies the requirement, then deducts $5 as a combo "sale".
[quote name='b0bx13']Um no. Yesterday I just installed my OEM Windows on my rebuilt comp with no issues.[/QUOTE]
It depends on the OEM windows. Some OEM versions from large computer manufacturers like Dell or HP tie their bundled OEM windows discs with the modifed BIOS of the motherboards that these manufacturers use (retail motherboards and OEM motherboards of the same model on Dell computers have different BIOS). These windows discs cannot be used on motherboards without these modified BIOSes, even if they are motherboards of the same model with retail BIOSes or BIOSes modifed by a different computer manufacturer.
Normal OEM windows discs (much like the ones you would buy from newegg) do not have these restrictions, and you could install them anywhere. However, even these normal OEM windows discs tie their licenses to the computer to which they are installed, and according to Microsoft, the "computer" to which the license is granted is the motherboard. In other words, if your rebuilt computer has the old motherboard, then there is no licensing issue. If you changed your motherboard, then you are technically breaking the terms of your license.
If you were to use your OEM windows to reinstall often (I don't know the exact number, I hear different things like 120 days between reinstalls, 3 reinstalls a year, and 3 reinstalls lifetime), your windows activation might fail, and you might have to call in Microsoft customer service for reactivation and a new key.
To make matters more confusing, Microsoft is pretty lax about reactivation. Tell them you reformatted your hard drive, and they'll give you a new key. Even tell them that you upgraded your motherboard, and most of the time they'll give you a new key, unless you get a real stickler of a customer service rep.
Plus, even if you install windows on multiple computers, it'll work as long as you got through activation without getting flagged for some reason. There doesn't seem to be a mechanism where Microsoft can stop you from installing windows on multiple machines, besides the nebulous "can't do it too often" flagging.
This doesn't mean that it's legal. According to the OEM license, you are limited in its use to THAT computer, though they're lax on even that limit.
I just like knowing that if I get a retail version, the license is for me, the user, as oppsed to the OEM license, which is for the computer. There is no equivocation when it comes to reinstalls and upgrades.
It depends on the OEM windows. Some OEM versions from large computer manufacturers like Dell or HP tie their bundled OEM windows discs with the modifed BIOS of the motherboards that these manufacturers use (retail motherboards and OEM motherboards of the same model on Dell computers have different BIOS). These windows discs cannot be used on motherboards without these modified BIOSes, even if they are motherboards of the same model with retail BIOSes or BIOSes modifed by a different computer manufacturer.
Normal OEM windows discs (much like the ones you would buy from newegg) do not have these restrictions, and you could install them anywhere. However, even these normal OEM windows discs tie their licenses to the computer to which they are installed, and according to Microsoft, the "computer" to which the license is granted is the motherboard. In other words, if your rebuilt computer has the old motherboard, then there is no licensing issue. If you changed your motherboard, then you are technically breaking the terms of your license.
If you were to use your OEM windows to reinstall often (I don't know the exact number, I hear different things like 120 days between reinstalls, 3 reinstalls a year, and 3 reinstalls lifetime), your windows activation might fail, and you might have to call in Microsoft customer service for reactivation and a new key.
To make matters more confusing, Microsoft is pretty lax about reactivation. Tell them you reformatted your hard drive, and they'll give you a new key. Even tell them that you upgraded your motherboard, and most of the time they'll give you a new key, unless you get a real stickler of a customer service rep.
Plus, even if you install windows on multiple computers, it'll work as long as you got through activation without getting flagged for some reason. There doesn't seem to be a mechanism where Microsoft can stop you from installing windows on multiple machines, besides the nebulous "can't do it too often" flagging.
This doesn't mean that it's legal. According to the OEM license, you are limited in its use to THAT computer, though they're lax on even that limit.
I just like knowing that if I get a retail version, the license is for me, the user, as oppsed to the OEM license, which is for the computer. There is no equivocation when it comes to reinstalls and upgrades.
[quote name='mbstuff']It depends on the OEM windows. Some OEM versions from large computer manufacturers like Dell or HP tie their bundled OEM windows discs with the modifed BIOS of the motherboards that these manufacturers use (retail motherboards and OEM motherboards of the same model on Dell computers have different BIOS). These windows discs cannot be used on motherboards without these modified BIOSes, even if they are motherboards of the same model with retail BIOSes or BIOSes modifed by a different computer manufacturer.[/QUOTE]
This is interesting info. I have used windows XP Pro discs bundled with Dell and HP computers and used them on non-Dell/HP computers successfully quite a few times.
This is interesting info. I have used windows XP Pro discs bundled with Dell and HP computers and used them on non-Dell/HP computers successfully quite a few times.
Individual results may vary, I guess. I doubt that Dell or HP or anyone else uses 'system locked preinstallation' (apparently the term for tying OEM discs to specifici bioses) on every system that they sell. I do know that I couldn't use my dell xp home disc if I changed the motherboard on my dell, though in reality I couldn't ever upgrade my dell's motherboard. I found out while trying to upgrade my Dell 8250 that Dell loves to make thing proprietary. They're always putting fastening holes in wrong places and using proprietary versions of hardware (you would think a soundblaster live card is a soundblaster live card, but dell's oem version was significantly different. It was much worse).
strebor
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[quote name='mbstuff']
If you were to use your OEM windows to reinstall often (I don't know the exact number, I hear different things like 120 days between reinstalls, 3 reinstalls a year, and 3 reinstalls lifetime), your windows activation might fail, and you might have to call in Microsoft customer service for reactivation and a new key.
To make matters more confusing, Microsoft is pretty lax about reactivation. Tell them you reformatted your hard drive, and they'll give you a new key. Even tell them that you upgraded your motherboard, and most of the time they'll give you a new key, unless you get a real stickler of a customer service rep.
[/QUOTE]
I installed my OEM copy of Home (bought from newegg) only twice and the third time I tried I got an error, I don't remember exactly what it said except to call MS. I called and they asked me why I needed to reinstall Windows, and then gave me a key. I just told then my harddrive had an error and I had to format.
I read somewhere on another forum that it's best just to say that or something similar.
If you were to use your OEM windows to reinstall often (I don't know the exact number, I hear different things like 120 days between reinstalls, 3 reinstalls a year, and 3 reinstalls lifetime), your windows activation might fail, and you might have to call in Microsoft customer service for reactivation and a new key.
To make matters more confusing, Microsoft is pretty lax about reactivation. Tell them you reformatted your hard drive, and they'll give you a new key. Even tell them that you upgraded your motherboard, and most of the time they'll give you a new key, unless you get a real stickler of a customer service rep.
[/QUOTE]
I installed my OEM copy of Home (bought from newegg) only twice and the third time I tried I got an error, I don't remember exactly what it said except to call MS. I called and they asked me why I needed to reinstall Windows, and then gave me a key. I just told then my harddrive had an error and I had to format.
I read somewhere on another forum that it's best just to say that or something similar.
bread's done