Purchasing XP Pro Retail is impossible!

FRM

Does anyone know where I can purchase XP Pro RETAIL version? I need this to upgrade a client from XP Home to XP Pro.

Tried Komplett, Misco, Elara and none of them have it - only the OEM version which doesn't allow an upgrade without a fresh install....

Anyone got anywhere else that stock it?

Dartz

Purchasing Windows 2.0 is Impossible!!

It's out of production. Gone. Finito. Vista Business might be your only option, but if you're doing that you're best of Waiting until Windows 7 is being offered as a free upgrade to Fista sales.

You're only option might be to call Microsoft and ask, but that's about it.

Capt'n Midnight

ebay ?

don't forget that you aren't allowed to install OEM on a machine that already had an OS

and the upgrade of an XP HOME OEM would be bound to that mother board forever


as Dartz says
Vista Business and downgrade the license
you also have to source the XP media yourself

watty

you are better backing up data and a fresh install TBH.

Make sure to have details /sw /keys of all applications

watty

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

ebay ?

don't forget that you aren't allowed to install OEM on a machine that already had an OS

Really? Even if the OS was Linux, FreeBSD, OpenSolaris ...
Or what if you are given a case, mobo and unpartitioned disc?

Jonathan

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

don't forget that you aren't allowed to install OEM on a machine that already had an OS

Yea, i'd be with watty on this one.

Sounds a bit odd..

Cy_Revenant

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

don't forget that you aren't allowed to install OEM on a machine that already had an OS

That doesn't sound right to me. Is that a restriction or is it just stipulated in the license agreement?

mukki

makes no sense, and impossibal to regulate, and pointless too,

must be a typo, capt'n probably meant

don't forget that you aren't allowed to install OEM on a machine that already has an OS

The Real B-man

Dartz wrote: »

Purchasing Windows 2.0 is Impossible!!

It's out of production. Gone. Finito. Vista Business might be your only option, but if you're doing that you're best of Waiting until Windows 7 is being offered as a free upgrade to Fista sales.

You're only option might be to call Microsoft and ask, but that's about it.

Windows 2.0? where are you stuck back in the 1980's?

Fol20

Dartz wrote: »

Purchasing Windows 2.0 is Impossible!!

It's out of production. Gone. Finito. Vista Business might be your only option, but if you're doing that you're best of Waiting until Windows 7 is being offered as a free upgrade to Fista sales.

You're only option might be to call Microsoft and ask, but that's about it.

how would you get free windows 7 if you have vista.Please elaborate because im in line for buying a new pc

watty

If you buy a PC close to Win7 launch it may have a free update to Win7 with it's vista


BTW I have Win2.0 and Win 286 on 5.25" floppies if anyone needs it. I don't recommend it. Win3.1 was 1st usable version.

Embedded Win3.11 has only just stopped being shipped.

Capt'n Midnight

watty wrote: »

Really? Even if the OS was Linux, FreeBSD, OpenSolaris ...
Or what if you are given a case, mobo and unpartitioned disc?

I had thought that OEM could only be sold with a complete PC or motherboard and was not a an after-market add on. Certainly getting a dual boot PC with *nix and OEM preinstalled should be OK. But buying a computer and then installing OEM might not be since you would not be the system builder.

https://partner.microsoft.com/UK/40047531

Microsoft Windows XP

New Rules

After the pack is opened, the enclosed individual software licence(s) for Windows must be distributed with a fully assembled computer system and must be pre-installed. The individual software licence(s) inside the pack can no longer be distributed with a non-peripheral computer hardware component. With the new one-pack, the unopened package can be distributed to another system builder by itself, without any hardware requirement.

...
What to do if...

*
If you open the pack, you must pre-install.
*
If you do not open the pack, you can redistribute to other system builders without any hardware.

OEM system builder software packs are intended for PC and server manufacturers or assemblers ONLY. They are not intended for distribution to end-users unless the end-users are acting as system builders by assembling their own PCs.

I swear the rules have changed slightly each time I look them up :rolleyes:

looks like OEM can be sold on to end users without the hardware requirement
but only if they are assembling a PC

then again if you disassembled a PC , you'd have to assemble it again

watty

The rules are really about how XP OEM is *SOLD* not how it is used.