upgrading to XP - where to buy online?

Seanie M

Hi,
just looking for mail order websites where I can get XP Home SP2 from?

Thanks,

Seanie.

Drapper

Seanie M wrote:

Hi,
just looking for mail order websites where I can get XP Home SP2 from?

Thanks,

Seanie.

www.komplett.ie

http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.asp?sku=303203&cks=SPK

probably best place, however if you have Sp1 you can upgrade for free from the microsoft update website !

Seanie M

Thanks Drapper, I'll try there so.

Random

You also have to buy a piece of hardware when purchasing it. Read the bold print

Drapper

ciaranfo wrote:

You also have to buy a piece of hardware when purchasing it. Read the bold print

Missed that good man !!!

Capt'n Midnight

Drapper wrote:

Missed that good man !!!

The odd thing is no one can give a definitive answer as to what hardware has to be purchased. There are strong suggestions that it is a CPU and / or Motherboard, but the EULA is extrememly vague about this, and only rules out peripherials.

You could try a few reseller to see what hw the sell it with. Best to get something which can be upgraded indefinitley -
perhaps a Molex power splitter

Random

Something "substantial". I'd say that a hard drive would cover this clause as it is the major component of a PC in terms of using Windows.

Seanie M

I saw that on komplett... but why the hell does one have to buy a piece of hardware to get the XP software???

Capt'n Midnight

ciaranfo wrote:

Something "substantial". I'd say that a hard drive would cover this clause as it is the major component of a PC in terms of using Windows.

I've been looking for a precise definition of the OEM license since about 1995. Since the biggest part of a comupter is the case I'd have to say that in the case of older Dell dimension computers the cover is pretty "substantial", you can't hide it in a laptop case like you could almost any other part. The OEM serial number is on the cover. It can be moved easily from one base to another...

Seanie M wrote:

I saw that on komplett... but why the hell does one have to buy a piece of hardware to get the XP software???

Because that what the license says. Rather than pay the full price for a license that you can transfer whenever you wish, they offer you a reduction for agreeing to not use that copy of windows again when you buy a new computer. Looked at from microsoft share holders view point it is a work of genius.

Gosh

Your thread title was 'Upgrading to Windows XP'

Assuming you are running a previous version of Windows, e.g. 98, 98SE or ME then you can buy the Upgrade here

http://www.micromail.ie/cgi-bin/shop.pl?id=1109858269&categ=ZZOS&expand=2908.shtml

or here

http://shop.iol.ie/shop/products.asp?groupid=1541&productid=N09-00052

or here

http://www.elara.ie/products/detailsfull.asp?productcode=ECE956485&productID=103243

If you are upgrading then there is no need to go down the OEM version route.

Of course there is the price difference and with OEM you are supposed to go to the company that sold you the copy for support.

As Komplett says on their site the OEM must be bought with a third party retail product, they give examples "cases, mouse, harddrive, memory, monitor, keyboard" so AFAIK if you bought a hard-drive from them you could buy the OEM version.

Just bear in mind OEM means a Full Install and (possibly) no Microsoft support, if you Google on "windows xp oem problems" you will find instances of problems but in most cases no problems.

AFAIK if you had a problem installing the OEM you'd be stuck,whereas with the Upgrade you'd get some support from Microsoft - I know there will be a lot of people saying 'support from MS? - LOL' but that's what is supposed to happen whereas with the OEM version you're basically on your own.

Another point about going OEM, as it's a full install you would have to reinstal all your software again - with the upgrade you can keep installed software as it is - so if you have installed software that you want to keep and don't have the installation CDs then the upgrade route is the one to choose.

Seanie M

Thanks Gosh and the rest for the informative replies - I am more up to speed now!



Seanie.