Need advice about Win7 Home 64 bit

[FIREWALL]

Tiger Direct offers an OEM version for $99.99

And a Full version for $149.99

I think I read somewhere I need an installer to use OEM.

If OEM is a no frills packageing that's great.

But if as I said above and also missing other stuff that's bad.

Any Win7 guru's here that can help ?

[Arclight]

OEM versions are tied to the ystem they are first installed on; upgrade the motherboard, buy a new Windows.

Full retail let's you carry on on new system... kinda:

I recently swapped motherboards and reinstalled, now Windows won't activate. I can call some support line, but I'll be damned if I'm going to pay even 1 cent for support after buying that overpriced piece of plastic. I can go through some support center where I need to enter PID, but of course it doesn't accept it because it's still tied to my old board. You can continue without entering it, but then you are faced with the possibility of being charged €72,- (it's never made clear whether or not these costs will be waved if they establish you have a legal copy).


Long story short, OEM is tied to 1 system forever, retail can be installed on any system, as long as it's only 1 at a time.

Would be nice if they had some deactivation system to use before upgrade.

[FIREWALL]

THX Arclight. A Tiger Direct MS claims their OEM is their way of going GREEN. Ya Right.

Btw I have full W7 Pro 64bit. Perfect for my gameing needs.

[Arclight]

Going green?

I thought getting rid of a manual and box was just going cheap.

Maybe it's missing stuff compared to retail (probably). It's the green version because the PC doesn't have to run as much processes, and is therefore more energy-eficient.

A whopping whole percent or something.


Got Ultimate, was 20,- more than Pro so figured what the H. Also figured retail would just let me reïnstall after upgrade... still don't know how I'm gonna get it activated without spending money.

Where the hell do they get off charging 72,- for an e-mail anyway? I sincerely doubt activating my copy would cost more than 5 mins, including reading and responding to the mail. You'd think with prices like that there would be at least some basic level of support that doesn't involve charging poeple even more money.

Sorry for the ranting, wee bit pissed at the moment.

[FIREWALL]

If I do another rig upgrade and they try to charge me their playing with the wrooong person.

[Arclight]

Try to just find an e-mail address through their regular channels to send an e-mail to... impossible.

I have one from when I tried out the beta and RC though, communicated quite a bit with 'm through that one. Might give that a shot.

[FIREWALL]

You'de be surprised how fast THEY want to communicate on email after you stop payment after it's been shipped.

Oh they want to talk then.

[Arclight]

I don't doubt that for a second.


Alright, got it activated by phone, free number and automated. Not bad, at least I didn't get some semi-professional techie.

[FIREWALL]

Talked to MS. OEM is no frills packageing and no Tech Support.

Updates ans everything else is same as FULL Package.

yep its just the CD and sticker without the box and manual


everybody just throws away the box and nobody reads the manual anyway so i cant see why anyone would ever NOT get an OEM version when buying.

that said the "rules" say your suppose to only buy it when your building or upgrading to a new system so the fine print says you MUST purchase PC hardware at or about the same time period but i have never seen any evidence that that rule is ever enforced.

if you use it for an upgrade without buying hardware you could be in trouble if Bill Gates ever knocks on your door to check compliance.

EDIT: just make sure your getting the hologram CD and not the Dell OEM CD which is full of their bundled crap so if that is what you are getting make sure its at a discount to the hologram CD

[Castout]

I would buy the Full version. My OEM disc cracked and MS wouldn't want to send chargeable replacement disc.