Ned help with Windows 7 install
 

Have been meaning to upgrade my Vista machine to Windows 7.

Looks like that will be happening sooner rather than later.

My computer just suddenly started running uber slow.

Yes I run a anti-virus and spybot etc.

I don't have anything vital on the PC so I am good with reformatting and starting from new.

My first question is can I do that with: "Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 64bit (OEM) System Builder DVD 1 Pack" (the green box).

If I boot to the DVD I can reformat and start new from scratch?

Second question is I can get that from Amazon for $89 with free shipping, if indeed that is the DVD I need/want is that the best deal out there?

Thanks!

Yes. If you are on a Dell and it is a Dell disc, it will have all the drivers and even load the license info automagically.

OEM is confusing for a lot of people. This one liner from Microsoft pretty much sorts it out:

Almost all the manufacturers have online tools that will automatically find what you need and install them, if Windows doesn't have it built in already....sure don't miss the days of needing to know exactly driver I needed and hoping I saved the disk somewhere.

I have a HP Pavilion, can't find the restore disk that came with it (doesn't matter because I want to move on from Vista to 7 anyway.)

The OS is hosed and I can't get online.

I have installed windows a thousand times (from 3.1 to XP) just never installed Windows 7.

Can't I just buy the above mentioned DVD (in the green box), boot to the DVD, reformat the drive and start over?

No, it would not be a genuine copy since it's a systembuilder version. You can use this version and install it, but it will not be a correctly licensed version.

So, I have to buy the full boat $139 version?

Yes, or you can save about $15 and go with Windows 8.1. I'm guessing the $139 version is Windows 7 PRO upgrade?

Just want a full/legal Windows install disk at the lowest price I can find.

I have heard very little GOOD about Windows 8.

Honestly thinking of backdating to XP if I can find that install disk for sale... :confused:

Either way is a good solution, XP will still be supported for a bit. Seven is always a good choice. Windows 8 is something you need to get used to to enjoy it.

Lets say you walk into a computer store and buy a pile of parts, chassis, HDD, DVD, memory, PS.

What would be the least expensive Windows OS I could pick up to put on that?

(And don't say Linux)

And don't say "buy an apple" because I have had to reload the OS on the minimac here at work.

Windows 7 Home

Amazon.com: Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 32bit (OEM) System Builder DVD 1 Pack: Software

$95.

Thanks Scott!

Not to be a nit picker but what is the difference (other that 32/64 bit) between than and this:

Amazon.com: Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 64bit (OEM) System Builder DVD 1 Pack: Software

That's the OEM version, you technically need to be a 3rd party guy building computers and shipping them out to people.

Windows 7 Pro, OEM, $63.00

Microsoft Windows 7 Professional SP1- 1 PC - License and media - 64-bit

I'd just get the OEM, its the same software as the retail, without the fancy box and reduced tech support. If you feel guilty about not being a "builder", then write a bill of sale for the PC to your wife/kid/friend/whoever for $1.00, with a 100 year lease back to yourself for $1.00, then if the MS Gestapo knocks on your door demanding papers plz, you have that to show them.

System Builder is for preinstallation on a new personal computer for resale. Technically, you can't legally "upgrade" using a system builder license but it would probably work just fine. There seem to be plenty of Windows upgrade packages priced the same as the system builder versions. Get one of those.

And, yes, Win 7 and 8 both come with a the ability to delete/create partitions and format the resulting drives as part of the installation process. My experience is that multiple (non-system) partitions are a waste of time. So, when you go to advanced disk options, delete all the partitions (note 1) then create one large. The system will ask to create it's own little partition. Let it.

Note 1: Most computers come with a hidden recovery partition that contains the OEM windows installation files. You press a function key at start-up to access, that function key being different from vendor to vendor. If you are moving to an upgraded version of windows, that hidden recovery partition becomes useless.