Still possible to obtain legit Win 7 retail?

Mel_P · 14 Dec 2015 at 15:38

I have just put together a Pc from parts (for grandson - web browsing only) - and it won't run Windows 10 as it is too out of date.

Is it possible to obtain legit Win 7 retail - so at some time next year I can upgrade to win 10 when I upgrade motherboard / processor?

(I have seen OEM versions for £20 - are these any good?)

Thanks, Mel

Biz.Kid09 · 14 Dec 2015 at 15:51

You could just get a Win 7 iso and buy a knackered old laptop or something and steal the key. That should work.

AFAIK you can't buy Win 7 retail anymore.

Mel_P · 14 Dec 2015 at 16:10

Biz.Kid09 said:
You could just get a Win 7 iso.

I have that as I have 3 other PCs which had Win 7 (now all win 10).

So I just need a legit key that will work on a "home built" PC.

Mel

tom_e · 14 Dec 2015 at 16:18

Biz.Kid09 said:
You could just get a Win 7 iso and buy a knackered old laptop or something and steal the key. That should work.

AFAIK you can't buy Win 7 retail anymore.

Might as well just used a cracked copy it would be just as "legal".

El_Watcher · 14 Dec 2015 at 17:02

OEM copies that are £20 will be dodgy licences that will either expire after a couple of weeks, or are taken from another PC (usually DELL) and are therefore not officially "licence legal".

Anyone selling a retail version will either be selling a dodgy copy, or will be selling it at such a high price that you may as well buy a new PC.

If it really is just for web browsing, then you might as well just stick Linux on it, something like Ubuntu or Mint.

Nevakonaza · 14 Dec 2015 at 17:04

Why not just stick Linux Mint on there or something if its only for web browsing.

Will do the job,and its free.

KIA · 15 Dec 2015 at 15:50

https://www.overclockers.co.uk/micr...ional-sp1-64-bit-oem-fqc-08289-sw-129-ms.html

Mel_P · 15 Dec 2015 at 21:56

KIA said:
https://www.overclockers.co.uk/micr...ional-sp1-64-bit-oem-fqc-08289-sw-129-ms.html

Yes - I had seen that but that's way tooo much - I just want cheapo legit win 7 to run this legacy bit of kit for a year until I will probsably buy win 10 and a new motherboard / processor.

lcg · 15 Dec 2015 at 21:59

The system requirements of Windows 10 are similar to Windows 7. If anything, I would say Windows 10 runs better on older hardware than Windows 7.

Mel_P · 15 Dec 2015 at 22:18

lcg said:
The system requirements of Windows 10 are similar to Windows 7. If anything, I would say Windows 10 runs better on older hardware than Windows 7.

The system requirements are similar BUT my processor (P4 2.8GHz) WILL NOT run windows 10. I ran the upgrade tool and it stopped - telling me my processor was incompatible with Windows 10. Some inbuilt code it doesn't have (apparently something to do with P4 "does not support the execute disable (also known as NX) bit).

Mel

wigster · 16 Dec 2015 at 21:56

Ive got windows 8.1 full version never been used give me a shout if you want it.

Mel_P · 16 Dec 2015 at 22:07

wigster said:
Ive got windows 8.1 full version never been used give me a shout if you want it.

Thanks but I am not sure if the old m/b will run 8.1 - I will have to perhaps try a test install - I suspect that there won't be any drivers!

stopper · 17 Dec 2015 at 00:48

tom_e said:
Might as well just used a cracked copy it would be just as "legal".

I doubt Microsoft give a toss anymore since they are trying to push everyone on to 10 for free. And that includes "illegal" copies of 7 and 8.

yashiro · 18 Dec 2015 at 14:23

Web browsing only? Stick Linux on it.

K.C. Leblanc · 18 Dec 2015 at 14:36

Mel_P said:
The system requirements are similar BUT my processor (P4 2.8GHz) WILL NOT run windows 10. I ran the upgrade tool and it stopped - telling me my processor was incompatible with Windows 10. Some inbuilt code it doesn't have (apparently something to do with P4 "does not support the execute disable (also known as NX) bit).

Mel

Have you done any digging to see if you can stick a better CPU in there?

joey1211 · 18 Dec 2015 at 14:45

stopper said:
I doubt Microsoft give a toss anymore since they are trying to push everyone on to 10 for free. And that includes "illegal" copies of 7 and 8.

You can't upgrade an illegal copy to 10

yashiro · 18 Dec 2015 at 14:56

People have done so.

stopper · 18 Dec 2015 at 21:08

joey1211 said:
You can't upgrade an illegal copy to 10

You can, and apparently it's perfectly OK with MS during the "free year". They desperately want everyone on 10.

joey1211 · 18 Dec 2015 at 21:50

If so, I stand corrected.

A bit of a kick in the teeth for those who paid for a licence along the years.

Glaucus · 18 Dec 2015 at 22:10

stopper said:
You can, and apparently it's perfectly OK with MS during the "free year". They desperately want everyone on 10.

You can't, not legally.
There was lots of speculation when w10 was first released. That you could stay on insider program with an illegal copy. But they clarified it, and you still need a key that will activate even for the insider program.