Microsoft Store, completely useless

v0n · 15 Mar 2009 at 19:30

Friend spilled some liquid over his old XP box last week, so he bought parts for new PC this weekend. Decent spec, gaming card. We put it together but it turned out he wanted to try DX10 but forgot to order OS with all the bits and bobs. Pressed for time, he decided to go expensive but instant route and order Windows Ultimate from Microsoft Store, downloadable version, online. All we had was my macbook, but it should suffice - has DVD burner, browser, what else would one need. We set it up on his network, he opened the browser, logged in and ordered Vista Ultimate SP1, full, retail. Or at least that's what he thought. To his shock and horror, the downloadable "Direct DVD Fulfillment" version appeared in his account only in 32 bit form. And not as iso, but in three separate files. One windows executable and two cryptic, smaller ".wim" parts.

So, long story short - he's without os, without working PC, set back £220 quid and seriously peed off. Who would suspect that Microsoft's not only doesn't do retail versions of retail versions for their "direct fulfillment" customers (thus in both x64 and 32 bit flavours) in their store but they also gone Xibit, and when one wants windows, one has to have windows to have windows.

That will teach him to download dodgy, ready to go copies in the future.

Memphis · 15 Mar 2009 at 19:54

I'm afraid this isn't exactly Microsoft's fault and more his own.

1) I know we all forget things when we rush, but had he contemplated the OS before the build, the problem would never have arisen.
2) You are made aware of what you're buying as you are buying it from the Microsoft Store. Again, I would suggest his rushing to be the problem.
3) Why on earth did he buy Ultimate? I can't believe there are any features in it that he would need above Home Premium. Again, rushing has led to wasting money.

v0n · 15 Mar 2009 at 20:04

I suppose you can get used to idea of media-less shopping. The itunes, the steams, stuff you want "right here, right now" that just works. I have to say, I was looking every now and then when he was ordering it and I can't remember a single point where the order would suggest it was to be delivered as "installation DVD in three parts, consisting of windows executable expandable to loose files and no known media or DVD format". Why Ultimate? I don't know, honestly. I suppose you buy retail, you don't want to end up with single CPU home version etc. I think the difference between Business and Ultimate is £10. Although I bet things would be still the same and outcome leading to complete defeat if he bought Sauna and Garage Basic Edition, or Kitchen Premium. It would still download (at least no ActiveX's there) in three useless files, and only as 32 bit?

datawrite · 15 Mar 2009 at 20:52

Home premium is perfect. Ultimate is just way expensive and comes with a few extra things that most won't use / need.

reflux · 15 Mar 2009 at 20:56

It does seem pretty ridiculous to be honest; considering how easy it was to download the Windows 7 Beta when that came out.

yashiro · 15 Mar 2009 at 22:18

Epic fail for Microsoft there, really.

pingwing · 15 Mar 2009 at 23:03

Im sure your friend could have just installed "any old copy" of vista HP and not put a key in at the install time (im sure you know some one with the disc or something...) and then purchased a cd key from ms (i think you can do that and if not that should be their new buisness model or something)....

bledd · 16 Mar 2009 at 09:55

datawrite said:
Home premium is perfect. Ultimate is just way expensive and comes with a few extra things that most won't use / need.

did you read the thread? lol

agreed though, it really should be an ISO link that they give you (or at least the option for one)

z0mbi3 · 16 Mar 2009 at 10:01

reflux said:
It does seem pretty ridiculous to be honest; considering how easy it was to download the Windows 7 Beta when that came out.

Along these lines it seems mad that anyone informed would pay retail price for Vista Ultimate especially with Windows 7 being relatively close and there being perfectly usable beta out there in the wild.

If I wanted to try out DX10 I wouldn't shell out for it, I'd get hold of an ISO first and have a go in the activation period.

v0n · 16 Mar 2009 at 17:11

z0mbi3 said:
Along these lines it seems mad that anyone informed would pay retail price for Vista Ultimate especially with Windows 7 being relatively close and there being perfectly usable beta out there in the wild.

Windows 7 is still at least 6 months away, isn't it? And it follows regular route, betas, RCs, RTM etc etc?

Burnsy2023 · 16 Mar 2009 at 18:59

v0n said:
I suppose you buy retail, you don't want to end up with single CPU home version etc.

How many people run dual CPUs nowadays anyway?

v0n · 16 Mar 2009 at 20:30

Burnsy2023 said:
How many people run dual CPUs nowadays anyway?

I personally do actually run dual multicore CPUs at work and at home. Use Home Premium on laptop tho. He doesn't run dual CPUs at moment, but invested pretty decent money in i7 and good graphics and wanted bells and whistles to go with it. Suggested debian (comes with all bells and whistles), he politely refused (it's that gaming thing I bet - nethack doesn't do it for people anymore)

. Suggested Home Premium, he asked about how future proof it is, upgrades and such - well 16Gb of RAM, 1 CPU max, fits the bill now, few years from now, who knows. So he decided Ultimate (at £60 extra IIRC) it was...