VISTA is on its way!!

[Gibbo]

HI there

See our software section - operating systems on our website and you will see we have a range of VISTA O.S. on pre-order.

Stock is confirmed and we can ship product from our warehouse 31st of January.

So everybody who has been waiting can now pre-order and the pricing I think is very good.

Remember they are OEM, so you need to do a fresh installation, these will not upgrade Windows XP. Upgrade version cost over twice the money and are not advisable.

 

[Gibbo]

Hi there

Give it 10-15mins chaps as waiting for the website to do a refresh.

 

[Gibbo]

But if you buy OEM XP Media Centre today you can get the Vista Premium upgrade for free - that's my thinking which leads me to think the MS trade price will be the same. Of course local retailers could well add a little on, especially for pre-orders... but I’ll be very surprised if it’s more than £80.

Hi there

Don't be mislead.
Our also come with these vouchers in the Windows XP packs but we don't advertise it for a very good reason.
You can only get the FREE Vista upgrade if you got your Windows XP pre-installed on a full system from a MS approved system builder. You will need an invoice showing the full system and a designated MS build ID number which only approved MS system builders such as HP, DELL can give etc.

So the free upgrade to Vista coupon is irrelevant for 99% of people. Hence you wont get a free upgrade and hence why OcUK does not advertise the fact of this.

 

[Gibbo]

Will OcUK be listing any retail products today?

HI there

Nope we don't do the upgrade or retail versions. They basically never sell as they cost over twice as much.

 

[Gibbo]

Hi there

Just to clarify Vista OEM is identical to XP OEM in regards to changing hardware etc.

When you change your motherboard at the moment with XP it too will demand you get a new re-activation and/or license. Yet just as I myself have done you just call them, tell them your PC crashed and they give you a new key over the phone. Hence problem sorted.

P.S. As you guys are asking for it, I shall get the Retail and Upgrade versions on the site too.

 

[Gibbo]

Won't that be a lot more expensive than just getting ultimate straight away? or can you do it online or something?

Hi there

You do it via Microsoft online, no ideas on pricing but I can't see MS having your pants down.

 

[Gibbo]

very nice to, want to see how much the retail prices are before i place my order. gona go for ultimate and be done with it. full retail if the price allows!

Hi there

The retail are 2x-3x more expensive than the OEM. However with the Retail you do get both 32-Bit & 64-Bit version but can only choose one I think. The retail as mentioned here does allow hardware changes without issue. So if you change your motherboard every month then Retail is recommended or an upgrade.

So upgrades and retails will go live shortly.

 

[Gibbo]

Thanks gibo will be intresting to see. what everyone has to decide is if the OEM will infact be able to upgrade as often as most do on here, be it GFX, hardrives CPU ect. as i understand it microsoft is going to be a lot more strict when it comes to re activating OEM's with serious upgrade's. XP you can get away with a re activation quite easily but microsoft know this and have tighter policy end license agreement with the Vista OEM's. it would be intresting to find out exactly what microsoft will allow before deciding what to buy, retail or OEM version's

Hi there

In fact Retail pricing is not so bad on Basic edition its only the higher-end editions where the extra premium cost more. The retail versions will be live in approx 5-10mins, I think you will be happy with the prices.

 

[Gibbo]

What will i need with an E6300, 64bit?

And also whats the difference between home basic and premium.

Do u think i should wait to order on jan 31st and get one of these? or just get xp with my new system now? Will games and programs like firefox work with vista?

Hi there

Games will work fine!
Firefox I am unsure but Firefox will no doubt release an updated version in time for Vista.

 

[Gibbo]

I thought this too, in fact i read it in micro mart the other day, whats the story Gibbo???

Hi there

Yes only with OEM version!!

With Retail which will be live very soon on our site when you do the installation you choose which version you install (32-bit or 64-bit).

 

[Gibbo]

Hi there

Also all you guys wanting Vista, need one of these to boost its performance:-
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/search_results.php?sortby=&groupid=701&string=readyboost

Can't explain how they work but they give a nice performance boost to Vista.

 

[Gibbo]

Hi there

All products are now live!
Retail, Upgrades and OEM for Basic, Premium, Business and Ultimate.

Get your orders in guys as Microsoft are predicting selling 400 million copies in the first 24 months of release which means demand on release day will be huge.

At the moment I can get upto 1000pcs of each line so were OK for now but I can tell you for sure this product will sell quicker than any other product we have ever sold.

 

[Gibbo]

If I pre-order it now, will my card get charged now or when the product ships ?

Hi there

We charge immediately.

No point in not charging then to find in 3 weeks time we come to charge and you no longer have funds.

 

[Gibbo]

So I can get Vista Home Premium x64 OEM for £78.71?! What is the catch? I have to buy some hardware?

Well your supposed too.

Maybe treat yourself to a nice new shiny mouse or something.

 

[Gibbo]

Shame the cheapest delivery method for retail costs £8 , seems a bit steep for a bit of software.

Well would you really want to have £300 worth of software shipped 1st class with no insurance?

Cheap shipping is only for low value goods.

 

[Gibbo]

I don't think OCUK is classed as a 'system builder' in Microsoft's eyes. That term is used for very very big competitors of OCUK that I won't mention.

If Microsoft truly didn't want OEM copies ending up being sold seperately then they wouldnt shrink wrap them seperately, would they... They'd just send out a box of CDs and licenses - so that when OCUK (or whoever) built a system for a customer they could pick out a CD and a license and bung it in the box of the PC.

Hi there

Microsoft do class us as a system builder actually. You don't necessary have to build 1000+ and more systems a month to be so. Our relationship with Microsoft gives us additional support and BETA evaluation of all products.

At the moment we average approx 300-400 systems per month and we sell several thousand copies of Windows per month, so the support we get from Microsoft is very good and their club bonus schemes earn us a lot of money as were always in the maximum tier group.

 

[Gibbo]

The insurance is for your (the retailer's) benefit because you are the ones responsible if it doesn't turn up, not the buyer. Also surely you could send it Special Delivery for well under £8, even including packaging costs :shrug:

Hi there

Your correct and hence why we won't be shipping out goods un-insured.

Also Royal Mail is not cheaper than Citylink for heavier and higher value items. In the whole scheme of things £10 postage is not a whole lot when spending over £200.

 

[Gibbo]

id rather know just how easy it is to fob off M$ after a hardware change.

Hi there

Well many people here and myself included have just rang MS when it requires re-activation due to hardware changes. Basically tell them your PC crashed, re-install failed so you started again or you put a replacement motherboard in and ran into issues.

So in essence the PC that Windows was originally registered on is still that same PC but due to either failure or hardware upgrade Windows needs re-activation and as many people will confirm Microsoft are quite helpful at giving out re-activation keys for free over the phone.

Now whether they will be as easy going with Vista is another thing though, I guess only time will tell.

 

[Gibbo]

Out of interest if HP and DELL have the largest market share of PC sales (well over 30%) how is it irrelevant for 99% of people ?

In fact if OCUK is an approved MS system builders (for your 300-400 builds per month) many of your customers could well benefit from this or am I mistaken/confused?

Hi there

All the Windows XP licences/CD's we ship do include this voucher/coupon. However most who buy Windows with just other random bits of hardware cannot use this coupon and hence why we do not advertise this fact.

However those who have purchased full systems from OcUK and have recieved this coupon can indeed claim/down a free copy of Vista from Microsoft.

 

[Gibbo]

Pardon me if I'm reading this the wrong way, but Gibbo are you basically suggesting that people violate the terms of their OEM license agreement in order to transfer the software between machines?

I'd have thought as someone representing OcUK you would have stuck to the Microsoft licensing to the letter.

I'll probably be making the Home Premium (Retail) purchase when Parallels fully supports 3D acceleration.

Hi there

Where have I mentioned multiple machines or transferring a license from one machine to another? I believe I have not!

Read the entire thread and many people are asking how many hardware changes you can have, basically if I upgrade my PC do I need to buy a new copy or can they just ring Microsoft to get a re-activation. At the moment this is what people do with Windows XP.

If Microsoft are OK I am sure they will allow for hardware changes and as such give out new keys to use that license on one PC, just that one PC may have had a fatal crash or had a hardware change to cause Windows to flag re-activation. This is common with XP and as such Microsoft seem to have no issues in giving customers a new key.

Therefor it possible they may operate similar for Vista, but only POSSIBLE. They may enforce it more so and tell you to go away and buy another copy, but I am not 110% up on if they can even do that or where it all stands.

If you want peace of mind and freedom of changing your hardware and upgrading as often as you like as many of our customers do then buy a Retail version.

If you want to save money then do buy OEM but when you do change a piece of hardware in the PC for whatever reason be warned that Microsoft may not issue you a new key. But if its the same as XP is now then you will probably be fine.

So once again I've never mentioned transferring the license from one machine to another as that is illegal, one license per PC. But people upgrade their PC's and PC's can crash and burn. This I am sure Microsoft understand and will help out where they can.