Newegg Windows 10 price & release date

alphanumeric said:

With Windows 7 and earlier using OEM SLP activation, Windows looks for the OEM SLIC table in the BIOS. That's what it activates against. Swap out the motherboard with an identical board from that manufacturer with the same SLIC table in the BIOS and Windows doesn't know the difference. Replace it with a motherboard with a miss matched SLIC table (HP instead of Dell etc) or no SLIC table and activation will fail on the first boot up with that new board. Reinstall with the custom OEM provided install media on a motherboard with the correct SLIC table and its OEM SLP activation. Just like it was at the factory. Reinstall with a store bought OEM DVD and you'll be prompted to enter a product code. That's when you use the one on the COA sticker.

Thanks, Alpha! Good information.

Sometimes one may feel they need a law degree to interpret EULAs, however, MS does attempt to explain it in layman terms. I suggest that all go to the source > The MS site itself. Here's the best one I've found: Intellectual Property

alphanumeric said:

Those are OEM (system builder) editions, not full Retail versions. Just keep that in mind. OEM versions are a lot cheaper than the full retail versions.

Not necessarily. I've found that It depends on the edition and if one can transfer it to another machine. I researched and purchased a copy of Windows 8 Pro System Builders edition so that I could do so. At the time that edition was more than the retail version. Approximately $25 more.

That pertains to an individual buying one license. If one is performing mass production then I would think it would be a lot cheaper. I would think the more licenses one buys the cheaper it is.

alphanumeric said:

A Retail version can be transferred from one PC to another. It can only be activated on any one PC at any one time. You can move it from one PC to another, if you remove/wipe the previous install from the other PC so that the key is no longer in use. OEM versions are tied to the PC/motherboard they are first activated on. They cannot be transferred to another PC as per the EULA. People have managed to do it though, depending on the circumstances. Motherboard died and couldn't find an exact replacement. Don't count on doing it though.

Again, it depends on the edition. Here's a quote from the MS Partner site concerning a few editions:

Windows system builder licensing for personal use Page Overview

If you are building a system for your personal use or installing an additional operating system in a virtual machine, you will need to purchase Windows 8 software or a Microsoft retail version of Windows 8.1 software. Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 system builder software does not permit personal use, and is intended only for preinstallation on customer systems that will be sold to end users.*

Windows system builder licensing for personal use


In essence that saying that one can personally use and transfer 8 OEM or 8.1 retail version and that one cannot transfer window 7 or 8.1 OEM editions. The matrix on the page explains it better.

However, what got my goat was that they released 8.1 a few months later. My 8 OEM key would not allow me to download the 8.1. ISO. It didn't qualify. I could upgrade to 8.1 via the store, but not fresh install. What a PITA!

Phone Man said:

There may not be a full retail version for Windows 10. MS has said that the Windows 10 License is per device and free updates for the life of that device. Looks like the OS is locked to that one device aka OEM.

Jim

As explained above, not necessarily. Hopefully they'll release a transferable full retail version of 10. One may want to hire a lawyer to read the EULA though.

We should not confuse store-bought preloaded OEM keys with individually-bought OEM (System Builders) personal-use keys. There is a difference. One may consider buying a System Builders copy. We'll have to see how they lay it out.

It's all good news we know now, instead of the day before :)

Will the rtm be released as well on July 29 or will it be earlier ?

groze said:

Will the rtm be released as well on July 29 or will it be earlier ?

Nobody knows, Groze. Microsoft hasn't announced an RTM date that I know of.

See this thread, Post 231: Windows 10 guess the RTM release date - $1000 prize - Page 24 - Windows 10 Forums

Wynona said:

Nobody knows, Groze. Microsoft hasn't announced an RTM date that I know of.

Thanks for that link, had no idea there might not be a rtm release. I still have some questions for windows 10 release now but I will post that in General forum most likely I won't be upgrading this system.

Well my laptop is Windows 7 but its a slower dual core Toshiba from 2010 and it will qualify for the free upgrade.

I guess my desktop is out of luck then. My desktop I want to keep as an older dual-boot XP/7 gaming machine and older programs but it has a Windows 7 Home Premium OEM key.

Asus M4A78T-E + Phenom II x4 965 CPU. I don't want to upgrade to 10 on this machine. I want to do a newer-ish build for 10. I was thinking a Z97 or Z87 or H97 board (whichever is the best deal) and a low end i5 cpu like i5 4430. But I guess I won't be able to transfer my Windows 7 OEM from the old desktop and install Win 10 on the new one and activate it like that and keep Win 7 on the old one? Not possible right?

I will have to buy my own new retail key?

heyyahblah said:

I guess my desktop is out of luck then. My desktop I want to keep as an older dual-boot XP/7 gaming machine and older programs but it has a Windows 7 Home Premium OEM key.

You can actually upgrade the windows 7 home premium oem to windows 10 but keeping the dual boot with xp might be an issue. I think it can be done but it is complicated.

The only catch is you can't replace your motherboard on that system unless it fails (but there is a debate on that issue).