Need Help on buying a Windows License

[stuckless]

This sounds almost absurd, but I need help trying to understand which Windows license I should buy <smallrant>I don't ever want to hear anyone complain about the "fragmentation" in Linux... it's nothing compared to the confusion of trying to understand the "fragmentation" in Windows licenses</smallrant>

So, I have a dell core2 quad machine that I bought a year ago and it came with Windows Vista. The machine is primarily the kids windows box for gaming, homework, and surfing the net. It's a fairly decent computer, but you'd never know it by how slow it is running Vista.

So, I figured, I'll get an upgrade license to Windows7... but I'm totally lost. I don't know if I need Windows7 Home, Home Premium, Ultimate, Professional, INSERT YOUR ADJECTIVE HERE, .... And on top of that, if I get Windows 7 Omnipotence, should i get the 32bit version or the 64bit version? Will the kids games (Age of Mythology, Age of Empires, Zoo Tycoon, etc, work??)

Any help appreciated... and If you know of a decent place to buy the upgrade version, then you can pass that along as well. Does MS have "student" upgrade pricing?

Thanks,

[ChaOConnor]

Sean,

Home Premium would be the max you need for your system. In regards to pricing, MS has a lock on that stuff, although I did see NewEgg had a deal yesterday I believe for a Win 7 Home Premium upgrade... like $20 off or something.

I bought my Win 7 upgrade through a school using my wife's .edu address. If you have a .edu address, you may be able to find something either through MS or the school's website (I'm thinking a university here.) EDIT: Found this: http://www.microsoft.com/student/en/...e/windows.aspx

With regards to 32 bit vs 64 bit... I am a big advocate of going w/ 64 unless you have a compelling reason not to (Firewire changing, etc.) but with your kid's pc, that shouldn't be an issue. I don't know of any games that "don't" work w/ 64 bit. I've been running 64 bit for many years now and never had a problem, but perhaps some quick googling will help flesh out any known problems for older games. All new games should be 64 bit friendly, as Win 7 has shown 64 bit OS's have exploded in adoption.

Good luck!

- Cha

[wrems]

If you go 64 bit you'll probably need to upgrade memory too. I think it's a 4GB min...

I think the Home version would be fine.

[stuckless]

Originally Posted by ChaOConnor

Sean,

Home Premium would be the max you need for your system. In regards to pricing, MS has a lock on that stuff, although I did see NewEgg had a deal yesterday I believe for a Win 7 Home Premium upgrade... like $20 off or something.

I bought my Win 7 upgrade through a school using my wife's .edu address. If you have a .edu address, you may be able to find something either through MS or the school's website (I'm thinking a university here.) EDIT: Found this: http://www.microsoft.com/student/en/...e/windows.aspx

With regards to 32 bit vs 64 bit... I am a big advocate of going w/ 64 unless you have a compelling reason not to (Firewire changing, etc.) but with your kid's pc, that shouldn't be an issue. I don't know of any games that "don't" work w/ 64 bit. I've been running 64 bit for many years now and never had a problem, but perhaps some quick googling will help flesh out any known problems for older games. All new games should be 64 bit friendly, as Win 7 has shown 64 bit OS's have exploded in adoption.

Good luck!

- Cha

Thanks.. My wife is a student (taking a masters online), but she doesn't have a .edu email I wish it were like the apple education option, where you just select your university/college from their list

Originally Posted by wrems

If you go 64 bit you'll probably need to upgrade memory too. I think it's a 4GB min...

I think the Home version would be fine.

I have 4 gigs now, so I'm good there.

[bcjenkins]

I will only offer that Pro or Ultimate also come with an XP virtualization license as well. http://www.microsoft.com/windows/vir.../download.aspx

The EDU option for a license is very economical or if you know anyone who works for MS. 64-bit doesn't make sense unless you will be over 4GB IMO.

B

[bcjenkins]

Originally Posted by stuckless

Thanks.. My wife is a student (taking a masters online), but she doesn't have a .edu email I wish it were like the apple education option, where you just select your university/college from their list

Her school may have a store for her to buy through as well.

B

[stuckless]

It appears that my wife was given an email from here university and it's in the list blessed by MS, so with any luck I can get the Student pricing of Win7 Professional for $39

[bcjenkins]

Re: 32 or 64, I think you'll get both disks. You can always do 32 and enable PAE (just as you might in Linux) http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/libr...96(VS.85).aspx

B

[stuckless]

Originally Posted by bcjenkins

Re: 32 or 64, I think you'll get both disks. You can always do 32 and enable PAE (just as you might in Linux) http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/libr...96(VS.85).aspx

B

Thanks Brandon, I'll probably only install the 32bit version, if I have the options. This is just a kids gaming computer and my only involvement is really to install the OS and periodically clean out viruses and spyware (actually i've never had to clean out either, so far...)

[bcjenkins]

Originally Posted by stuckless

Thanks Brandon, I'll probably only install the 32bit version, if I have the options. This is just a kids gaming computer and my only involvement is really to install the OS and periodically clean out viruses and spyware (actually i've never had to clean out either, so far...)

MS makes a good anti-virus package for free: http://www.microsoft.com/security_essentials/

B

[stuckless]

Originally Posted by bcjenkins

MS makes a good anti-virus package for free: http://www.microsoft.com/security_essentials/

B

I'm not sure I need a realtime antivirus package. In all the years that I've owned Windows based computers, i've never been infected, and I've never run real-time scanners. I do however run scheduled weekly virus scans, using clamwin. My main protection is educating my kids on never to use IE, MSN, Outlook, or MS Office (ie, it's pretty much a MS ban on software) so they use Firefox, GTalk, GMail, Google docs and Open Office. I also tell them to never search/download software. If they need something, they usually come ask. I wonder sometimes how people actually get viruses... because i keep expecting to find one, but I never do (and I'm ok with that) This has the added benefit of enabling them to use the other Ubuntu machine without issue, since it also has the same applications.

Actually I bought a PS3 for my kids, because I hoped that I could actually get rid of the Windows machine (and I did for awhile), but they still like to play their RTS games on Windows

[OneOfMany]

My recommendation would be to forego the upgrade package, go to a local computer store and buy an OEM copy of Win7 HPremium 64, with a hard drive. Disconnect your existing drive, hook up the new one and do a fresh install. Then you can simply copy off your data and wipe the old drive.

We build hundreds of systems a month, and in our experience the upgrades don't always allow you to clean up enough to regain performance. Win7 makes Vista look olderschool than XP lol..

Grant

[Taddeusz]

My only comment really is that Vista really wasn't that bad. Windows 7 is merely an incremental update to what Vista already was. If there's something slowing down the computer whether it be impending hardware failure, a lack of hardware resources (i.e. RAM), or a malware infection of some kind an OS upgrade is unlikely to fix the problem unless you do a completely clean install.

I realize you say you scan weekly but, IMHO, realtime antivirus really is a necessity even with well educated kids. Malware has been known to slip into advertisements of legitimate sites and accidents happen. Even smart people fall for simple tricks. Other than education realtime AV is the only other real preventative. The risk of infection far outweighs any kind of memory or speed advantages you might gain by not having realtime AV. Just because you've done a scan doesn't mean there might not be something in there mucking things up. Even despite your best efforts to educate your kids and run weekly scans.

Just my 2 cents.

[medwynd]

Originally Posted by stuckless

IMy main protection is educating my kids on never to use IE, MSN, Outlook, or MS Office (ie, it's pretty much a MS ban on software) so they use Firefox, GTalk, GMail, Google docs and Open Office. I also tell them to never search/download software.

I wonder sometimes how people actually get viruses

Funny I do the exact opposite with regards to MS products, we use them almost exclusively because we can't stand the interfaces on any of the products you have mentioned.

I was wondering the same thing as you. I think I have only seen one virus warning in the past 5 years and haven't had an infected machine in 10.

[barney B.A.]

Personally. I would stick with the OS that came with the PC (save your money)
If you have the restore CD that shipped with your computer, you should be able to get the PC back to factory config. Then use The PC Decrapifier to remove all the junk that Dell, etc. adds. http://www.pcdecrapifier.com/
That should get the PC running well.
Install Norton internet security or 360 (much better than it used to be) to protect it.

[Taddeusz]

Originally Posted by barney B.A.

Personally. I would stick with the OS that came with the PC (save your money)
If you have the restore CD that shipped with your computer, you should be able to get the PC back to factory config. Then use The PC Decrapifier to remove all the junk that Dell, etc. adds. http://www.pcdecrapifier.com/
That should get the PC running well.
Install Norton internet security or 360 (much better than it used to be) to protect it.

I use Microsoft Security Essentials at home. It's free and is pretty light on resources. It's gotten very good reviews and is based on the very same technologies used in Microsoft Forefront, their enterprise security product.

[stuckless]

Originally Posted by barney B.A.

Personally. I would stick with the OS that came with the PC (save your money)
If you have the restore CD that shipped with your computer, you should be able to get the PC back to factory config. Then use The PC Decrapifier to remove all the junk that Dell, etc. adds. http://www.pcdecrapifier.com/
That should get the PC running well.
Install Norton internet security or 360 (much better than it used to be) to protect it.

Originally Posted by Taddeusz

My only comment really is that Vista really wasn't that bad. Windows 7 is merely an incremental update to what Vista already was. If there's something slowing down the computer whether it be impending hardware failure, a lack of hardware resources (i.e. RAM), or a malware infection of some kind an OS upgrade is unlikely to fix the problem unless you do a completely clean install.

I realize you say you scan weekly but, IMHO, realtime antivirus really is a necessity even with well educated kids. Malware has been known to slip into advertisements of legitimate sites and accidents happen. Even smart people fall for simple tricks. Other than education realtime AV is the only other real preventative. The risk of infection far outweighs any kind of memory or speed advantages you might gain by not having realtime AV. Just because you've done a scan doesn't mean there might not be something in there mucking things up. Even despite your best efforts to educate your kids and run weekly scans.

Just my 2 cents.

Yeah, the issue isn't that it's slower today than the day I bought it... it's just sluggish from day one which is kind of sad, because specwise, it's a decent computer. And I would say, that the OS is the main culprit in this case.

I bought 2 of these machines at the same time... Once core2 quad because my primary workstation, running Ubuntu Linux, and the other became the kids gaming and internet computer. My computer runs super fast, super snappy, and most times that's with one or 2 vmware servers running the backgroup, sagetv, eclipse, and an the android emulator... ie, on my desktop, I don't know what it's like for it not to be snappy. The Vista machine has just been sluggish from day one. It got a little better after I removed the real time virus scanner that shipped with it, but it's not what I would expect it to be. So, my thinking is that I should upgrade to Win7 for a couple of reasons... 1, I like to be running the latest... and 2, maybe it'll make the computer perform closer to what I think it should. (Keep in mind, most people would probably think this computer screams because they have so much crudware loaded... but I know what the machine is capable of, so to me, it's always sluggish)

And I know the machine doesn't have a virus... I've seen and cleaned enough infected windows computers to know when one is infected. I can't visit a friends house without being the IT guy for a couple of hours removing spyware, viruses, etc. That's primarily why I don't run a real time scanner... Most people that I know have one, and they still get infected, so what's the point. I'd rather just educate my kids and how to use a computer

Thanks to everyone for straightening me out on the Windows license stuff.

[toricred]

One issue with 64 bit is that it won't run any 16-bit programs. Not an issue for most people, but at work we have on 16-bit application that has caused some minor problem.

[barney B.A.]

Originally Posted by stuckless

Yeah, the issue isn't that it's slower today than the day I bought it... it's just sluggish from day one which is kind of sad, because specwise, it's a decent computer. And I would say, that the OS is the main culprit in this case.

Well, in that case it makes sense to do a clean install of Win7
esp. if your wife can get an educational discount.

another suggestion. Since you already into linux, have you thought about trying Edubuntu for the Kids PC?

[stuckless]

Originally Posted by barney B.A.

another suggestion. Since you already into linux, have you thought about trying Edubuntu for the Kids PC?

I did run ubuntu on their computer for a short time.... until I got, "Dad, How come Age of Mythology doesn't work"