[SOLVED] Buying Windows 10 Pro 64X: OEM or retail?

dg27

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I'm (reluctantly) planning to move from Win 7 Pro 64X to Win 10 Pro 64X. I don't want to go the "upgrade" route and will buy it. I don't want to limit myself in terms of hardware in the future (and don't want to buy this again).

My understanding is that the cheaper OEM versions are tied to the hardware and therefore I wouldn't be able to install using the same license on my next machine. Correct?

Does this mean that retail is the way to go? (It's usually about a $50 difference from what I've seen.)
 

britechguy

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Why not go the upgrade route? After you have completed the upgrade you will have a legal license for Windows 10 (I'm assuming you're using 7 Pro 64-bit, so you'd have 10 Pro 64-bit) associated with that machine.

You can then do a completely clean reinstall with the latest Windows 10 installation media and have exactly what you're seeking at no cost to yourself.
 
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USAFRet

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I'm (reluctantly) planning to move from Win 7 Pro 64X to Win 10 Pro 64X. I don't want to go the "upgrade" route and will buy it. I don't want to limit myself in terms of hardware in the future (and don't want to buy this again).

My understanding is that the cheaper OEM versions are tied to the hardware and therefore I wouldn't be able to install using the same license on my next machine. Correct?

Does this mean that retail is the way to go? (It's usually about a $50 difference from what I've seen.)
Question #1: Where are you purchasing this license?
 

dg27

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Why not go the upgrade route? After you have completed the upgrade you will have a legal license for Windows 10 (I'm assuming you're using 7 Pro 64-bit, so you'd have 10 Pro 64-bit) associated with that machine.

You can then do a completely clean reinstall with the latest Windows 10 installation media and have exactly what you're seeking at no cost to yourself.
I don;t know how long my current machine will last; I don't want to get stuck with a license I can't use on my next machine.
 

britechguy

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I don't want to get stuck with a license I can't use on my next machine.

Whatever floats your boat. You would simply have to buy a license later instead of now, presuming you're upgrading an OEM license of Windows 7, not a retail license, as the features of the license type go right along with the upgrade.

I never like to lay out money I don't need to lay out until I have no other choice.
 

PC Tailor

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I don't necessarily agree, because I don't consider them OEM licenses, even if they are labelled as such.
Microsoft defines an OEM license as one that was issued by the manufacturer and tied to the hardware.

Microsoft OEM terms and conditions states:
  1. OEM versions do not offer any free Microsoft direct support from Microsoft support personnel
  2. OEM licenses are tied to the very first computer you install and activate it on
  3. OEM versions allow all hardware upgrades except for an upgrade to a different model motherboard
  4. OEM versions cannot be used to directly upgrade from an older Windows operating system

So anything outside of those, I can't consider to be OEM licenses. That's my take on it.
So I understand, just i don't consider those OEM licenses.
 

britechguy

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PC Tailor, you and I are on the same page when we use the term OEM license.

The fact that it is possible for a user to buy an OEM license at retail is a fact, and it creates this weird gray area, but that is still not what I'm talking about when I say OEM license. An OEM license, without any additional provisos, came loaded on the computer as shipped by its manufacturer (and they volume license from Microsoft).

And one can get reactivation on those, or free replacement with another key (I've had 2 acquaintances where this is what Microsoft chose to do), if one has to replace the mobo due to some sort of failure. I recently had this discussion with another member here who had their OEM license reactivated after something failid on their mobo and they had to replace it. I always get Microsoft on the phone in these cases.
 
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dg27

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Thanks, all for your input.

This is a gray area indeed and MS sure didn't help. I have an an older machine that I might get a few more years out of. That has what I believe is a bona fide Win 7 Pro 64X license (it was preinstalled on this Dell).

I've read a lot of posts and sill way to go.

This seems to apply to this case:

>OEM versions cannot be used to directly upgrade from an older Windows operating system

which is why I was leaning toward retail.
 

USAFRet

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Thanks, all for your input.

This is a gray area indeed and MS sure didn't help. I have an an older machine that I might get a few more years out of. That has what I believe is a bona fide Win 7 Pro 64X license (it was preinstalled on this Dell).
You can almost certainly Upgrade this to Win 10, for free.
Yes, the technical free upgrade period ran out long ago.
It still works.

Once upgraded to Win 10 and activated on that original hardware, the "OEMness" goes away. It then becomes a digital license.
Link that to your MS account, and you can move that license to different hardware.
 
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dg27

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Don't do it.
Actually, I'm in a bit of a bind becasue I'm a heavy Pro Tools user. I have a perpetual license which entitles me to the latest/greatest, but those are not compatible with Win 10 (it might work, but there is no guarantee). So I'm already paying for the latest version but can only use up to a version released at least three years ago. I'm hoping there are enough third-party tools out there to make 10 look/behave more like 7. Thanks for your reply.
 

britechguy

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There are several options, which I strongly suggest you do not use, to put a shell over Windows 10 that makes it look and act for all the world like Windows 7.

Classic Shell (open source) still works as does Start10.

It is a mistake not to learn how to use the Windows 10 UI (or the native UI of any OS you choose to use). You will not always be on your own machine and it makes jumping on a random Windows 10 machine and using it with ease much more difficult.

The Windows 10 UI is a lot more like Windows 7 was than Windows 8 or 8.1 were, though a few of the actually helpful/useful features from the Win8 era did come along.
 

dg27

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If you have a perpetual license, why can't you upgrade to the newest version.

Which does run on Win 10 no problem.
http://avid.force.com/pkb/articles/en_US/Compatibility/Pro-Tools-12-System-Requirements

And any addons to make Win 10 look/feel like Win 7 has nothing to do with the actual Win 10 v Win 7 OS.

Regarding Pro Tools, I had an error I just corrected in my post: I meant "but those are not compatible with Win 7" (that's why I have to move to Windows 10: the new versions only run on Win 10).

The system requirements at the link apply to versions through version 12.8.3. The naming convention has changed to "Pro Tools 2019," with a version number added. None of the 2019 versions are supported by Win 7.

Regarding my statement about making 10 look/feel like 7, I was talking mainly about things like the start menu, which I know can now be changed to resemble 7. Another huge factor was that (I believe initially at least) users could not control updates in terms of when they downloaded and installed. If I'm tracking a session and all of a sudden Windows decides to reboot to install an update, that could cost me serious time and money. My undertsandibng is that now users with Pro can control this.
 
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dg27

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There are several options, which I strongly suggest you do not use, to put a shell over Windows 10 that makes it look and act for all the world like Windows 7.

Classic Shell (open source) still works as does Start10.

It is a mistake not to learn how to use the Windows 10 UI (or the native UI of any OS you choose to use). You will not always be on your own machine and it makes jumping on a random Windows 10 machine and using it with ease much more difficult.

The Windows 10 UI is a lot more like Windows 7 was than Windows 8 or 8.1 were, though a few of the actually helpful/useful features from the Win8 era did come along.
Thanks for your reply. Classic Shell is what I've used in Windows 7 and what I plan to use on 10. I don't really have to worry about other machines: The only machines I've used in the last 10 years are the four that I administer. I never use random machines.

I've hung onto 7 because I just hate the whole concept of Win 10's UI because I believe it's really engineered for a touch tablet (which I never use). I'm certainly not alone is my disdain for the tile concept and I want complete control of my desktop: I do not want notifications of any kind appearing on my desktop.
 

britechguy

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Update installation has become much, much more user-controllable under Version 1903.

Even the update to 1903 within 1809 (and I'd presume 1803) has become far more user controllable. Microsoft replaced "full automatic" (at least at the outset) with checking that the machine meets the hardware specs and presenting a "Download and install now" link in the Windows Update pane of Update & Security settings that allows the end user to trigger the download and installation of 1903. I am sure that, eventually, it would be automatically installed but I know of several people who've had that link hanging around for a couple of months now and refuse to activate it.

In 1903 itself there are additional controls with regard to deferring updates built in to the Windows Update pane itself.

What I find amusing now is that so many have been clamoring for this control for ages now, but there is a significant contingent that's asking, "Why am I not updating to 1903 automatically?," with the advent of the control in Windows Update that allows you to decide exactly when. Microsoft is damned if they do and damned if they don't.