New rig, confused about Win8 "upgrade offer"

[tsld32]

Hi everyone. I am very confused. Please help.

I have XP (32-bit) installed on my laptop. I'm about to order parts for a new rig and I want to install Win8 (64-bit) on it, and ideally get it for the $70 promo price. I also want to be able to reformat whenever I want (I usually reformat once or twice a year).

My main question is: what is the easiest, lowest-hassle way to get Windows 8 x64 on my new rig? (I'm assuming the answer is just to get a brand-new Win8 x64 OEM for $100, but I'd rather not spend that $30 (or $40 with Amazon's promo code) if I don't have to.)


Further information:

The product page on Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-3UR-00001-Windows-8-Professional/dp/B008H3SW4I) says that going from 32- to 64-bit is possible, I just won't be able to keep files (not a problem). This contradicts information I heard elsewhere that the "upgrade paths" only allow you to upgrade to the same architecture.

So, if Amazon will be sending me a disc -- which is what it will apparently do (given that there is a "product dimensions" figure) -- what exactly will be on that disc? How will I know whether it's 32 or 64? (There's no option that I see.) Will I have to install XP on my new rig, and THEN use the Win8 disc to upgrade it? I just have no clue what any of this is about at this point.

I also don't see much of anything in the way of helpful information on Microsoft's website; it's mostly just the $15 upgrade-from-recently-bought-Win7 stuff.

I'd just as soon pay the $40 or $70 or whatever to Microsoft to download Win8 and burn it to disc, but because of the conflicting information I'm not sure they'd let me download the 64-version.

Thanks for reading, and any help is appreciated!

 

[RetiredChief]

@ floepie
1) On source - Just google "using windows 7 upgrade to do a clean install.
http://www.google.com/#hl=en&sugexp=les%3B&gs_nf=3&cp=17&gs_id=1u&xhr=t&q=Using+windows+7+upgrade+for+clean+install&pf=p&sclient=psy-ab&oq=Using+windows+7+u&gs_l=&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&fp=760d5217a93fe50&bpcl=35277026&biw=1132&bih=796

On "on windows " should have read "of windows" - will change.

On windows XP exception. Using the "clean Install" there is no difference if previous version was windows XP or Vista" There is a difference between doing an upgrade to an existing windows XP vs Vista. Windows 7 did an upgrade to vista, but for win XP it replaced XP and saved some of win XP to a seperate directory.

On Why I think they will retain ability to use Windows 8 Upgrade to allow for a Clean Install. - Just an educated guess, so they may not. Reason I feel they will retain.
1) They (MS) have allowed for a clean install using Upgrade media. Previous to Vista/Win 7 If the Qualifying OS was not found on the HD, it would prompt you to insert the Qualifying DVD. They dropped that requirement starting with Vista. My guess is that it was because a large Number of NEW "store bought" systems do not provide the "installation DVD" and requires the user to make their OWN back-up restore DVDs. This created a problem if 1) the users HDD dies and he/she decided to upgrade in addition to getting a new HDD. And 2) Often downstream a user would need to RE-Install windows - OPPS they would then have to RELOAD OLD OS. I'm sure MS knew that there would be a small segment that would "illegally" take advantage of this, but considered it an acceptable loses ($$$).
Also, there are instances that a "Clean" install is preferred over an "upgrade". In this case, as long as you qualify for an upgrade version" you should not be penalized (ie your Old OS may be buggy). Personally I only use the Upgrade method if for some reason I cannot do a clean install (Like wife's system due to programs that she has lost Installation disks and some programs that VERY difficult to re-install).
Bottom Line is YES I think they will still allow for a clean install using the upgrade version.

"From what I understand, W8 upgrades are an entirely different animal from W7."
That is my understanding also. But this was also true for W7 verse Windows XP and was the reason you could not do a Upgrade from Win xp to Win 7 (ie win XP used several dot ini files, vista and Win 7 used a registry and problem of migrating Win XP drivers to Win 7). So yes Win 8 is completely diff from Win 7 - There was very little diff between Vista and windows 7. BUT this has Nothing to do with using the Upgrade Disk to do a clean install. In fact Windows 7 was more a Service pac to Visa - BUT MS had to get rid of the word VISTA - VISTA had the same connotations as Windows ME.

For what it's worth, My feeling is that from a corporate standpoint win 8 may very well join Windows ME and Vista. Windows 7 had a much larger acceptance for beta release than windows 8. I liked, and used windows 7 beta for several months prior to it's release - NOT so with Windows 8, it lasted about three days on my laptop (daul boot windows 7 and windows 8). I removed it and threw the Win 8 disk in the trash. And Yes Boot time was great, But when My Win 7 SSD boots in 12-> 15 sec this was NOT a real biggy and did not offset loss of functionally or the fact that it kept screw#$% up my windows 7 OS (and THIS was the Killer for me). The other thing, I'm sure they filed in the RTM, but the beta required a internet connection.

 

[nbelote]

99% of the time I agree with you..but every once in awhile you find a store that hire people that actually know what they're talking about...it's very rare though. Like a double rainbow.

We had one of those stores here... once upon a time. The staff there now, however, went from "double rainbow" to "ermahgerd mah fravrit berks" when all the intelligent Geek Squad staff got better jobs with actual IT companies.

 

[RetiredChief]

Added, the subject of Re-installing an OS downstream - SO OLD HAT.
Starting with Windows 7 (HOPEFULLY will retain in windows 8)

Using Windows 7 back-up located in control panel. This allowed for creating an image file for later re-installs.

After windows 7 was installed, all windows updates installed, all drivers loaded, and all programs installed, then tested and found to work fine.
You could create an image of your OS saved to a 2nd internal drive (I also copied to an external drive). Once the image was completed it would prompt you to create a Restore disk (Not needed if you had an installation disk).

6 months later you want to do a "Clean install". You whip out your restore disk (or installaion disk), stick it in your DVD drive and boot to it. Select repair, then repair using an image file. 10->15 Minutes latter, walla bang thank you ___, you reboot to exactly the state your machine was the day you made the image - NO MORE re-install OS, No waiting for Windows updates, NO reload all drivers and no re-install all the programs.

Yes you would have to do 1) any windows updates done after image was installed, 2) update any drivers that were updated after image, and 3) re-install NEW programs. - Or you could periodically re-do the image.

 

[floepie]

@ floepie

On Why I think they will retain ability to use Windows 8 Upgrade to allow for a Clean Install. - Just an educated guess, so they may not. Reason I feel they will retain.

...

Also, there are instances that a "Clean" install is preferred over an "upgrade". In this case, as long as you qualify for an upgrade version" you should not be penalized (ie your Old OS may be buggy). Personally I only use the Upgrade method if for some reason I cannot do a clean install (Like wife's system due to programs that she has lost Installation disks and some programs that VERY difficult to re-install).
Bottom Line is YES I think they will still allow for a clean install using the upgrade version.

With all respect, you are using the term "clean install" to describe two different activities. In the first part of your post, you use the term "clean install" to describe using the upgrade media to perform a clean install on a system with no pre-installed OS. This involves the simple "tricks" you mention. That is not the intention of the upgrade media, and it's far from the case that MS "allowed" it.

However, in the quote above, you use the term "clean install" in the more generic sense, that is, "clean install" versus an in-place upgrade. In the case of an existing, prior OS on the system, MS has always given the option to format the drive and perform a clean install and still does with W8 upgrade media. So, you can't use this reasoning "On Why I think they will retain ability to use Windows 8 Upgrade to allow for a Clean Install." because they already do allow for this type of clean install. And, there is no penalty of an in-place upgrade, because one always has the option for a clean install, provided a previous OS exists.

Whether they close this "loophole" of a clean install in the other more restrictive sense remains to be seen. But, I doubt it too because of the headaches it would create for them.

 

[RetiredChief]

Quote
the simple "tricks" you mention. That is not the intention of the upgrade media, and it's far from the case that MS "allowed" it.
Quote
Method came From MS.
(1) Let's say you do the Upgrade method on an OEM machine that you purchased - WITH no supplied installation disk, Only a Sticker on it with the KEY. Your HDD dies and you replace it - OPPS.
(2) your OEM machine HDD dies and you replace it, but upto upgrade OS. The Upgrade version is still a valid option - OOP

Both OOPs reason the method is what MS will till you to do.

As to Windows 8. Just got home so 1st checked the News (Foxnews) and low and behold a article on Windows 8
Can You Ignore Windows 8? Link: http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2012/10/16/why-can-ignore-windows-8/?intcmp=features

 

[egilbe]

Quote
As to Windows 8. Just got home so 1st checked the News (Foxnews) and low and behold a article on Windows 8
Can You Ignore Windows 8? Link: http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2012/10/16/why-can-ignore-windows-8/?intcmp=features

That describes my reasons for not upgrading very well :lol: