Windows 8 Pro upgrade edition £24.99

[bigboss]

Starting tomorrow, it will be available as a download option for £24.99.

Deal here.

* Starting October 26th, you'll also have the option to download Windows 8 for £24.99

 

[vpacalypse]

Big Boss I'm quite confused about what you've posted.

Is this the full windows 8 which I will be able to keep forever?

I ask because it's so much cheaper than windows 7 which microsoft sells for £99 http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msuk/en_GB/cat/categoryID.59699800

Hence this sounds like a stupidly good deal, too good to be true? Please clarify, thanks.

 

[bigboss]

Yes, it IS the full Windows 8, & that too the Pro version.

It's priced aggressively to penetrate the market, & encourage 94% of PCs in the world to switch over to the latest platform.

Microsoft is trying to increase sales of Windows 8 OS which now has the App Store (another revenue for Microsoft).

 

[professorhat]

It is the upgrade edition though - note at the bottom of the web page:

To install Windows 8 Pro, customers must be running Windows XP SP3, Windows Vista or Windows 7.

More than likely this is fine for virtually everyone, who'll probably already be running one of these Windows OSes. But you can't buy this and install it on a blank machine or on a machine currently running Linux etc. Nor could you use it to install inside a virtual machine e.g. running in Parallels or VMware Fusion on a Mac.

 

[vpacalypse]

Can i say i have dell optiplex gx620 with 2.25gb ram (a normal desktop pc) which is running windows 7 professional.

Nothing is touchscreen.

Anything above a deal breaker?

Also will this £25 only allow me one upgrade...because I have a laptop too. thanks.

 

[bigboss]

I may go for it if I buy the Lumia 920.

Quick question: will I have to reinstall Microsoft Office? I don't have the disc. Besides, I bought it through an NHS scheme which has now expired.

 

[vpacalypse]

Ive just been looking into this now.

It seems windows 8 is essentially windows 7 with simply what seems to tiles on top.

The video also outlines windows 7 will still be on the system, so I'm guessing Office will remain intact.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tzQn0SxJFw

But I'm no expert!

 

[professorhat]

Can i say i have dell optiplex gx620 with 2.25gb ram (a normal desktop pc) which is running windows 7 professional.

Nothing is touchscreen.

Anything above a deal breaker?

Nope, that'll be fine

Also will this £25 only allow me one upgrade...because I have a laptop too. thanks.

Think you'll need another license for this, but let me check.

 

[bigboss]

Can i say i have dell optiplex gx620 with 2.25gb ram (a normal desktop pc) which is running windows 7 professional.

Nothing is touchscreen.

Anything above a deal breaker?

Also will this £25 only allow me one upgrade...because I have a laptop too. thanks.

Check the system requirements here.

Touch capability is not necessary. Read these articles:

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2012830/windows-8-the-official-review.html

http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/45897/windows-8-tips-non-touch

 

[bigboss]

Also will this £25 only allow me one upgrade...because I have a laptop too. thanks.

Think you'll need another license for this, but let me check.

Yes, £24.99 will give you only 1 licence.

 

[professorhat]

It seems windows 8 is essentially windows 7 with simply what seems to tiles on top.

Well, there's a bit more to it than that, but I can see how you got that impression

The video also outlines windows 7 will still be on the system, so I'm guessing Office will remain intact.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tzQn0SxJFw

But I'm no expert!

That guy has both OSes installed in a dual boot system which is why he has a choice- by default you wouldn't have both Windows 7 and 8 installed (and I don't think you'd really need to either).

 

[professorhat]

I may go for it if I buy the Lumia 920.

Quick question: will I have to reinstall Microsoft Office? I don't have the disc. Besides, I bought it through an NHS scheme which has now expired.

Should be okay if you just upgrade it over the top of your existing Windows 7 instance I think - which version of Office is it?

EDIT - Ahh - depends which OS you have currently:

Upgrading to Windows 8[/b]

[/b]If your PC is running Windows 7 Home Basic or Home Premium, your files, programs and settings will easily transfer to Windows 8. If your PC is running Windows 7 Professional or Ultimate, Windows XP or Windows Vista, you will need to reinstall your programs. Some features such as touch may require a new PC.

 

[vpacalypse]

Good stuff, I'll get one copy atleast. Will it remain at £25 for long?

Just incase I should want to wait until the weekend with regards to my laptop.

 

[professorhat]

From what I can see, looks like this offer expires in January 2013 - so you've got some time to make up your mind

 

[bigboss]

I may go for it if I buy the Lumia 920.

Quick question: will I have to reinstall Microsoft Office? I don't have the disc. Besides, I bought it through an NHS scheme which has now expired.

Should be okay if you just upgrade it over the top of your existing Windows 7 instance I think - which version of Office is it?

EDIT - Ahh - depends which OS you have currently:

Upgrading to Windows 8[/b]

[/b]If your PC is running Windows 7 Home Basic or Home Premium, your files, programs and settings will easily transfer to Windows 8. If your PC is running Windows 7 Professional or Ultimate, Windows XP or Windows Vista, you will need to reinstall your programs. Some features such as touch may require a new PC.

:cheers:

I've got MS Office 2007 & Win 7 Home Premium. Looks like I should be ok.

 

[motley]

I am reading this that you get windows 8 for £24.99 and windows 8 pro for £49.99?

 

[professorhat]

Yes, could be couldn't it. Find out tomorrow I guess.

 

[bigboss]

Oh yes, could be! Good spot! :cheers:

 

[daveg56]

Some developers at work have loaded and played with W8 but have been singularly unimpressed, they've reverted back to W7. Unless you've got a touchscreen there seems to be very little benefit in doing the upgrade.

Wait for Windows 9 to come along, which I suspect might be along sooner than we thought. New and shiny isn't enough any more, no matter how cheap an upgrade might be.

 

[DistortedVision]

Windows 8 is rubbish. I seriously wouldn't upgrade from Windows 7. There are very few corporate users upgrading to Windows 8.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390443624204578058892291378504.html
http://www.pcpro.co.uk/news/enterprise/377674/will-businesses-avoid-upgrading-to-windows-8

 

[professorhat]

Windows 8 is rubbish. I seriously wouldn't upgrade from Windows 7. There are very few corporate users upgrading to Windows 8.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390443624204578058892291378504.html
http://www.pcpro.co.uk/news/enterprise/377674/will-businesses-avoid-upgrading-to-windows-8

Whilst that could be true, I think it's a bit early to say most corporate users won't be upgraded. The same was said of Windows XP before it came out (in fact I think the same is said prior to every release of Windows).

I personally think it will be missed by a number of corporations (some of whom are only now just getting Windows 7 installed). On the other hand, I think the general movement to VDI and BYOD (bring your own devices) means it's possible a Windows 8 rollout would be much simpler for corporations, so it might well be more widely taken up than previous releases, especially if touch screens and tablets become more widely used for "mobile" workers.

 

[bigboss]

Windows 8 is rubbish. I seriously wouldn't upgrade from Windows 7. There are very few corporate users upgrading to Windows 8.

I think (also based on your links) the corporates won't adopt Windows 8, mainly because they won't feel the need to & not because they think it's rubbish. Windows 7 is a very good OS. The computers in hospitals here still run on Windows XP. Corporate adoption is likely to be slow, as there could be compatibility issues with the programmes they use.

Microsoft looks to be trying hard to sell Windows 8 by keeping prices low. It's betting on the assumption that success of Windows 8 OS will spur tablet & phone growth as well due to similar user experience.

 

[bigboss]

If the price is indeed for Windows 8, this is the cheapest price I've found for Windows 8 Pro for those interested:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/370673938313?item=370673938313&_trkparms=clkid%3D2994427474333141429&_qi=RTM1236974

 

[michael hoy]

Quick question: will I have to reinstall Microsoft Office? I don't have the disc. Besides, I bought it through an NHS scheme which has now expired.

Hi BB,

Ignoring Windows 8 in the equation, you should uninstall Microsoft office from your device.

If it was purchased because the NHS Hospital had a select agreement and then pulled out of it, you lost the right to the license you use.

 

[bigboss]

Quick question: will I have to reinstall Microsoft Office? I don't have the disc. Besides, I bought it through an NHS scheme which has now expired.

Hi BB,

Ignoring Windows 8 in the equation, you should uninstall Microsoft office from your device.

If it was purchased because the NHS Hospital had a select agreement and then pulled out of it, you lost the right to the license you use.

Really?? Why didn't Microsoft ever email me about it then? :?

I'll speak to them tomorrow.