Windows 7 isn't genuine: Do I need full version or upgrade?

Sput2001

Hi folks,

I bought a laptop from a classified ad a few weeks ago, which had Windows 7 Ultimate installed on it.

Long story short, I'm now getting a message saying that this copy of Windows isn't genuine. Turns out the laptop originally had Vista on it, and was upgraded to this iffy version of Windows 7.

I'd like to keep using Windows 7, and I'm happy enough to buy a legit copy, but I'm wondering if I need to buy a full version or if an upgrade version would work OK.

Anyone any ideas?

I do actually have a full copy of Windows 7 Home Premium thats installed on my desktop, but presumably it's only one licence per PC.

Thanks in advance!

aliEnRIK

This is a bit late and morally dodgy advice ~

But in the future, before allowing it to connect to the internet, set to download updates but let YOU select if you want to install them. Therefore avoiding the 'authentification' check

tronator

NickMidgley wrote: »

Hi folks,

I bought a laptop from a classified ad a few weeks ago, which had Windows 7 Ultimate installed on it.

Long story shoer, I'm now getting a message saying that this copy of Windows isn't genuine. Turns out the laptop originally had Vista on it, and was upgraded to this iffy version of Windows 7.

I'd like to keep using Windows 7, and I'm happy enough to buy a legit copy, but I'm wondering if I need to buy a full version or if an upgrade version would work OK.

If the Laptop has a valid(?) Vista license then an upgrade would be ok, if...

But why schould you pay for it. Contact the seller as he has sold you a laptop with windows 7. If he doesn't cooperate tell him to contact Microsoft and if he still doesn't send you a genuine license, do so.

http://www.microsoft.com/howtotell/reports/report.aspx

JJ_Egan

Personally i would contact Microsoft .
You may well find that they offer you a deal on a new licence .

jje

Hammyman

NickMidgley wrote: »

Hi folks,

I bought a laptop from a classified ad a few weeks ago, which had Windows 7 Ultimate installed on it.

Long story shoer, I'm now getting a message saying that this copy of Windows isn't genuine. Turns out the laptop originally had Vista on it, and was upgraded to this iffy version of Windows 7.

I'd like to keep using Windows 7, and I'm happy enough to buy a legit copy, but I'm wondering if I need to buy a full version or if an upgrade version would work OK.

Anyone any ideas?

One licence per computer. If the Vista licence sticker is still on the computer, you can buy the upgrade. If it isn't, you need to buy the full version. You cannot buy the OEM as its not a new computer HOWEVER the OEM version would install OK and you'd be unlucky to be caught.

Hammyman

JJ_Egan wrote: »

Personally i would contact Microsoft .
You may well find that they offer you a deal on a new licence .

jje

I wouldn't. Microsofts latest moving of goalposts with license terms now means that if you don't have a recovery disk or recovery partition, the license is invalid even though its the original CoA on the computer. A trading friend of mine came foul of that and ended up paying £2500 to Microsoft even though the laptop had a valid CoA on and the same version of XP was installed.

The OP could quite end up being told they need the full version which costs 2x more than the OEM or upgrade.

tronator

Hammyman wrote: »

You cannot buy the OEM as its not a new computer HOWEVER the OEM version would install OK and you'd be unlucky to be caught.

This is something M$ wants you to believe. This clause in their terms is not valid in Europe, at least not for end users. You can buy an OEM version without restrictions, you only don't get support from MS. You can buy System Builder Versions (OEM) without problems from Ebuyer for instance.

It's hard to find links on Google because it's full of misinformations. Everybody repeats the same false informations. Here's maybe one

http://www.betanews.com/article/MS-Its-Okay-to-Buy-Vista-OEM-Software/1170100341

You might be better off asking a lawyer specialized in this field...

mr_fishbulb

Hammyman wrote: »

I wouldn't. Microsofts latest moving of goalposts with license terms now means that if you don't have a recovery disk or recovery partition, the license is invalid even though its the original CoA on the computer. A trading friend of mine came foul of that and ended up paying £2500 to Microsoft even though the laptop had a valid CoA on and the same version of XP was installed.

What was the £2500 for?

Hammyman

tronator wrote: »

This is something M$ wants you to believe. This clause in their terms is not valid in Europe, at least not for end users. You can buy an OEM version without restrictions, you only don't get support from MS. You can buy System Builder Versions (OEM) without problems from Ebuyer for instance.

It's hard to find links on Google because it's full of misinformations. Everybody repeats the same false informations. Here's maybe one

http://www.betanews.com/article/MS-Its-Okay-to-Buy-Vista-OEM-Software/1170100341

You might be better off asking a lawyer specialized in this field...

Actually, IT IS FACT. The bit that was disputed was transferring it to another computer. The licence agreement is a CONTRACT and therefore covered by contractual law. The licence restricts it to only being installed on new computers with the requirements clearly stated. If you're not complying with those, you're breaking the terms of the licence and the agreement with Microsoft.

Hammyman

mr_fishbulb wrote: »

What was the £2500 for?

Selling computers without licenced versions of Windows on even though they had the original CoA sticker on.

tronator

Hammyman wrote: »

Actually, IT IS FACT. The bit that was disputed was transferring it to another computer. The licence agreement is a CONTRACT and therefore covered by contractual law. The licence restricts it to only being installed on new computers with the requirements clearly stated. If you're not complying with those, you're breaking the terms of the licence and the agreement with Microsoft.

It's not that easy, if a specific paragraph in a contract is against the (european) law, then this paragraph is void. What if MS had a clause in their terms that you're only allowed to use this software at night if there is full moon. Would you think they can enforce it?

If you're right, how come that you can buy System Builder versions at Ebuyer? Don't you think MS would have stopped it already? I'm not talking about the offers in your daily Spam...

http://forums.ebuyer.com/showthread.php?t=3368&highlight=oem*