Do I need a new PC?

EveryWhere

tazwhoever wrote: »

I was thinking about the Dell £325, until I was advised to upgrade my own PC.

4GB maximum RAM and SDD 500GB.

Just because you looked at it, didn't mean that it was a good idea or that you should buy it and that as you didn't you "saved £200".

For that sort of money, you can get an "as new" PC from Dell Outlet. No more than twelve months old.
Why buy a ten year old PC for that kind of money?

You could pick up something newer from Dell Outlet;



or Zoostorm for the same or less;

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Zoostorm-i3-7100-Dual-Core-Desktop-PC-4GB-RAM-1TB-HDD-Win-10-WiFi-DVD-RW-/263496114875
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Zoostorm-SFF-i5-6400-Quad-Core-Desktop-PC-120GB-HDD-8GB-RAM-DVDRW-No-OS-/263603028723
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Zoostorm-USFF-i3-6100-Dual-Core-Desktop-PC-8GB-RAM-120GB-SSD-No-O-S-/263492829458
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Zoostorm-AMD-A8-7650K-Quad-Core-Desktop-PC-8GB-RAM-1TB-HDD-WiFi-Win-10-/263465659260



Not that I regard them as particularly good value. But on another plane to what you have and will have and all with warranty.

The £65 machine will be much better than what you will create and it's much newer. i really don't know what you are thinking. But if you are happy, it's best we leave it at that.
You've had the benefit of the best advice and at the end of the day the choice is yours.

ChuckMountain

tazwhoever wrote: »

Have my PC since 2008, Windows 7 32bit home, MS Office 2010 running VM internet.

Big clue in the very 1st post Windows 7 32bit Home. Everywhere is the person suggesting an upgrade to Professional hence all the comments started.

The only reason to change tier of OS is from 32 to 64bit to address all 4GB of the new ram rather than 3.5GB under 32bit desktop Windows OS. The OP does not require any of the features of Pro.

EveryWhere wrote: »

I would apply the latest firmware, to be found here and then clean install with one of these;



I'm sure someone will lend you their copy for free.

EveryWhere wrote: »

Keep it simple. Step by step. BIOS update, install RAM, swap HDD for SSD, install Windows 7 Professional 64 bit using DELL media or equivalent.. Machine up and running.

getmore4less wrote: »

is there really a legal free upgrade from vista to 7?

EveryWhere wrote: »

You are just over complicating things. It really is that easy.
Yes.

EveryWhere wrote: »

Once again, they won't be limited to Windows 7 HP, but you don't appear capable of understanding that, since I've already stated it at least twice.
Either way, media will be supplied as needed.

EveryWhere wrote: »

OS will will be fully activated and registered with Microsoft using my upgrade guide, as per the DELL/Microsoft Royalty OEM agreement..

So why not use the latest bios version on the Dell website, rather than a unknown sourced file on an anonymous file sharing site? Because that bios has been updated to allow Windows 7 installs for a machine that only ever came with Vista ....

So they are going to borrow the media or its going to be supplied, either way they don't have it currently. If they ask Dell for one they will get a Vista reinstallation disc shipped (and charged for the privilege)

So far you had advocated that Vista -> Windows 7 is a free upgrade and that branded machines are free to move between tiers (no explanation of how on that last bit). Given the majority of PCs come from the big manufacturers it would be quite easy then to find the free upgrade route on their websites or MS. Maybe you could share a link or two? Plenty of ones saying how to upgrade all of them at cost ...

Just because you can use a key\exploit\mod call it whatever to piggy back on the back of Dell's agreement does not make it legal to use. Dell and the other manufacturers still need to track which machines are sold with which licences as this dictates how much money MS get and will vary depending on say whether they sell 10 or 10,000 machines that month. If a machine is sold with a given version of Windows that's what is counted and the user is legally entitled to use. Being able to install and activate a different version either because of exploits in the OEM model does not make it legal.

If after reading this the OP wants to do it then as others have said I am not going to stop them but to suggest it to other people that everything is totally legit to "save money" is wrong and therefore a balanced view is needed.

You keep saying you have explained, sorry but you haven't put a link up to a legitimate website of MS or Dell showing this free upgrade path. (not the W10 one) that might provide a bit of credibility and these points you seem so enamoured with.

:money:

Btw my comedian mate says you can save tax by investing in these companies, it's totally legit as he says so. Oh wait .... :eek:

AndyPix

Sigh - you seem incapable of doing your own research .. Ill start you off ..


When windows 7 was released , MS agreed that any machines sold with vista installed 6 months prior to this would be eligible for a free upgrade to windows 7.
The only difference between a machine sold 1 day prior to this, or 1 day after was the BIOS.
This is a very old (obviously) upgrade path (hence BIOS no longer available for download from Dell) but is still completely valid and legal.


Now stop polluting this thread with you ramblings about things you don't understand


I'm not commenting any further on this as it has nothing to do with the OP's question and you I'm sure are capable of using google

EveryWhere

As an aside, anyone can check beforehand as to whether a BIOS update has the Windows 7 signature. Some will state it under Fixes/Enhancements. Some won't.

In addition, many laptop, such as from HP and IBM were sold with 'white lists' written to the Motherboard, that locked you in to buying products from them instead of being able to fit whatever you wanted. Of course this also meant that you ended up paying a higher price than anyone else for exactly the same product. Totally legit?

If one uses their Dell media to install Windows 7 to the device and finds that it activates under OEM licencing, should they then deactivate it and purchase a key from Microsoft?

Yeah....if you are an idiot. The software has been legitimately installed.

By CM's reasoning, no one should buy OEM media from a vendor unless it is installed to a PC. Those are the terms of System Builder OEM. So all of those we see for sale are illegal from his perspective, as they get around the rule by selling them with a useless piece of PC hardware.
Some will just sell the old COA off their machine. Also illegal.
So the only legal way in his mind's eye, is to buy Windows 7 Retail media......only you cannot, as it has been discontinued.
So ignore the ridiculous argument about whether activating Windows in exactly the way it is designed to be activated being a bad thing.
His argument is that you aren't handing over any cash for it therefore it is somehow worse than the 'illegal' selling and reselling of OEM licenced products.
On the contrary, rather than using a key bought via eBay about which you know nothing and handing over cash to someone who is not legally entitled to sell such product, you are installing and activating a certified clean disc from Dell via the Royalty OEM system. No need to install harmful software.

CM is just being argumentative for the sake of it. Witness his earlier statement of paying US$90 for an upgrade. (I don't remember exactly, as he is on ignore).
No one will pay that, instead they'll just buy a Windows 10 key for a tenner via eBay. Totally legit?

So no, if you find that your device auto-activates in the way that I have described, don't worry, be happy. It's permanently activated and you will be, device permitting, be able to upgrade to Windows 10.

Of course the vendors and Microsoft don't publish these things. What they are concerned about is business using pirated software and people seeking to make financial gain by distributing their software.

How many take downs of DELL media have you heard about on eBay? None. Even though in the EULA it states that you shouldn't share the media.
Because it's not an issue. It's only an issue for ChuckMountain.

ChuckMountain

AndyPix wrote: »

Sigh - you seem incapable of doing your own research .. Ill start you off ..


When windows 7 was released , MS agreed that any machines sold with vista installed 6 months prior to this would be eligible for a free upgrade to windows 7.
The only difference between a machine sold 1 day prior to this, or 1 day after was the BIOS.
This is a very old (obviously) upgrade path (hence BIOS no longer available for download from Dell) but is still completely valid and legal.


Now stop polluting this thread with you ramblings about things you don't understand


I'm not commenting any further on this as it has nothing to do with the OP's question and you I'm sure are capable of using google

OP's machine bought 2008, release date Windows 7, RTM July 2009, general release Nov 2009, more than 6 months apart no automatic qualification.

The anonymous shared bios is a modified version of the same release version on the Dell website (11 Mar 2009 within the 6 month window) which is still publicly available. Dell use a number of methods for versioning their bios files if was one of Dell's it would be sequenced differently.

I suggest it is you that needs to do a bit of research on some less mainstream websites. They talk specifically about how to obtain licences from copies floating round on the net and embed them in the bios so they appear as legitimate machines to Windows activation etc. Does not make it legal though ....

Even so the upgrade path is also between comparable tiers i.e. Home to Home Premium or Vista Business to 7 Professional you can't just jump from tier to the other because you feel like it. Something that certainly Everywhere seems to suggest is the case.

Even if the 6 months applied you cannot legitimately move from Vista Home Premium to Windows 7 Professional without buying a licence. The same currently applies for Windows 10 upgrade you end up on the same tier....

Taz did you have to buy your upgrade to Windows 7?

ChuckMountain

@Everywhere one question you haven't answered so far is how for a branded machine you would upgrade from one tier to another.

So for example how would you on a Dell machine running Windows 10 Home upgrade for free to Windows 10 Pro?

ChuckMountain

EveryWhere wrote: »

If one uses their Dell media to install Windows 7 to the device and finds that it activates under OEM licencing, should they then deactivate it and purchase a key from Microsoft?

Yeah....if you are an idiot. The software has been legitimately installed.

If it is their software and it came with and installed on the machine they bought then they are entitled to do so.

But I will refer you to your earlier thread :-

EveryWhere wrote: »

I'm sure someone will lend you their copy for free.

EveryWhere wrote: »

Either way, media will be supplied as needed.

That's not their media then is it ....

It might appear legitimate it's not legally licensed though .... :doh:

Litmus test - How would a licence auditor at MS be satisfied this OP had legal ownership of the licence for the OS he is running if he had followed your steps?

getmore4less

tazwhoever wrote: »

RAM has been ordered and seen YouTube videos.

With SSD - will order Samsung 500GB 860 Evo one with Amazon. According to "mrmemory" site it's compatible with Dell 530s. Samsung also have a cloning software, makes it easier "Samsung Data Migration". That I can throw that HDD in the bin!

Will save over £200 from buying a refurbished PC.

I will get back to you guys, if any problems.

Thank you for a lenghly discussion.

I wish I could find my notes,

I have a feeling it was the samsung cloning software that had a problem with my HDD which had faults(serious) and was on the way out so yours may be OK.

I got the EVO SSD PC upgrade package that came with the SATA cable and a SATA to USB adaptor to do the clone if no spare SATA inside and a mounting bracket(that does not fit anywhere).

getmore4less

EveryWhere wrote: »

OP doesn't appear to be as confused as ChuckMountain and yourself.
In fact none of the people on this thread owning an Inspiron 530 has made any comment nor made an enquiry regarding the BIOS update.
So your interjections have only served to disrupt the thread.
Nevertheless the OP has made their choice and I'm sure ChuckMountain and yourself will be on-hand to assist them.
You can go off and learn more about the subject and I can put you on ignore. A win-win for both.

It was clearly going to be a waste of time asking where this file on a hosting site came from or what it does as anyone with sense would give an explanation of what that first step(update bios) gives you and any problem it will solve if you don't.

Your reply was very off hand when I said I would want to know before installing anything what it does.

Then throwing a wobbly on someone else because they don't use ebay...

no1catman

Do you need a new PC?

When you start it up - how long does it take to be able to do anything with?
Is your hard disk space almost used up?
I would enquire whether your operating system is fully supported - but that's already been answered.

I'm on my third PC. The first one I got in 1995 windows 3 I think - very useful with my part-time Further Education courses.
The second one - new base unit built up locally, with 'XP', then when support for that was going, and I found it took a good five minutes to start up!!
The third one was from Chillblast - good reviews - could tailor make it - with windows 7.
Where I worked, I could get Windows Office 2010 for a tenner - which may have given Microsoft my details when I set it up, as when Windows 10 came out I had emails 'inviting' me to have it free. Nine months later - I said yes, figured by then the 'bugs' would've been sorted, and if I needed to later - would cost a fortune.