Do I need a new PC?

ChuckMountain

AndyPix wrote: »

Ok ill switch that on you ..

If you are "well aware of what's going on" - then how come a bios update allows a different version of windows to be installed ? Fully legally i might add

Whats the deal there - presuming you're well aware of course

BTW im well aware of furum rules - thanks though

Let's wind back and not get our wires crossed, I am just wanting to make sure the OP is not in a grey area.

The OP (tazwhoever) originally had Vista on the machine and upgraded to Windows 7 Home Premium. At some point it would not let him upgrade to Windows 10 due to unsuitable hardware.

I went back through the thread and apologies if I missed it or it's from a different thread where does it mention that this particular bios allows different OS versions to be installed. It's good practice to update the bios to the latest available version and will solve some issues like RAM compatibility.

Whether the one hosted on Mega has any additional tweaks it is not obvious. Whether it has
tweaks to allow embedded SLP to activate other versions of Windows is not clear on this thread.

Given the OP's machine came with Vista then there may not be reinstallation discs available with drivers that are suitable for Windows 7. The Dell download site does not have drivers later than Vista but they may well be obtainable elsewhere i.e. Intel or via Windows Update

So if a Dell OEM disk for Windows 7 Pro, works on the machine due to a modified bios and correctly activates still does not make it a legal copy. The bios does not make it legal, Dell will not have paid additional funds to MS for this particular machine.

A quick Google and the upgrade cost from 7 Home Premium to Pro was around $90 so it is not a free upgrade.

Apologies if too long a post or too MS Policey but I cannot see how else you can legally do it.

ChuckMountain

Judi wrote: »

Oh come on. Do you have to turn a really useful thread into an argument?

No and I had hoped I would not do.

However I feel that it is right to point out just because you can install the OS from a disk and a bios update may well be modified to allow that software to be activated does not make it legal to do so.

Would a person doing so get caught, highly unlikely, but that does not make it right either.

EveryWhere

tazwhoever wrote: »

Thanks Everywhere, I would go down to reasonable repair person. Ask him for the SSD 120GB, 4GB ram, etc from Amazon (any suggestions)?. Is there anything else I might need?

Would the computer be up to installing Windows 10 later in future?

Been looking at cloning HDD to SDD...I just want to transfer all information from HDD to SDD, then take out the HDD. I don't to reinstall applications, data, etc.

Is there free cloning software that I could suggest to the repair person. I guess he would be aware, but asking for your advice.

Thanks to the posters for your advice so far - #71 still counting!!!

You really should do the work yourself. Simply from the standpoint that you will understand how things work and not have to hand it over to a repairman every time something simple goes wrong.
PCs were designed to be modular. That is, user upgradeable. Everything just slots into place. There is no complicated wiring etc. You can literally slot the RAM in and swap the HDD to SSD in five minutes.
Forget about cloning the HDD. Why take old rubbish into the new house? Just transfer what you need after the Windows 7 installation.
As soon as you install Windows 7, I can show you how to back up the Windows 7 activation and clean install Windows 10.

Best to put certain characters on ignore. They are only cluttering the thread with long winded and pedantic posts and continued arguments. Almost every post filled with scaremongering.

This is a website dedicated to saving money, not wasting it unnecessarily.

For example, the machine that he has recommended to you can be purchased for between £50 to £85 with a mechanical hard drive(HDD). The addition of a 120 GB SSD costs £25.
Therefore you can have the same machine, same spec for between £75 to £110.
Yet he claims it is good value at £250.It doesn't even write to DVD.
Example: https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/HP-8200-Elite-500GB-Intel-Core-i5-2nd-Gen-3-1GHz-4GB-Desktop-XY146ET/129653539

He doesn't care about you. he cares about his ego.

ChuckMountain

EveryWhere wrote: »

Best to put certain characters on ignore. They are only cluttering the thread with long winded and pedantic posts and continued arguments. Almost every post filled with scaremongering.

This is a website dedicated to saving money, not wasting it unnecessarily.

He doesn't care about you. he cares about his ego.

Since when did the forums allow the discussion of unlicensed software. It's not your issue it's the OPs risk to take. I am pointing out the legality of it, nothing you have done gives you a licence for Windows 7 Pro.

EveryWhere wrote: »

For example, the machine that he has recommended to you can be purchased for between £50 to £85 with a mechanical hard drive(HDD). The addition of a 120 GB SSD costs £25.
Therefore you can have the same machine, same spec for between £75 to £110.
Yet he claims it is good value at £250.It doesn't even write to DVD.
Example: https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/HP-8200-Elite-500GB-Intel-Core-i5-2nd-Gen-3-1GHz-4GB-Desktop-XY146ET/129653539

I did not say it was good value, I said for the same money you could get. Yes you can cheaper but then you have to add the bits the warranty, RAM, the SSD, reinstall the OS etc. somebody has to pay for that or do you work for free...

EveryWhere

Drivers are here

It's simply not worth paying someone else to do the work, on a ten year old machine.

Then you might as well buy a better spec, as the labour charge would make the upgrade path unattractive.

Random example; https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/very-fast-Dell-OptiPlex-7010-Desktop-Intel-Core-i5-4GB-RAM-120GB-SSD-Win-10-Pro/263640800495 £103
Slightly better than the machine suggested by CM, but almost £150 less.

OS will will be fully activated and registered with Microsoft using my upgrade guide, as per the DELL/Microsoft Royalty OEM agreement.
No need to get involved in spurious arguments about it.

ChuckMountain

EveryWhere wrote: »

Random example; https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/very-fast-Dell-OptiPlex-7010-Desktop-Intel-Core-i5-4GB-RAM-120GB-SSD-Win-10-Pro/263640800495 £103
Slightly better than the machine suggested by CM, but almost £150 less.

Yep looks a reasonable machine I am sure if OP shops round a bit more he could find some good deals, with 12 months warranty etc. You don't have to spend much to get a reasonable machine all ready to go.

EveryWhere wrote: »

OS will will be fully activated and registered with Microsoft using my upgrade guide, as per the DELL/Microsoft Royalty OEM agreement.
No need to get involved in spurious arguments about it.

Yes and as I said it would be fully activated and registered because at the end of the day it uses one of Dell's volume licence key. However this is the important it does not make it legal, something you fail to grasp. Dell only paid an OEM cost for his original machine not an additional licence. Hence my statement the risk of getting caught is very low, but you are not correctly licensed. Save money by all means but do it properly. It's the same as you sharing a multiple activation key with him no different to that.

esuhl

tazwhoever wrote: »

Is there free cloning software that I could suggest to the repair person. I guess he would be aware, but asking for your advice.

Macrium Reflect is free cloning software that is excellent.
https://www.macrium.com/reflectfree

And... I'm still puzzled by the idea that a BIOS update gives access to a free upgrade to Win7 Pro... :-/

EveryWhere

The thread is much easier to peruse once you know how to use the Ignore function.

So..one can pick up a machine with as SSD already fitted for mere £65, here; https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DELL-OPTIPLEX-7010-Intel-i3-3240-3-4Ghz-4Gb-RAM-120Gb-SSD-HDMI-TOWER/123114423819

Which is why it's a waste of money paying someone to upgrade your machine. You can do it yourself and even buy the kids the machine above and still be within a £100 spend.

ChuckMountain

There is nothing to stop the OP from upgrading to Windows 10 Home as you say MS encourage it.

The cost of upgrading from Windows 10 Home to 10 Professional is still around $100 or so depending on the country.

Its not a free upgrade by manipulating an OEM version...

Suggest EveryWhere if he is ignoring me or not has a read here of this

https://www.zdnet.com/article/what-microsoft-wont-tell-you-about-windows-7-licensing/

Even the bit about 32 vs 64bit

ChuckMountain

EveryWhere wrote: »

Royalty OEM activation is entirely legitimate.
Desperately trying to score points and not caring if he ruins the thread in doing so. Sad and selfish.
Hiding behind caring about the OP even more so.

You still don't get it though or don't care one of the two. You are the one that seems adamant on suggesting scoring of points and defending your position.

Let me playback what you have said, feel free to disagree or probably ignore:-

What you are stating is, that this machine and infact all Dell machines that were licensed under Dells Royalty OEM for Windows 7 Home Premium can simply do a clean install of a fresh copy of Windows 7 Professional from Dell discs with a bios "fix" and no additional cost, all courtesy of Dell licence agreement with Microsoft. The costs are covered by Dell's agreement, and MS is not going to care that it is missing out on licence costs.

Except they are not, the correct legal way as mentioned several times on the Dell website is to buy an upgrade key which is not particularly cheap and use that. No need to reinstall the OS if just changing from HP to Pro.

You method is bending and breaking the rules end of.