Windows 7 RC and Activation

[bildo123]

I know the RC is going to last about a year but I was wondering this...If I want to continue using 7 would I have to buy a license key from M$, or can I get an OEM CD/KEY and just plug that in. I'm setting someone up with a new computer and was going to suggest using Windows 7, but don't wan't them having to pay $200 when it expires when they can just stick with the OS they had and not worry about it. Thanks.

 

[jonshardunderwear]

The RC you have will expire and you'll need to install a new OS when that happens.
If you use it till that time and buy windows 7 or go back to what the original OS was you'll be fine.

 

[bildo123]

The RC you have will expire and you'll need to install a new OS when that happens.
If you use it till that time and buy windows 7 or go back to what the original OS was you'll be fine.

Alrighty, just to make I understand. No matter what I would have to reinstall the OS when the RC expires. So there is no option to just buy 7 and continue using the RC? Thanks.

 

[mi1ez]

Nope. reinstall will be needed.

 

[meodowla]

RC expires on June 1 2010... so whats hurry..

 

[bildo123]

RC expires on June 1 2010... so whats hurry..

Mostly because a year from now I don't wanna be like...oh...OH...YA...Then tell the person I have to reinstall his old windows home edition and that he'll have to reinstall all his games/software/etc. Also I would get 'stuck' and have to do it seeing how I would have set him up that way. And I'm sure it would be something expected to be done for free. And I no likey work fo' free'ee.

Thanks a bunch for comments above. Saved me some time.

 

[ohiou_grad_06]

Just use their vista home editon if that's what they have. Some places say there's only a 5-10% difference in performance between vista and windows 7. So at this point, use vista, if they want 7 later, then good deal.

 

[bildo123]

Just use their vista home editon if that's what they have. Some places say there's only a 5-10% difference in performance between vista and windows 7. So at this point, use vista, if they want 7 later, then good deal.

They actually have XP Home currently (yikes) but I recently did a reinstall with SP3 integrated. I know the memory management isn't as great but I wondered how well XP Home would handle a phenom II X3 compared to other OS's