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Buying Windows For Mac

A

AzRocks

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 11, 2007
28
0
I want to purchase a copy of either Windows XP or Vista to use on my iMac. I really couldnt care less about anything except for the price. Will upgrade versions work? What is the difference between OEM and Full versions? Is there any really cheap place to get it or should I just try eBay?
Thanks!
 
AzRocks said:
What is the difference between OEM and Full versions?
Click to expand...

The OEM version is same as the normal version but its a lot cheaper, it is for people who build there own computers. You can get that version if you buy some (or a) hardware.

AzRocks said:
do oem versions come with activation codes?
Click to expand...

Yes, its a sticker if i can remember correctly.
 
Aren't you only allowed to install an OEM copy on one computer, or just one time? Something like that.

I remember reading that somewhere else. If you're going to install it somewhere else, can you just call the 1-800 # and get a new key, like you can with the retail version? I bought my copy in 2001 and have installed in many many times on many different computers (they're all legal, just upgrades and changing systems and stuff) and I have never had a problem with getting a new key.
 
I have a CD for a windows xp reinstall that i got with a dell pc a couple years ago. Can I use this?
 
AzRocks said:
I have a CD for a windows xp reinstall that i got with a dell pc a couple years ago. Can I use this?
Click to expand...

Probably not. It has to be the full version of Windows. Not an upgrade version and not a restore disk from a retail PC. And note, if you are going to be using WinXP it needs to be SP2 or higher.
 
OK, just so I'm 100% clear...

The OEM version comes with a full version of whatever version of Windows it is, plus a valid licence key that I can use on my Mac, right?

Cheers
SL
 
superleccy said:
OK, just so I'm 100% clear...

The OEM version comes with a full version of whatever version of Windows it is, plus a valid licence key that I can use on my Mac, right?

Cheers
SL
Click to expand...

I bought an OEM copy of Windows XP Pro for my MacBook Pro and it works fine. It comes with a sticker which you are supposed to put on your computer (stuff that!) that has a license key on it. For some reason, my copy doesn't need activating, maybe as an OEM copy it is pre-activated or something. Either way, it installed fine under bootcamp and also boots in parallels. I use it quite a lot for work where I have to test software that runs on Windows as well as OS X. I also have a Vista machine but I am glad I bought XP for my Mac because the hardware requirements of Vista are too great to sensibly allow me to work under Parallels with it since I can run XP with only 512MB of RAM allocated to it whereas Vista on a real machine with 512MB takes 10 mins to boot. Fortunately that machine runs CentOS 5 most of the time and that is fine on limited hardware.
 
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