Cheapest way to obtain a legit copy of Win7

[jgmacrum]

I'm an avid M$ hater. With some minor exceptions, primarily for game playing for a few years in the late 90s, I haven't used Windows, well, basically ever (ok, I used DOS some until the mid-90s), mostly using various forms of Unix/Linux and Mac OS X. I have never purchased a Microsoft product directly (I've obtained licenses indirectly though).

I've been convinced that Win7 might actually be the fabled Windows release that doesn't completely blow donkey nuts. It actually would make my life somewhat easier from time to time if I could use boot camp.

Problem? I don't want to pay $150 or whatever it is. Hell, I probably wouldn't even pay $50 for it. I'm assuming there's no way, but if Redmond would like to see my dollars, it'll have to be on the cheap. So I ask ya, is there a legit way to obtain a very cheap copy of Win7? I'm ok with a little bending of the rules - for instance I have a hackintosh netbook and that's technically against the EULA, but I'm not looking to don a pirate hat at all. Just a miser's hat.

 

[ayeying]

Are you a student? Wasn't there a $29 for Home Premium for students?

 

[pdjudd]

The Cheapest Legal version of Windows that you can get is Home Premium for 180 or so. OEM versions are cheaper, but they are not intended for virtualized environments. It’s for system builders. Cheapest you can get that is about 100 bucks.

If you are a student, you can get the professional from win741.com for about 60 bucks. You are not going to get it any cheaper than that.

Are you a student? Wasn't there a $29 for Home Premium for students?

Expired last month...

 

[jgmacrum]

Are you a student? Wasn't there a $29 for Home Premium for students?

I'm not a student, but I have an .edu addy depending on how close they looked at it. Tho the later poster indicated that the deal was no longer with us. That's about as much as I'd be willing to pay, ah well ... Redmond can continue to deal with my personal boycott - it's clearly damaging them dearly

 

[Nano2k]

Windows 7 Ultimate keys cost 20$ on Ebay. Find the iso at the usual places...

 

[balamw]

Windows 7 Ultimate keys cost 20$ on Ebay. Find the iso at the usual places...

Why one would download the ISO from anywhere other than Microsoft is beyond me. The URLs for direct downloads are posted in threads about the $29 student deal.

B

 

[pdjudd]

Windows 7 Ultimate keys cost 20$ on Ebay. Find the iso at the usual places...

Are you sure that those keys are legitimate? I wouldn't count on it for 20 bucks.

I'm not a student, but I have an .edu addy depending on how close they looked at it. Tho the later poster indicated that the deal was no longer with us. That's about as much as I'd be willing to pay, ah well ... Redmond can continue to deal with my personal boycott - it's clearly damaging them dearly

I don't know how hard they check, but I don't think they are too aggressive. I just think the address still has to be valid and accessible. My .edu address is still accepted by them even though I haven't taken a class in years. You can still get Windows 7 professional from the site for 60 bucks. The home premium offer was the one that expired.

 

[CylonGlitch]

Are you sure that those keys are legitimate? I wouldn't count on it for 20 bucks.

Most of the cheap keys you see on eBay are either MSDN keys people are selling, or from MS TechNet. Either way, selling the keys is a violation of their license and all it takes is one person to get the account banned which will then invalidate the entire bunch of keys.

 

[balamw]

Most of the cheap keys you see on eBay are either MSDN keys people are selling, or from MS TechNet. Either way, selling the keys is a violation of their license and all it takes is one person to get the account banned which will then invalidate the entire bunch of keys.

You don't say!

BTW. jgmacrum if your goal is just to see what the fuss is all about. Just download an ISO direct from Microsoft, install it without a product key and use it as a 120 day trial. (30 days w/ three extensions).

If you like it buy it, it not don't.

EDIT: Just in time for the Windows 7 Activation Technologies Update so that MS can find and disable "bad" keys more easily.

B

 

[InfoSecmgr]

Are you a student? Wasn't there a $29 for Home Premium for students?

$0 for 7 professional x86 or x64 if your school is part of the MSDNAA.

Edit: it also depends on if your program is IT related. At Eastern Michigan, I am in the Information Security program which is under tech studies, so I was able to get it for $0 (.iso)

 

[ayeying]

$0 for 7 professional x86 or x64 if your school is part of the MSDNAA.

Edit: it also depends on if your program is IT related. At Eastern Michigan, I am in the Information Security program which is under tech studies, so I was able to get it for $0 (.iso)

Yeah, I know about the MSDNAA. My school's in that program and I have access to free software. I'm using a MSDN AA downloaded Windows Vista on the MacBook Pro.

He did say he's not a student anymore, so I'm not sure if he can enroll in the MSDNAA.