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Installing Windows 7 on 2 Macs, Help!

B

bungiefan89

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Apr 5, 2011
565
76
What exact software do I need to run Windows 7 on my late 2009 Macbook and a new 2011 iMac 27" I'll be getting soon?

Is there NO WAY I can get around purchasing two separate copies of the $200 Windows 7 Home Premium install CDs? Can't I just buy one and somehow contact Microsoft to get them to give me a second CD key or something...? :confused:

Sorry if I sound so confused. I walked into Best Buy today thinking I could purchase Microsoft Office and Windows 7 Home Premium and be able to install both on up to three computers, all for less than $300 before taxes. Then I found out that the Windows 7 version I required was actually $200, and that version would ONLY run on one computer, and suddenly I'm looking at spending twice as much money as I originally intended.

Please help! :(
 
parapup said:
You can get the Family pack from Microsoft - allows 3 installs for $149.
Click to expand...
Oh, THANK YOU for replying so quickly! But... will this really work on my computer? At Best Buy, they told me I wouldn't be able to use this because it's just an upgrade to Windows 7. And they told me it wouldn't work because I don't have a previous version of a Windows OS on any of my computers.

Not trying to shoot your suggestion down. This is exactly the product I originally set out to purchase, but the Geek Squad guy at Best Buy said I needed the $200 install version of Windows 7... the one that only works for 1 computer... :confused:
 
bungiefan89 said:
What exact software do I need to run Windows 7 on my late 2009 Macbook and a new 2011 iMac 27" I'll be getting soon
Click to expand...
Just bootcamp assistant (in your mac's Applications > Utilities folder) to create the windows partition, then boot your Windows 7 disc and follow the instructions.

bungiefan89 said:
Is there NO WAY I can get around purchasing two separate copies of the $200 Windows 7 Home Premium install CDs? Can't I just buy one and somehow contact Microsoft to get them to give me a second CD key or something...?
Click to expand...

A single user license is a single user license, there is no ambiguity here.

As much as you'd like a single user to license to be a multi-user license, it does not change the facts. You will need a second copy of Windows 7 for the second mac

bungiefan89 said:
Oh, THANK YOU for replying so quickly! But... will this really work on my computer? At Best Buy, they told me I wouldn't be able to use this because it's just an upgrade to Windows 7. And they told me it wouldn't work because I don't have a previous version of a Windows OS on any of my computers.

Not trying to shoot your suggestion down. This is exactly the product I originally set out to purchase, but the Geek Squad guy at Best Buy said I needed the $200 install version of Windows 7... the one that only works for 1 computer... :confused:
Click to expand...

Correct, that package is absolutely not what you want.
 
bungiefan89 said:
Oh, THANK YOU for replying so quickly! But... will this really work on my computer? At Best Buy, they told me I wouldn't be able to use this because it's just an upgrade to Windows 7. And they told me it wouldn't work because I don't have a previous version of a Windows OS on any of my computers.

Not trying to shoot your suggestion down. This is exactly the product I originally set out to purchase, but the Geek Squad guy at Best Buy said I needed the $200 install version of Windows 7... the one that only works for 1 computer... :confused:
Click to expand...


Check this out - as far as I know it does work - [Forgot to add] as long as you have at least as many Windows licenses from which to upgrade that is. In my case I had old XP and Vista licenses and just didn't had them installed so I used that method in the URL which was legal for me.
 
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AdrianK said:
Just bootcamp assistant (in your mac's Applications > Utilities folder) to create the windows partition, then boot your Windows 7 disc and follow the instructions.



A single user license is a single user license, there is no ambiguity here.

As much as you'd like a single user to license to be a multi-user license, it does not change the facts. You will need a second copy of Windows 7 for the second mac



Correct, that package is absolutely not what you want.
Click to expand...
Well this is terrible news! I cannot believe how expensive this all is.

Wait, what if I installed Windows 7 on my Macbook, then when I got the new iMac, I migrated all my files over to the new iMac with Migration Assistant? Would that send over the Windows OS as well? Sorry if I sound like a broken record here... I just want to find out if there's ANY way I can avoid either spending an extra $200 on a SECOND version of Windows 7, or end up with Windows 7 on just one computer at that price.
 
bungiefan89 said:
Well this is terrible news! I cannot believe how expensive this all is.

Wait, what if I installed Windows 7 on my Macbook, then when I got the new iMac, I migrated all my files over to the new iMac with Migration Assistant? Would that send over the Windows OS as well? Sorry if I sound like a broken record here... I just want to find out if there's ANY way I can avoid either spending an extra $200 on a SECOND version of Windows 7, or end up with Windows 7 on just one computer at that price.
Click to expand...

Silly question, but why do you need Windows? If you needed it that badly you really should have purchased a windows machine.

and to answer your question, no, it will not migrate. However, you can install it on the new machine but you may have to call Microsoft to get it activated. Usually they will let you do it once or twice.
 
wpotere said:
Silly question, but why do you need Windows? If you needed it that badly you really should have purchased a windows machine.
Click to expand...
I want Windows 7 for... the gaming abilities the OS will provide me with, the ability to run Microsoft Office and not the ported Mac version, and all the little things you can do through Windows that you just can't do through Macs. (like open .exe files without fiddling with Wine and other 3rd party software, or running Gimp without also having to turn on X11 all the time, etc.)

I'm getting a 2011 27" iMac, and I want it to have Windows 7 on it so it can be my own personal handle-everything machine for at least the next 3-4 years of college. And I was hoping I could get SOME of these Windows 7 features on my Macbook too if it were possible to do so without spending any extra money.
 
wpotere said:
and to answer your question, no, it will not migrate. However, you can install it on the new machine but you may have to call Microsoft to get it activated. Usually they will let you do it once or twice.
Click to expand...
AUGH! THAT! That, that, that, that, THAT!
That's what the Geek Squad guy at Best Buy talked about... something where I could get the $200 version of Windows 7 (the non-upgrade single-use version) and use it TWICE or more if I called up Microsoft or something like that... do you have any more information on this issue? This is exactly what I think I may need.
 
bungiefan89 said:
AUGH! THAT! That, that, that, that, THAT!
That's what the Geek Squad guy at Best Buy talked about... something where I could get the $200 version of Windows 7 (the non-upgrade single-use version) and use it TWICE or more if I called up Microsoft or something like that... do you have any more information on this issue? This is exactly what I think I may need.
Click to expand...

That... Is illegal. If you have two computers, you need two licenses.

Mac can game and the MS Office for Mac is not ported, it is native and very nice. Like I said, it sounds like you need to buy a windows machine.
 
wpotere said:
That... Is illegal. If you have two computers, you need two licenses.
Click to expand...
But, how is it illegal if Microsoft knows about it? I... oh to hell with it. I guess I'll just have to settle with having Microsoft Office and Windows 7 on only ONE computer. :(

Thanks though.
 
bungiefan89 said:
But, how is it illegal if Microsoft knows about it? I... oh to hell with it. I guess I'll just have to settle with having Microsoft Office and Windows 7 on only ONE computer. :(

Thanks though.
Click to expand...

Oh, so you are wanting to know how to get around the activation. Microsoft assumes that you are only installing one license on a computer, the ability to call in an additional activation is for an accidental failure of the first activation. Sorry, but what you are doing is pirating software and is illegal. If you have two computers, you need two licenses for it. You are choosing to install expensive additional software on a machine that has the capability of doing what you need. If you want that additional option, you need to pay for it.
 
OP, check Fry's. You can often get cheap OEM copies of Microsoft software, including Windows. I bought Windows 7 for my wife's iMac for $109, for a full license, not an upgrade.
 
wpotere said:
Oh, so you are wanting to know how to get around the activation. Microsoft assumes that you are only installing one license on a computer, the ability to call in an additional activation is for an accidental failure of the first activation. Sorry, but what you are doing is pirating software and is illegal. If you have two computers, you need two licenses for it. You are choosing to install expensive additional software on a machine that has the capability of doing what you need. If you want that additional option, you need to pay for it.
Click to expand...
Ok, NOW I see why it's illegal. Right, that sounds perfectly reasonable. I won't do anything like that.

And I know I can game on my Mac and do a lot of the other things with just the Mac OS. I was just hoping the Windows 7 OS would give me additional functionality. But now that I see the price is so steep (and I've already put in almost $2,500 into the new iMac) maybe I'll hold off on getting the Microsoft products until I really start running into some barriers with the new machine.

Thanks! :D
 
Tomorrow said:
OP, check Fry's. You can often get cheap OEM copies of Microsoft software, including Windows. I bought Windows 7 for my wife's iMac for $109, for a full license, not an upgrade.
Click to expand...
Sounds interesting... got a link for that?
 
Easy way at eBay?

Why break your head trying to get round Microsoft's restrictions. Both Office and Win 7 regularly go for very reasonable prices on eBay. You may even get two copies of each for what you would pay in a store for one of each..
 
wpotere said:
You really need to learn to Google...

http://www.newegg.com/Store/SubCategory.aspx?SubCategory=368&name=Operating-Systems

You can get OEM licenses easily. Newegg is one location to get them. This isn't really the license that you need, but it is better than trying to shoe horn two activations into one.
Click to expand...
Tomorrow said:
Did you even look?

http://www.frys.com/product/6028088?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG

I haven't bought it online, only in the store. This is an OEM version; nobody in the store has ever given me a hard time buying one.
Click to expand...
Thank you. Thank you all so very much! It warms my heart to know that so many people are out there to help poor little noobs like me. I'm just so overwhelmed by getting my first brand new top-of-the-line desktop and want everything to run smoothly. I'll bookmark this thread for future reference, but for now, I think I'll hold off on investing in a new OS and the related software until I actually get the computer I want to run them on and find I really DO need them.

Cheers!:D

Macready said:
Why break your head trying to get round Microsoft's restrictions. Both Office and Win 7 regularly go for very reasonable prices on eBay. You may even get two copies of each for what you would pay in a store for one of each..
Click to expand...
And I'll try that too. Thanks again!
 
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