Ok, while I'm waiting for my rMBP to come sometime in 3-4 weeks... should I just get a copy of Windows 7 OEM for $99 now... or wait until Windows 8 is officially released? Does it matter, really, though? I'm just going to game on it.
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Win 7 or Win 8?
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If you need windows now then you may as well get windows 7. It's a good, stable os and runs fine with boot camp. I personally wouldn't get windows 8 at least until the first service pack is released. Microsoft are changing so much so there are almost certainly going to be issues at first, especially with their track record (vista wasn't the most successful GUI update🙂 ).
Grannyville7989
macrumors 6502a
I would say get Windows 7. You'll be more familiar with the interface, a lot of games are already compatible with it, and it's going to be supported by Microsoft until 2020. Plus, you'll still have the option to upgrade to Windows 8 should you desire.
As far as I have experienced from using the Developer Preview of Windows 8, many pretty much all of my games work on it (even my olders ones like the first StarCraft).
Also, it may be a while before Apple release the official drivers for Windows 8. It took Apple four or so months after the release of Windows 7 to have the offical Boot Camp drivers for it.
As far as I have experienced from using the Developer Preview of Windows 8, many pretty much all of my games work on it (even my olders ones like the first StarCraft).
Also, it may be a while before Apple release the official drivers for Windows 8. It took Apple four or so months after the release of Windows 7 to have the offical Boot Camp drivers for it.
S.B.G
Moderator emeritus
Windows 7. It's stable and compatible right now. Windows 8 may or may not be compatible and you would have to wait.
There's nothing wrong with 7, so that is what I would go with.
Windows 7 it is!
Now... is the OEM version fine to use (I'll most likely never need 'real' support for Windows besides tinkering with it and figuring things out through the forums and asking great people like you guys!)?
Or would I have to double-down and get the full retail version?
Now... is the OEM version fine to use (I'll most likely never need 'real' support for Windows besides tinkering with it and figuring things out through the forums and asking great people like you guys!)?
Or would I have to double-down and get the full retail version?
OEM is $99. Full retail is ~$179.
...unless someone knows of places where the OEM is on sale (or retail is on sale). Don't want to risk getting "used" copies.
...unless someone knows of places where the OEM is on sale (or retail is on sale). Don't want to risk getting "used" copies.
Yeah, you're safest and best bet is just to get an OEM copy from Newegg or your local Fry's electronics.
Go with Windows 7, Pro edition if you can handle it. I couldn't be more happy with my Windows 7 Pro install, it's the most stable install of Windows I've ever used. (Which is to say, I've only had to re-image once in 2 years!)
I'll stick with the regular home premium. Did you get an OEM or the retail version?
throAU
macrumors G4
OEM is not legal as it is for sale only with a new computer (or I have heard that a new hard drive qualifies).
If you're not going to go legal, then why bother buying at all (well sure its convenient, but...)?
You'll need retail... to be properly legit.
The cheaper/better way i find is to get a paid technet subscription - something like 500/yr, but then you get access to EVERYTHING microsoft make, including new versions as they become available. all versions of windows, all versions of office, virtually all their enterprise applications, etc.
Depends how much of their stuff you use though.
Actually, both are perfectly legal. The main differences are below:
Retail version:
- it is NOT tied to a single machine configuration. As long as you remove it from the previous machine, you can install on a different machine with wildly different specs without re-activation;
- phone tech support;
- both 32-bit and 64-bit versions come on the same install disc (at least this is true for Win7);
- retail packaging.
OEM version:
- less packaging materials;
- no phone tech support (not a loss, not many people need this anyways);
- you must choose between 32-bit and 64-bit at the time of purchase.
None of the above is really important, but this part is: the OEM version is RESTRICTED TO ONE MACHINE CONFIGURATION ONLY. When you activate it on the first time, the key is attached directly to that one specific configuration. If you need to somehow reinstall the OEM version of Windows (e.g. hard drive died, logic board replacement, etc.), you must call Microsoft to get a validation code to re-activate the copy on a new machine configuration.
If you use an MBA or MBPR, the OEM version is perfect since you're unlikely to change the hardware inside (well, you can't change anything except the storage anyways). Classic MBPs and desktop Macs would be better served with the retail version, although the OEM version can also work - as long as you don't mind the re-activation part.
Some stores require you buy a computer part to go alongside the OEM copy, while other stores allow you to buy it standalone.
If all you need from Microsoft is the operating system, a TechNet subscription is way overkill, as the retail Ultimate version of Windows is at most 2/3 of the yearly sub price.
throAU
macrumors G4
Why don't we get the info straight from the horse's mouth, so to speak...
http://www.microsoft.com/oem/en/licensing/sblicensing/pages/licensing_faq.aspx
its a bit of a grey area if you build your own machine (hence, the hard drive thing - by installing a new hard drive to boot from, you're "building" a new PC sort of), you can be classed as a "system builder" and use an OEM license. I'm not sure that would hold up if it came to it either - but i've dealt with retailers who will sell you it like that.
But if you're buying a license for a machine that shipped with another OS (like, say OS X), you can only either go for an upgrade license (if you have a qualifying product) or a retail license.
With a Mac, apple is the OEM, not you - so you are not entitled to an OEM license. Apple could supply an OEM copy for your Mac, but not you - you are not the system builder.
yes, OEM will /work/ but by the letter of the license, you should be buying retail, to be 100% legit.
Not that I suspect that microsoft will come after you for it, but that's not entirely the point. there's nothing to say they won't disable OEM copies from running on apple hardware in future.
It would be a nasty move, but they'd be entitled to do it.
edit:
been working in and around the PC industry for 18 years now...
http://www.microsoft.com/oem/en/licensing/sblicensing/pages/licensing_faq.aspx
its a bit of a grey area if you build your own machine (hence, the hard drive thing - by installing a new hard drive to boot from, you're "building" a new PC sort of), you can be classed as a "system builder" and use an OEM license. I'm not sure that would hold up if it came to it either - but i've dealt with retailers who will sell you it like that.
But if you're buying a license for a machine that shipped with another OS (like, say OS X), you can only either go for an upgrade license (if you have a qualifying product) or a retail license.
With a Mac, apple is the OEM, not you - so you are not entitled to an OEM license. Apple could supply an OEM copy for your Mac, but not you - you are not the system builder.
yes, OEM will /work/ but by the letter of the license, you should be buying retail, to be 100% legit.
Not that I suspect that microsoft will come after you for it, but that's not entirely the point. there's nothing to say they won't disable OEM copies from running on apple hardware in future.
It would be a nasty move, but they'd be entitled to do it.
edit:
been working in and around the PC industry for 18 years now...
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personally i would choose windows 8 since i use it more than just gaming.
i shall forgive microsoft for the random freezing and that it will be fixed by RTM. they had acknowledge the issue and are fixing it.
there shouldn't really be any issue of with older software. so far whatever i am using works fine on it.
and indeed nvidia is slow on releasing a working driver for my 320m.
i shall forgive microsoft for the random freezing and that it will be fixed by RTM. they had acknowledge the issue and are fixing it.
there shouldn't really be any issue of with older software. so far whatever i am using works fine on it.
and indeed nvidia is slow on releasing a working driver for my 320m.
Grannyville7989
macrumors 6502a
Where did you hear/read up about that? I find it odd that Windows 8 frequenly crashes on my MacBook Pro, especially if I'm running Zune, but it runs flawlessly on my custom built desktop.
http://techie-buzz.com/microsoft/microsoft-fixes-windows-8-freezing-bug.html
it a very recent post.
and it not only affect MBP.
it froze up on my iMac and MBP too. and it worst on my MBP but i believe the issue with my MBP is the nvidia driver.
if you watched the Microsoft Surface introduction press release last week, their Microsoft Surface freeze up as well. and i believe it is due to the same reason.
just in case you didn't see the Microsoft Surface
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1zxDa3t0fg&feature=g-hist
Grannyville7989
macrumors 6502a
Thanks buddy. I'm glad Microsoft have acknowledged the problem and are working on it. I've been really enjoying playing around with Windows 8 but the freezes have been very frustrating at times.
I did see the lock up during the Microsoft Surface announcement. I'm a little bit disappointed that Sinofsky didn't say "I guess this is why we haven't shipped Windows 8 yet", like Bill Gates said for when Windows 98 BSOD-ed on them during a demo.
it is very frustrating especially when i am trying to write some programme on it and it keep freezing and i had to force shut down the whole system. i know that there is no way the iMac could froze since the system resource required isn't even huge to begin with.
microsoft didn't really have a good marketing team/presenter if you compared to Apple. i still remember steve jobs failing a iphone 4 demo while using wifi and later on he came back with a joke on why it fail. at least he let the audience know what went wrong even though there is no way we could verify if he is telling the truth.
I got an upgrade version at a student discount, it only cost me $30. I had a version of XP that I was "upgrading" from to make everything nice and legal, for the record. (Incidentally because you have to start with a fresh reinstall of Win7 if you're upgrading from WinXP the method for upgrading from WinXP and circumventing the upgrade process entirely is the same. If you go the route I did that's something you need to pay attention to.)
Hrm.... I feel like OEMs are intended for system builders. But, they're not restricted to the point where I cannot buy one as a regular consumer. I know I won't get support and I won't get all the fancy schmancy retail package that I'll end up throwing away, anyway.
I think I'm going the OEM route... to save money.
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Well, actually... what if I got a Windows (XP or 7) disc from a previously purchased laptop? Are those restricted to only being installed on that specific laptop?
... I'm not willing to pay $199 for the full Windows 7 retail.
I think I'm going the OEM route... to save money.
----------
Well, actually... what if I got a Windows (XP or 7) disc from a previously purchased laptop? Are those restricted to only being installed on that specific laptop?
... I'm not willing to pay $199 for the full Windows 7 retail.
Update (from my brand new rMPB)!
I just finished installing Windows 7 on it and it's working A-OK, for now. I'll have to get a copy of Max Payne to try out on my Windows partition!
Now, I'm just messing around with the resolution. Everything is too big or too small... I might be at the "just right" territory with the 16x10 aspect ration. We'll see. The 2880x1400 is way too small for me in Win7.
Installation was fairly simple and painless - everything ran smoothly. Yay!
(I went to a local Mac retailer and they had one left, so I snatched up the rMBP w/ a $100 gift card and a Edu pricing. Yay!)
I just finished installing Windows 7 on it and it's working A-OK, for now. I'll have to get a copy of Max Payne to try out on my Windows partition!
Now, I'm just messing around with the resolution. Everything is too big or too small... I might be at the "just right" territory with the 16x10 aspect ration. We'll see. The 2880x1400 is way too small for me in Win7.
Installation was fairly simple and painless - everything ran smoothly. Yay!
(I went to a local Mac retailer and they had one left, so I snatched up the rMBP w/ a $100 gift card and a Edu pricing. Yay!)
Night Spring
macrumors P6
Keep Resolution at 2880x1400, and adjust the DPI (Control Panel > Display > Set custom text size). It gives you several percent options, but you can also type in a percent number you like. I'd start at 200%, then adjust up or down as you prefer.