Hello,
This is sort of urgent.
I had a 30 day trial of windows xp and it has recently expired.
I am not sure what to do from here.
a) Buy Windows 7 from itsnotcheating.com.au and upgrade - though i am not sure if i can upgrade it… also i can't even get in because the trial period has expired
b) buy a new windows xp from a retail store or something… but i dont want to spend too much and dont know where to buy!
Any help would be greatly appreciated
thanks
If you just use your computer to surf the net and send email and write the occasional document, Linux is an excellent suggestion.
Give it a try, cause it's quite user friendly nowadays.
Linux Mint is highly recommended. It looks very similar to Windows, uses Firefox and Thunderbird as browser and email programs and Openoffice for Office stuff.
It's free and can be run from a LiveCD.
Here's a screenshot of the Desktop and "start" menu.
http://www.linuxmint.com/img/screenshots/gloria/22.png
Ubuntu is also another Linux distro that is easy to use, secure and looks pretty. The other bonus is that Linux is much faster than windows.
I can also testify to the fact that Ubuntu is fairly simple and easy to use and doesn't hurt the hip pocket. I've been using it for some time on a spare notebook with no issues at all, very happy.
I think you can clean install it as long as there is a valid xp install somewhere. Don't quote me on this but I had an upgrade cd, I had an xp install and now I have a windows 7 clean install. Just not 100% sure what I did to make that happen.
Linux can be an option if you need an OS right now. If you can still use windows right now for the net (I am assuming you posted on your xp machine) download linux mint or ubuntu and use that until you get a copy of windows. There are some distrso that run off a usb stick as small as 1gb so you don't need to even worry about installing it.
A more novel approach is to "hackintosh" your machine and run OSX on it. It's a fair bit more involved but the OS itself is cheap to buy and very stable.
If you do end up paying for an operating system, my recommendation would be to pay for Win7. You will pay a bit more but it is a better OS.
I managed to find an XP cd key and realised my dad may be using the same key.
So i read up that i could get sued/ nothing will happen/ it'll expire in 30 days.
Thus i've decided that a good remedy would be to upgrade to windows 7.
My question is, is there a way to upgrade without doing a clean install (formatting)??
And which version should i purchase? the itsnotcheating.com.au or the microsoft version http://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/22670
Those versions are exactly the same… they start a different websites but they both linnk into digital river and use the same authentication for your student email.
As far as I know it's probably better to do a clean install - maybe you can make a seperate partition and save your datat there?
Win7's version of an upgrade is to rename your old windows directory and install win, which is pretty much a clean install.
As inherentchoice mentioned it is usually better to do a clean install, backup your mail, documents, photos, favorites to an external HDD first. That way if you do delete a 2nd partition or HDD you still have your data.
Good luck :)
the problem is.. the win xp cd key that i have may have doubled up (my dad used it first then i used it) so im scared that if i purchase windows 7 and install it.. there may be an error in the not too distant future because of the win xp cd key problem.
What you guys think?
I'll most likely purchase win 7 this week.
Because there are three separate work-around methods if you get the authentication problem, I wouldn't worry about a CD key problem, especially if you do a clean install. Some people have commented that the student upgrade version can work no problems as a fresh installation without any previous OS being installed. You will get the CD key at the checkout.
The three methods are at http://www.winsupersite.com/win7/clean_install_upgrade_media…
+1 for the above post.
You will get a new key for Windows 7 that is completely separate from your XP key. Therefore once you have installed (you can install without a key), you need to activate within 30 days. Once activated, you no longer need to worry, because you are licensed for the software that you are running.
You will be fine.
ugh its either im so sleepy atm or IT is not my specialty.
So basically i buy Windows 7 (with cd cause i dont have a dvd burner) from itsnotcheating.com.au
Wait a week
Back up my files
Chuck windows 7 into my cd rom
It formats my computer and it then installs windows 7?
Do i need to install windows xp again?
I am really confused about the part when Windows 7 is in my possession.. do i format first then install?
Help please
During the Windows 7 setup you have the option to format the hard drive, that is the easiest way :)
See this page for step by step instructions and screen shots, this guide is for re-installing but it's the same process. You can always print that out including any screen shots you need.
+1 for this, but just remember to backup any files and documents that you want to keep or they will be lost.
You saw my comments in the other thread you made about this right? …including that it seems you can use the upgrade as a clean install? http://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/22489
If you want to check Windows 7 compatibility download the upgrade advisor: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=1B5…
In the meantime maybe you can even try Linux which is free.
StaticIce indicates that WinXP will be over $100, though I see it's on this site for $78: http://www.oztion.com.au/buy/auction.aspx?itemid=9516410