Where can i get cheap legit Vista 64-bit?

[VVanks]

Been browsing the interweb and the cheapest 64-bit Vista Ultimate is around 200.

Is there a cheaper alternative? Business is around 150. I'm not really sure the big differences.

I'm planning on doing a lot of electrical / computer engineering related work on my computer (that includes Mentor, Altmira, CAD, Pro/E and some personal stuffs like Adobe Creative Suite)

What's the real difference between home Premium and Business and Ultimate?

[caveman-jim]

Here's the Microsoft feature comparison:

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-vista/compare-editions/default.aspx

Probably for your use Home Premium would be sufficient.

[Espíritu_de_América]

Been browsing the interweb and the cheapest 64-bit Vista Ultimate is around 200.

Is there a cheaper alternative? Business is around 150. I'm not really sure the big differences.

I'm planning on doing a lot of electrical / computer engineering related work on my computer (that includes Mentor, Altmira, CAD, Pro/E and some personal stuffs like Adobe Creative Suite)

What's the real difference between home Premium and Business and Ultimate?

Business probably offers the most for the money in regards to features.

[Hidavi]

megaupload

[acroig]

megaupload

Are you advocating piracy? I'd remove that before you get a monster infraction.

[Hidavi]

Yes, I was advocating piracy, albeit jokingly. I thought it was only against the rules to provide the means by which to do it though

[Espíritu_de_América]

Yes, I was advocating piracy, albeit jokingly. I thought it was only against the rules to provide the means by which to do it though

Seems to me like you pointed someone in the right direction.

[Hidavi]

Seems to me like you pointed someone in the right direction.

I think you saying that my "suggestion" is the right direction is an advocacy of piracy You evil sonofabitch!

[Espíritu_de_América]

That website doesn't provide anything. You are the one advocating it.

[Hidavi]

So if it doesn't prove anything, then I guess no one is advocating it >_>

[Espíritu_de_América]

So if it doesn't prove anything, then I guess no one is advocating it >_>

You were warned by a moderator. Take it up with that person and not me.

[Hidavi]

No one was talking to you in the first place you just decided to jump in...

[friskyolive]

http://www.windowssecrets.com/comp/070201

[howard stern]

newegg has vista 64 business for 139.99 with free shipping.

[sittal]

http://www.windowssecrets.com/comp/070201

very interesting +rep

[stormy13]

Home Premium for $119,

http://www.infonec.ca/site/main.php?module=detail&id=332345

[Zero]

Can't you get some sort of student discount through school?

[HiThere]

I'd also look into a Technet subscription (do a search on discounts)...that's the best route if you want to dual boot w/XP, or are upgrading multiple machines with OS and Office installs.

[FX-Overclocking]

I'd check eBay. They have all sorts of deals, I've seen some Ultimate 64/32's going for under $150. Just be careful its legit.

[Sweetz]

Probably for your use Home Premium would be sufficient.

Seconded. The only thing from Business and Ultimate that you might want is RDC server if you ever have the need to remotely connect to your desktop from somewhere else. If you don't ever RDC to your home machine, then stick with Home Premium.

Note that all versions of windows have the RDC client if need to RDC to a work machine; it's connecting to your PC, not from it for which you need the professional versions.

Other than that, they have some extra backup tools, but it's nothing that you can't do manually with barely any difference in effort.

[Hatecrime69]

In a related question, what are the full differences between oem and retail?
retail (upgrade):
no straight-forward install from empty hd (need to do multiple install trick or have existing on the drive)
some ms support
changing from 32-bit to 64-bit just costs shipping (or a friend who has x64 install disk), cd-key working for both versions

oem:
cheaper, full version
no ms support
cd-key only working for version that it was shipped with

anything I missed?
Say I got oem, then later upgraded my motherboard, cpu, etc, would they not allow me to re-activate, would I just need to call for activation rather than web activation?

I'm about ready to make the jump to x64 premium but the 'limitations' of oem version are confusing to me

[Sweetz]

Theorhetically, an OEM copy is tied to the system on which it was originally activated and you should not be able to reactivate on a new system. "System" in the case I believe is identified by motherboard.

However, Windows XP had the same exact OEM rules and I reactived my same OEM copy of WinXP on 5 different motherboards as I upgraded throughout the years without any problems.

I don't think they strongly enforce the OEM rules. What they're worried about is seeing the same key being activated on lots of different hardware over the span of days or weeks. A new system every 6 months or longer isn't going to throw up any flags. Worse comes to worse, there's a provision in the OEM rules that says the same key can be installed a different motherboard if it's a replacement for a defective one, so you just need to call the activation phone number and say that you're replacing a burnt out mobo and they'll release the key for you.

[lazyx]

Find out if any of your buddies go to school, ms offers deals for students.

[Steve N]

very interesting +rep

If you think that is interesting, then think about this.

I got Vista 64 upgrade (also the 32 bit in the box.) 64 will not install as an upgrade over any 32 OS. It demands a clean install.

So I just ran the intall once on a freshly formatted drive, entered the key, let it activate automaticly. There were no issues at all.

To be clear, I did not have to do the install-then-install-again-as-an-upgrade trick. I just ran a typical install with a 64 bit upgrade disk on a clean hard drive and it worked and activated just fine.