Just got my 3rd Free Copy of Windows 7 in the mail heres how.

#1. Free copy attending a MSDN event.
#2. Hosting a Windows 7 party Ultimate 7 Stevel Balmer Edition still sealed. (I threw NO party at all)
#3. I called in because in to Microsoft because one of my 32-bit disks was a bit scratched out of the box. (the 64-bit disk was fine) its the copy I am using now.

So without asking for recipt anything, the send me out a complete extra copy with its own Key. It arrived today.

I guess theres no need because they know its 100% in warranty because it launch a few weeks ago.

Oh and heres the kicker. The version that was scratched was a $50 "Upgrade" copy of Home Premium, they sent me a FULL Version of Home Premium.

the only differences vs Upgrade and FULL, is that FULL is "bootable" or it boots to do a complete install. Regardless it was a nice upgrade.

 

I hate you

 

For your information the upgrade versions are also bootable and could be clean installed.

 

Actual only difference between an upgrade and full license is that an upgrade license checks for a previous version of Windows before installing.

 

That is not quite accurate either

The difference between an upgrade and full license is that an upgrade license checks for a previous version of Windows before Activating.

The upgrade will install on a new virgin HD but will not activate just by entering the product key. Two methods posted all over the internet to activate are to either install the upgrade over itself (second install) then enter the product key or perform a simple regedit then enter a registration command.

 

Wow man. What are you going to do with all those copies. I guess I will call up MS and get a copy, why not jk....

 

Why? may I ask?

you should have thrown a fake non-party also, just about everyone who signed up was accepted. I still have the entire swag box of party bags stuff still sealed I opened it just to look. Pretty nice box of swag.



http://www.ericabaker.com/2009/10/13/windows-7-party-oh-dear/


seriously who threw a party? All I saw when I read the sign up details was FREE Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit. Thats it.

 

I deleted my current Vista 32-bit partition (before installing) and installed Windows 7 64-bit, entered the product key , and it activated just fine.

 

actually a lot of people didnt get accepted for the party mate... something like 10 times the allocated parties applied,

so only 1/10th of people that applied were accepted...

 

The day the local MSDN even was held the weather was crap and worse. There were plenty of full copies of Win7 Professional lying around waiting to be picked up.

I grabbed 'several'.

Remember, no pays retail.

 

nice one...

was it pro or ultimate? i thought they were ultimate... anyways

 

I signed up just to get the W7 Ultimate indeed, however I organized the party and we all had a lot of fun (nothing to do with W7)

 

Guess it's too late now to "Throw that party"?

 

Weird. I cleaned installed Win7 Pro. Then, once in Windows, I entered the key and tried to activate. It told me this key can't be used to activate clean installs. Then I upgraded this installation to 7 Pro (yeah I know, weird) and it activated just fine.

 

So, you think if I called MS and said the copy of Win 7 have is scratched they will send me a new one, even though it's one of those student copy?

 

the media is inconsequential. Your product key is what determines the version of windows you can install and activate.

 

Of course, even if those student copies are, downloads, you can still say you are having diffuculty burning a DVD ISO or whatever you have a legal right to your full warranty since you purchased a copy of Windows 7.

Cool thing is since Windows 7 is so new, ALL copies are still within Warranty so they don't even ask for proof of anything. Also even if you bought a Upgrade, they mail out a Full Retail version. Which contains both32 and 64 bit disks.

 

So, then they will send me a DVD, but will have a different key, like you got?

 

I am pretty sure it will. Remember I never asked for a New Key and I never asked for a Full Retail Edition. I thought I would get a new 32-bit DVD and thats it. They double upgraded me.

They never asked even for my Activation key at all. The conversation was 30 seconds max. Hi my W7 32 DVD is scratched a bit. Ok sir give me your address. Boom here comes a replacement. Thats it. Oh they did ask which version. I told the truth Home Premium Upgrade. I should have said Professional.

 

I can confirm that you are correct, I did this on at least 4 computers and it installed and activated just fine. The mere fact that you can indeed do a clean install from the upgrade would clearly indicate that it doesn't look to see if you have an old copy of Windows when you activate. So that is a bogus!