[windows software] Windows 7 Pro. upgrade deployment to replace old Win XP and Vista

[albertwt]

Hi All,

 

I'd like to know what are my options to upgrade all of the old Dell laptop and HP desktop OS (various Vista and XP) into Windows 7 Pro. ?

 

I've got approx. 40 workstations that i need to upgrade with Windows 7.

 

Thanks,

 

AWT

[SYNACK]

Have you looked into volume licensing, if all of your base OSs are pro then this may be the most cost effective way to stay up to date. You could also purchase upgrade copies individually for your existing Pro OSs. If some are not Pro and need to be Pro then unless you are under a schools agreement you will need to but full copies of a pro version.

[garrya100]

Talk to the Guys at Dell or Computelec.

 

Dell have negotiated volume licencing for schools that are a better deal than Computelec if your an AIS member. I don't know if the're better than Computelec if your commercial. Linda Pryce is the schools licensing contact at Dell Aust.

[albertwt]

yes, all of them are Pros.

in this case i think OEM is the cheapest way to buy but i'll have to put the new sticker on each workstation :-|

 

or else i might be going with Open License.

[garrya100]

Technically putting an OEM licence on an existing box is a no no.... You should really be buying an upgrade licence. Also a OEM licence is not transferable so it has to stay with the box if you move it on. If you own an upgrade you can legally down grade the 'old' box and move your OS to another box. (ie buy a new box with vista basic or windows 7 home and upgrade it to pro.) Edited April 21, 2010 by garrya100
typo

[timbo343]

With windows 7, is a volume license different to a KMS license?

[SYNACK]

With windows 7, is a volume license different to a KMS license?

 

KMS is just the kind of activation method used, it is only used for volume stuff though. KMS is just a local server that handles activation of your local PCs so you don't need to enter in any product keys on the clients. The other option is generating a whole bunch of single use MAK keys and using a different one for each one.

[tmcd35]

Technically putting an OEM licence on an existing box is a no no.... You should really be buying an upgrade licence. Also a OEM licence is not transferable so it has to stay with the box if you move it on. If you own an upgrade you can legally down grade the 'old' box and move your OS to another box. (ie buy a new box with vista basic or windows 7 home and upgrade it to pro.)

 

Be careful - it depends on how you purchased the upgrade licenses. The only Windows licenses that are trasferable, be they upgrade or full, are retail boxed versions. these are also the most expensive way of purchasing licenses.

 

 

For more than 5 PC's (min purchase requirement) either Select or Open liensing are the cheapest methods of purchasing an upgrade. Remember these are upgrade so require an existing full or OEM license to upgrade from and are not transferable from the machine you originally install the upgrade on.

[albertwt]

thanks guys for all of your reply, I'll go with the Open License in this case for my upgrade plan.