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? Automatic backup is alive and well in the prem version. Must be Bens leftovers from Vista ads.

Full system backups, including system imaging, are available in all the Win 7 versions. Backup to network share is the feature that's not available in Starter/Basic/Home Prem.

Hm

I agree. I have Home Premium and i have XP mode.

To those interested, you can still find copies of the win 7 (all versions) around on the Inet for free download (or use a service like Rapidshare with a couple day account purchase), and buy a legitimate license key on Ebay for $10.

I have a legitimate install of win 7 ultimate for a grand total cost of $13. It's just not a boxed retail version, and I had to burn my own DVD.

How is that legit? How does the seller get the key?

Great price on a great product. I paid $109 at Sams a couple of months ago.

You can ebay an ultimate key for $50.

If you have not upgraded your XP or Vista machines to Windows 7, I highly recommend you do so. This is a decent price on an outstanding product. I upgraded 5 computers and laptops on my home network, and it had been the best thing I've done with my systems since I've had them. Even my 4 year old HP laptop purrs with Windows 7. Networking all of my computers could not have been easier. Absolutely no complaints.

There are still some Family packs out there, too, for around $160. You can easily do clean installs with it, with a minor tweak to the registry if it doesn't immediately activate.

#3 & #6, those are not legit versions. Why pay for a key when it is not legit. They key may work today but it will be banned in the future by MS.

#7, Windows 7 is better than Vista. That I agree. If you have Vista then there should be no reason not to upgrade to 7. But that Windows 7 gives a better user experience than XP is debatable. XP still works quite well (networking too) for most users. My companies corporate platform is still XP and it works well with the wife's Win 7 laptop. It worked well with another XP machine in my home. I don't see a "good" reason to upgrade if XP is working fine.

Upgrade or die?

Hate win 7.

#11, if you hate Win7 then what ARE you using?

#4 & #6 - It is legit. Acquiring the media is not illegal. Not having a legit key is.

As I stated, it's a pain to acquire the media, but doable. I spent an evening while watching a couple of movies finding a copy of win 7 ultimate that was not already cracked. But I did, and burned a copy. Downloaded it from hotfile.com through one of the other hosting sites. And buying a legit license on the cheap from Ebay is legal. The key was sent via email from the seller same day.

After I installed, I immediately did a windows update, and MS validated. I bought the key for ultimate for $9.99. I believe they buy the keys from MS in bulk, and since that is all they are buying, they get them cheap.

It was more of a pain finding the software that didn't have the security already disabled.

If the keys are genuine, then the seller should easily be able to send you the accompanying COA sticker --which is produced for EVERY retail/oem legit key. I'll bet ya a dollar to a donut (whatever that means) that you don't have the COA's to go along with your keys you bought.

Ah, you say, but these are MSDN/Technet keys. Sorry --illegal to resell. OEM! Sorry..no dice. But, you say, these are NFR keys. NFR= "Not for Resale". But hang on, you add, these were digital downloads from DigitalRiver. To that, I say sure pal...someone's going to pay full price for digital downloads and then resell the keys for $10. Not likely.

Your argument that they somehow have passed the Genuine test doesn't wash, either. They're already tightening up the code for checking product key numbers in future windows updates. Don't run the updates? Why not? Your keys are "legit", after all. Anyone (aka everyone) remember the "Corporate" XP version that was circulating around before MS invalidated it and additional bogus keys?

Bottom line is that even if the keys are somehow actual MS-produced product keys, it doesn't make them legal to sell and buy on the open market.

But you already know that.

Microsoft doesn't sell in bulk. If that was true, wouldn't you be able to get Windows 7 at Wal-Mart or Best Buy for $10? They probably sell more Windows products than anyone else.

If you bought some code off the internet to activate your Windows software, go stand at your window and watch for the black SUVs to show up. Because you just engaged in illegal activity.

Too bad my MSDN licence is expired.

If its not legit, why does ebay allow it to be listed?

Has anyone had incompatibility issues using 64 bit vs. 32 bit Win 7? It seems like every lower-end PC I see advertised includes 64 bit, but it seems that 32 bit would be more appropriate. Or os MS just trying to force 64 bit driver support by flooding the market with 64 bit?

Buying Windows 7 keys without a COA sticker, thats a good one.

Get a activator you moron, are you that stupid?