Cheap Windows 7?
December 24, 2009 8:37 PM   Subscribe

What is the absolute cheapest way to get Windows 7?

I would like to get a copy of Windows 7 and I'd like to pay the minimal amount (of money) possible. However, I am willing to whore anything else out (like my personal info to Microsoft) or things along those lines to get the price as close to zero as possible.

I am the director of IT for a software consulting shop and I personally have a small consulting company on the side.

What kind of deals from MSFT do I qualify for?
posted by tucsongal to Computers & Internet (15 answers total) 10 users marked this as a favorite
 
Depending on the size of your day job, you might already cut you a deal on Windows and Office. Microsoft has these relationships in place with my precious two employers.
posted by mmascolino at 8:42 PM on December 24, 2009


i've been finding ways to get windows 7 for myself and others for $30 based on the fact that we all know or are in some way related to a student or teacher. win741.com

all you really need is a .edu email and a previous install of any version of windows.
posted by patrad at 8:44 PM on December 24, 2009 [1 favorite]


yeah, I was going to suggest ^
posted by tad at 8:47 PM on December 24, 2009


Note that the cheapo win741 deal expires on January 3rd.
posted by thejoshu at 8:50 PM on December 24, 2009


all you really need is a .edu email and a previous install of any version of windows.

Does that mean every time you want to wipe/reinstall Windows (let's admit it, this is common), you need to install a previous version of Windows first? Or does the installer just need to see an install medium from a previous version?
posted by knave at 8:56 PM on December 24, 2009


The absolute cheapest way is to get MS to give it to you. Aren't they handing it out to startups under dreamspark?
posted by Rubbstone at 8:57 PM on December 24, 2009


all you really need is a .edu email and a previous install of any version of windows.

Yep. I have an alumni e-mail .edu address (as well as one for being a non-resident tutor/member of a house's SCR).

I ordered the upgrade download (and back-up DVD). Total cost: $29.99 (download); $13.81 (DVD media).
posted by ericb at 9:06 PM on December 24, 2009


They are also outright giving away Windows 7 to students at some colleges, especially those in CS/engineering/science majors, through MSDN Academic Alliance. No previous Windows install required. If you know any college students in these types of programs, it's worth asking.
posted by zachlipton at 9:58 PM on December 24, 2009


This ZDNet article may be of interest as well.
posted by zachlipton at 9:59 PM on December 24, 2009


The second-cheapest way is to have a friend at Microsoft; the employee rate is even lower than the academic rate.
posted by ten pounds of inedita at 10:20 PM on December 24, 2009


Keep in mind that MSDNAA usually only happens for CS departments, but if it does you're golden. Dreamspark has academic versions of Windows Server products (2003 and 2008) for free for just about anyone with a .edu address. New versions of Windows Server 2008 are more or less the same OS as Win7, but lacking features you might find rather necessary and having features you might find utterly useless as a desktop user.
posted by devilsbrigade at 10:53 PM on December 24, 2009


Ways that I have gotten free (or very cheap) software from Microsoft:
1. Attend the MSDN or TechNet launch events
2. Hold a Windws7 House party
3. Via a MSDN subscription paid for by my employer
4. (almost free) educational discount
5. Microsoft Dreamspark
6. Microsoft Bizspark
7. Visit the Microsoft Campus, stop by the store
posted by blue_beetle at 11:45 PM on December 24, 2009


I help with IT for a community college and every semester we send rosters of MSDN eligible classes to the Academic Alliance, and they get a ton of software licenses free, with some important but unenforceable restrictions: for non-commercial use only.

Our tuition is 69 dollars a credit hour, so it's possible for students to find a valid 1 credit hour course, enroll, nab the software and drop, but we don't advertise which ones are eligible and we don't send the rosters until the first day of class, so instructors would notice any mass dropouts.

This said, my copy of Win 7 is still sitting uninstalled.
posted by pwnguin at 12:10 AM on December 25, 2009


You can also call 1.877.696.7786 under the student deal and get them to ship you an actual copy of Win7 Home or Pro, upgrade or full. You do need to have an .edu email though. Came out to ~$32 with tax. The 741.com deal is only the upgrade edition, which can be used for a clean install if you're crafty. They're also offering the newest Microsoft Office suite for $60 with a student email (I think this is normally around $500). You might find this forum thread helpful. Deal ends Jan. 4th!
posted by Locobot at 1:12 PM on December 25, 2009 [1 favorite]


Isn't the student deal officially only for people who are enrolled in a college class currently? I thought I'd read that technically you can get in rather big trouble if you find a way to get it using a .edu address (like as an alumnus) but aren't enrolled in any courses. (Please correct me if I'm wrong, it'd be nice to get a copy for $32 totally legally.)
posted by needs more cowbell at 6:35 PM on December 25, 2009


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