# I need a cheap copy of Windows **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 15, 2010, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-cheap-copy-of-windows/546842 "2010-07-15T22:30:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2010, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-cheap-copy-of-windows/546842/21 "2010-07-24T23:29:49Z")
> [@Randy\_Seltzer](#): > > UPDATE: > Turns out, to install Windows 7 on a Boot Camp partition, you need Snow Leopard. And I have “non-Snow” Leopard. And a fresh new copy of Windows 7. So I need either a copy of xp, or a copy of Snow Leopard. Before Tuesday. > > Looks like I might be doing some minor pirating after all. **Moderator note** This is a hell of a way to begin your legal career. **Do not** encourage violations of the law, or discuss your plans to do the same. [Moderator hat off] You might check a legitimate outfit oriented to students called The Ultimate Steal. I’m not sure of their website URL but I’m sure you can Google it. If you can still be considered a student, they might be able to help you. Based on my student status, I purchased a copy of MS Office 2007 from them for only about $60. ---
**Author:** ![Randy\_Seltzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ee7513/32.png) [@Randy\_Seltzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Randy_Seltzer)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2010, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-cheap-copy-of-windows/546842/22 "2010-07-25T01:29:32Z")
> [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](#): > > > [@Randy\_Seltzer](#): > > > > UPDATE: > > Turns out, to install Windows 7 on a Boot Camp partition, you need Snow Leopard. And I have “non-Snow” Leopard. And a fresh new copy of Windows 7. So I need either a copy of xp, or a copy of Snow Leopard. Before Tuesday. > > > > Looks like I might be doing some minor pirating after all. > > **Moderator note** > This is a hell of a way to begin your legal career. **Do not** encourage violations of the law, or discuss your plans to do the same. Durr. Everyone knows “minor piracy” isn’t really a crime. Just like jaywalking, public nudity, and 2nd degree murder. Seriously though, I’ve just managed to overcome all the obstacles (see below) without doing anything that would be considered criminal. UPDATE: Turns out, even after you check the [support page](http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3986) to make sure your model isn’t incompatible, go to the Apple Store 45 minutes away, and buy a copy of Snow Leopard ($29 plus tax), get assured by a “Genius” that it’ll Definitely Work Now, go home & install it, and spend two hours downloading software updates – even after all of that, you STILL can’t install Windows 7 -64bit- on a MacBook (late '07 model). No matter how much memory you have. My particular hardware model (according to [THIS](http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1846) secret support page, which is NOT linked from anywhere else, and was only handed to me on my second trip to the Apple store) happens to be the only non-Pro MacBook that cannot handle the 64-bit version, and would need the 32-bit version. Solution? Find a friend with a shiny new uninstalled copy of **Vista** (everybody’s favorite!), and trade him your useless-to-you copy of Windows 7 - 64bit. Pretty good trade all around: he trades a shitty operating system for a pretty good one, and I trade a useless coaster for a shitty operating system. Thank you all for following along in this little drama. It’s been a blast. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-cheap-copy-of-windows/546842/23 "2010-07-26T16:01:40Z")
**Stupid Question Alert** I know this issue is pretty much settled, but it made me wonder about the legalities of "used’ software. Could the OP have legally bought a copy of XP from someone who was no longer using theirs? For instance, they bought a new machine with Windows 7 and were scrapping their old XP machine. Also, nobody mentioned eBAy. A quick search shows a boxed copy of XP home edition for $33.50. What would be wrong with that? ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-cheap-copy-of-windows/546842/24 "2010-07-26T16:18:53Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > **Stupid Question Alert** > > I know this issue is pretty much settled, but it made me wonder about the legalities of "used’ software. > > Could the OP have legally bought a copy of XP from someone who was no longer using theirs? For instance, they bought a new machine with Windows 7 and were scrapping their old XP machine. > > Also, nobody mentioned eBAy. A quick search shows a boxed copy of XP home edition for $33.50. What would be wrong with that? Microsoft has very complex licensing. Its so complex that they employ teams of people who do nothing but figure out their own licensing. Some copies of Windows are transferrable from PC to PC. Many versions of Windows are not transferable. Depends on what you bought. And OEM copy is not transferable. Using an OEM copy without reselling the PC would be in violation of Microsoft’s licensing agreements. EBay depends on what is being sold. A lot of eBay copies aren’t transferable. I have a few copies of Windows 7 lying around my desk, but the conditions of acquisition are such that they can only be used by me. (Purchased from the Microsoft employee store, given to me by Microsoft reps). Microsoft has started stickering these with “non-transferable” to prevent resale. I’m a client side Microsoft Licensing Specialist (I work for a big company and its my job to dig through Microsoft’s web site and try and figure it out - one of my jobs - I do other things as well). Answer, don’t buy from eBay if your concern is a legal copy, its going to be very hard to tell if its legal until you have it in your hands (even then, it might be impossible to tell). Read the licensing agreements on whatever version you have carefully. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-cheap-copy-of-windows/546842/25 "2010-07-26T16:22:24Z")
[oversimplification] Legality-wise, most software is sold licensed to the _buyer_ and is non-transferable. Suppose I wrote a piece of software you like. I tell you I’ll sell it to you, but only on the condition that you don’t resell it. If you don’t agree, that’s fine, but then I’m not going to sell it to you. Since the only way to get my software is to agree to my terms, any “used” software that I find on the market is in violation of that agreement and is not legally obtained–I didn’t agree to let a third person use it. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-cheap-copy-of-windows/546842/26 "2010-07-26T16:56:29Z")
Thanks for the replies. I knew it was something along those lines, and of course it’s all in the EULA, which almost nobody reads. What I can’t decide is how I feel about that. Is there a proper analogy? In other words, should that be acceptable to the end user? Should it be any different than selling some other used product, like a car? ---
**Author:** ![yoyodyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a9a28c/32.png) [@yoyodyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yoyodyne)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-cheap-copy-of-windows/546842/27 "2010-07-26T17:02:26Z")
For future info, a key for 64-bit will work on 32-bit. And a 32-bit disc image can be downloaded from MS and burned to DVD. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-cheap-copy-of-windows/546842/28 "2010-07-26T17:11:53Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > What I can’t decide is how I feel about that. Is there a proper analogy? In other words, should that be acceptable to the end user? Should it be any different than selling some other used product, like a car? If you rent a car to someone, shouldn’t you be free to place whatever restrictions you want on it before agreeing to the rental? If someone doesn’t like those restrictions, can they force you to rent it to them anyway? There are certainly unconscionable restrictions, but does this rise to that? ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-cheap-copy-of-windows/546842/29 "2010-07-26T17:17:10Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > Thanks for the replies. I knew it was something along those lines, and of course it’s all in the EULA, which almost nobody reads. > > What I can’t decide is how I feel about that. Is there a proper analogy? In other words, should that be acceptable to the end user? Should it be any different than selling some other used product, like a car? You aren’t buying a product, you are licensing its use. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-cheap-copy-of-windows/546842/30 "2010-07-26T17:36:43Z")
Ah, so the better analogy to licensing would be _renting_ a car. It isn’t anything I find terribly upsetting, I just wondered. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-cheap-copy-of-windows/546842.md?page=1)