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Editor's picks

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  Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 64bit (Full) System Builder DVD 1 Pack

  Software (Microsoft Software)
  

  Rating (165 reviews):

  (4.1/5)

  

  Works with Macbook Pro & Parallels

  This was the most affordable Windows 7 that I found that I can use to install on my Macbook Pro through Parallels 6. At first I was debating on going with the 64bit or the 32bit, because some software do not work on 64bit. I ended up going with 64bit -- those non-compatible software should update, not me.Using Windows 7 on a Mac is awesome. Best of both worlds. 5/5 Jeff Aski (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews, April 21, 2011

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  Just make sure you understand...

  This is OEM which means the difference is that this version locks itself to a single motherboard. As long as you run the same system your golden, but when you upgrade you will have to purchase another copy. 5/5 clem - See all my reviews This review is from: Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 64bit (Full) System Builder DVD 1 Pack (DVD-ROM) This is OEM which means the difference is that this version locks itself to a single motherboard. As long as you run the same system your golden, but when you upgrade you will have to purchase another copy. Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  Was this review helpful to you? , June 7, 2011

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  Working great with MacBook Pro

  I've been using this with Parallel 6 on my MacBook Pro (2.3 i7 with 8gb ram), and so far so good. Installed without a glitch. None of my window programs are processor demanding, so the ones I'm using with this and parallels 6 run fast and smooth. 5/5 ronvanr - See all my reviews Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?) This review is from: Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 64bit (Full) System Builder DVD 1 Pack (DVD-ROM) I've been using this with Parallel 6 on my MacBook Pro (2.3 i7 with 8gb ram), and so far so good. Installed without a glitch. None of my window programs are processor demanding, so the ones I'm using with this and parallels 6 run fast and smooth. Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  Was this review helpful to you? , April 24, 2011

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  List Price: $119.99
  Price: $96.48
  You Save: $23.51 (20%)

  Make the things you do every day easier with improved desktop navigation.

  Watch, pause, rewind, and record TV.

  Easily create a home network and connect your PCs to a printer with HomeGroup.

  Make your web experience faster, easier and safer than ever with Internet Explorer 8.

  Start programs faster and more easily, and quickly find the documents you use most often.

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  Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium Upgrade

  Software (Microsoft Software)
  

  Rating (577 reviews):

  (3.6/5)

  

  Best if you Plan Ahead

  Windows 7 Home Premium is the best version to choose for older machines and/or simpler networks. The "Backup" offered in 7 Pro can be done easily with free tools, and unless you need complex networking, 7 has what it takes to manage a home network. Last, the 'XP Mode' promised in 7 Pro and above will only work on hardware new enough to support "Virtualization Technology" (stop by Microsoft's website to learn more). This isn't the same as "XP Compatibility Mode", which you will still have for all versions of Windows 7 (there's a great video explanation of this on CNET's website in their Windows 7 Center at CNET TV).Some very important things you need to know about upgrading:1) There are two types of upgrade: "in-place" (where a Vista machine upgrades to 7 and you get to keep all your programs) and "clean" (where you lose all your old programs and settings).2) Anyone going from XP to 7 will have to go "clean".3) Anyone going from a different Vista... 4/5 Pyanfar Chanur (USA) - See all my reviews, November 1, 2009

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  Worth the Wait

  I'll admit, I've been running Windows 7 for six months now: the preproduction version of it and have just upgraded to the gold code. So I have quite a bit of experience with the operating system. Let's get to the nitty gritty:Should you upgrade from Windows Vista? YES! I mean it - upgrade today.Windows 7 is quite simply faster, more stable, boots faster, goes to sleep faster, comes back from sleep faster, manages your files better and on top of that it's beautiful to look at and easy to use. Even the preproduction version of Windows 7 was better than my Vista with SP2.Should you upgrade from Windows XP? Maybe, but for different reasons.XP is a good operating system and if you don't need to add new hardware or software, XP is good. However, XP is old as an operating system. Also chances are that if you're running XP, you might not meet the minimum requirements for Windows 7 - check the compatibility site at Microsoft to see if your system will... 5/5 Just Anonymous (Georgia, USA) - See all my reviews, October 22, 2009

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  Questionable for Vista, consideration for XP

  I have now installed this on 3 Vista computers, and I must say that the result is underwhelming. By now, we can expect computer journalists to hype any Windows release; and to certain extent they are right - 7 does work better, but not that much better or differently from Vista if you have installed all updates and security releases from Microsoft. I had to uninstall anti-virus and selected other programs, some of which did not have listings in the "Programs and Features" Control Panel section. All of my upgrades took 2 to 3 hours; journalists claiming 45 minute upgrade times must not have had many programs installed on their computers. Once programs identified as potential problems had been removed, the upgrades completed uneventfully; and it works OK once installed.Value-wise, I think that the single computer upgrade is a loser for Vista users at current price levels. If you have two or more computers, the Home Premium 3-computer "family" upgrade is borderline. I will... 3/5 Robert L. Estes (Nashville, TN USA) - See all my reviews, October 27, 2009

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  List Price: $119.99
  

  Easily create a home network and connect your PCs to a printer with HomeGroup

  Make the things you do every day easier with improved desktop navigation

  And share all of your favorite photos, videos, and music--you can even watch, pause, rewind, and record TV

  Windows 7 Home Premium (includes 32-bit & 64-bit versions) makes it easy to create a home network.

  Start programs faster and more easily, and quickly find the documents you use most often

  Make your web experience faster, easier and safer than ever with Internet Explorer 8

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  Windows 7 Professional SP1 64bit (Full) System Builder DVD 1 Pack

  Software (Microsoft Software)
  

  Rating (93 reviews):

  (4.5/5)

  

  How do-it-yourselfers do Windows

  If you've reinstalled Windows just once in your life, you've learned enough to tackle a full virgin installation of Windows 7 from a system builder DVD. Microsoft has finally created an operating system with so much built-in support and maintenance technology it practically does all the work for you, so if your current Windows XP machine is labeled "Windows Vista Capable" or "Windows 7 Capable," this is the way to go. Just to be sure, install and run Microsoft's Upgrade Advisor. If it passes the 64-bit system requirements, order up!You can't upgrade from XP to 7; you have to wipe the drive or partition and perform a clean install, but even an upgrade from Vista to 7 is fraught with peril, so you might as well do the same if you're running Vista. Just back up your data and find all your application installation software before you begin. Once you activate Windows 7, it's married to the PC's system board. You can't reuse the product key on another machine unless you can... 5/5 Joseph Ekaitis "author of Collinsfort Village" (Southern California) - See all my reviews, July 10, 2011

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  Works well with parallels for Mac

  After much research I decided to go with this OEM version of Windows 7 Professional SP1 to run virtually on my new MacBook Pro running Parallels. The install was flawless and it actually runs very fast on my MacBook. I turned off all accelerators and auto-everything. The main reason I wanted the system set up this way was to be able to run the Windows version of Quicken and Turbo Tax which I've been using for more years than I care to recall. I am able to do this concurrent with running OS X, which is very convenient. No conflicts with anything. Great solution to enable a Windows user to switch to Apple and bring essential programs and documents from the Windows environment over to Mac without missing a beat! 5/5 Carl Beatty - See all my reviews Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?) This review is from: Windows 7 Professional SP1 64bit (Full) System Builder DVD 1 Pack (Software) After much research I decided to go with this OEM version of Windows 7 Professional SP1 to run virtually on my new MacBook Pro running Parallels. The install was flawless and it actually runs very fast on my MacBook. I turned off all accelerators and auto-everything. The main reason I wanted the system set up this way was to be able to run the Windows version of Quicken and Turbo Tax which I've been using for more years than I care to recall. I am able to do this concurrent with running OS X, which is very convenient. No conflicts with anything. Great solution to enable a Windows user to switch to Apple and bring essential programs and documents from the Windows environment over to Mac without missing a beat! Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  Was this review helpful to you? , July 15, 2011

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  Easy Install, no problem encountered.

  I was running Windows XP SP3 prior to this "upgrade". They call it an upgrade, but it was a full system init and a re-install of all my software. While this is my preferred method for a new operating system, it would have been nice to have the option to upgrade rather than do a new install.That being said, the process went smoothly and quickly. From start to finish to get up and running on Windows 7 with SP1 it took about 90 minutes. Now that did not include re-installing my applications, just the basic Windows 7 OS being up and running on my machine.I have never used MS support in the past, so I had no reservations about buying an OEM product with no MS support.I would recommend this product to anyone that has installed an OS in the past and does not feel they will ever need to us MS for support. 4/5 Philip Wojcikiewicz (Darien, IL USA) - See all my reviews, April 22, 2011

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  List Price: $149.99
  Price: $139.99
  You Save: $10.00 (7%)

  Run many Windows XP productivity programs in Windows XP Mode.

  Easily create a home network and connect your PCs to a printer with HomeGroup.

  Make the things you do every day easier with improved desktop navigation.

  Make your web experience faster, easier and safer than ever with Internet Explorer 8.

  Connect to company networks easily and more securely with Domain Join.

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  Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium

  Software (Microsoft Software)
  

  Rating (221 reviews):

  (3.6/5)

  

  Worth the Wait

  I'll admit, I've been running Windows 7 for six months now: the preproduction version of it and have just upgraded to the gold code. So I have quite a bit of experience with the operating system. Let's get to the nitty gritty:Should you upgrade from Windows Vista? YES! I mean it - upgrade today.Windows 7 is quite simply faster, more stable, boots faster, goes to sleep faster, comes back from sleep faster, manages your files better and on top of that it's beautiful to look at and easy to use. Even the preproduction version of Windows 7 was better than my Vista with SP2.Should you upgrade from Windows XP? Maybe, but for different reasons.XP is a good operating system and if you don't need to add new hardware or software, XP is good. However, XP is old as an operating system. Also chances are that if you're running XP, you might not meet the minimum requirements for Windows 7 - check the compatibility site at Microsoft to see if your system will... 5/5 Just Anonymous (Georgia, USA) - See all my reviews, October 22, 2009

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  Here Comes Windows 7

  Here comes Windows 7, nearly three years after Windows Vista and eight years after Windows XP. By most accounts, Windows 7 is what Vista should have been. Do we finally have a worthy successor to XP?PROS:- Fast startup and performance- Stable- Nice aesthetic and functional changes to the desktop- Improved networking, power management & security- 32-bit & 64-bit versions included- Windows Media Center- Windows XP Mode (Professional & Ultimate only)CONS:- User Account Control still annoying- Upgrade can be challenging- ExpensiveThere are only two Microsoft operating systems I've personally skipped since DOS 6.x-- Windows ME and Windows Vista. Windows ME was so terrible that PC World coined it the "Mistake Edition." Vista, when initially released, was considered to be bloated, relying on higher hardware requirements than XP, while being outperformed by XP on identical hardware. With... 4/5 Ed R. (San Francisco Bay Area) - See all my reviews, October 22, 2009

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  Flawless install on 2009 Macbook

  I purchased this full version so I could load it on my Macbook via bootcamp and it worked flawlessly. All of the drivers for my computer peripherals were loaded correctly. The At&T Uverse wireless internet was configured in a snap. Bootcamp is a great utility. I was only able to load 32 bit version because my mac was just on the outside of the requirements for 64 bit. But it still works great! I really like this version of windows. We use XP at work and it was great for a while especially after win 95 but Win 7 is incredible. We skipped Vista so this upgrade was long overdue. Everything seems to work better. The Adobe CS 5 suite is amazing on Win 7. I wish there were better font management options. All in good time I assume. 5/5 John Schultz (Midwest USA) - See all my reviews, August 4, 2010

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  List Price: $199.99
  

  Easily create a home network and connect your PCs to a printer with HomeGroup

  Make the things you do every day easier with improved desktop navigation

  Windows 7 Home Premium (includes 32-bit & 64-bit versions) makes it easy to create a home network.

  And share all of your favorite photos, videos, and music--you can even watch, pause, rewind, and record TV

  Make your web experience faster, easier and safer than ever with Internet Explorer 8

  Start programs faster and more easily, and quickly find the documents you use most often

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  Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium Upgrade Family Pack (3-User)

  Software (Microsoft Software)
  

  Rating (475 reviews):

  (4.1/5)

  

  Here Comes Windows 7

  Here comes Windows 7, nearly three years after Windows Vista and eight years after Windows XP. By most accounts, Windows 7 is what Vista should have been. Do we finally have a worthy successor to XP?** CLEAN UPGRADE UPDATE BELOW 10/29/09 **PROS:- Fast startup and performance- Stable- Nice aesthetic and functional changes to the desktop- Improved networking, power management & security- 32-bit & 64-bit versions included- Windows Media Center- Windows XP Mode (Professional & Ultimate only)- Family Pack valueCONS:- User Account Control still annoying- Upgrade can be challenging** CLEAN UPGRADE UPDATE 10/29/09 **It seems that a lot of upgraders have been complaining about the upgrade process, especially from XP. Most of us expected to be able to format our hard disks and be prompted for either the XP disc or product key. Alas, this is not the case. The upgrade is much more... 4/5 Ed R. (San Francisco Bay Area) - See all my reviews, October 22, 2009

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  A Good Deal

  If you're like most people, you have several computers running throughout your house: a desktop, a laptop, a kid's laptop etc. This 3 license package is a great way to upgrade all of your PCs in your home for one low price.Here's my generic Windows 7 review:I'll admit, I've been running Windows 7 for six months now: the preproduction version of it and have just upgraded to the gold code. So I have quite a bit of experience with the operating system. Let's get to the nitty gritty:Should you upgrade from Windows Vista? YES! I mean it - upgrade today.Windows 7 is quite simply faster, more stable, boots faster, goes to sleep faster, comes back from sleep faster, manages your files better and on top of that it's beautiful to look at and easy to use. Even the preproduction version of Windows 7 was better than my Vista with SP2.Should you upgrade from Windows XP? Maybe, but for different reasons.XP is a good operating system and if... 5/5 Just Anonymous (Georgia, USA) - See all my reviews, October 22, 2009

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  Key upgrade info

  I had a difficult time trying to upgrade from Vista. I kept getting "unknown error" or "can't create directory for update files". Eventually I disabled everything running in the system tray - spysweeper, anti virus, and my background backup program. The install also asks you to un-install itunes. After this, I was able to update all three home computers. You would think it would be easy for Microsoft to detect these issues and give a decent error message - or include it in the installation instructions.An update after using Windows 7 for a couple of days:* Very good compatibility with programs, and printers. Everything came up and worked well. Even my Western Digital background backup program.* Taskbar bar icons are bigger - I'd guess that most Microsoft designers are growing old with me and starting to use reading glasses* Occasionally hangs when shutting down - I think that I have narrowed it to Spysweeper hanging out in the background and not closing... 3/5 J. McGillivary "mcgillca" (Santa Rosa CA USA) - See all my reviews, October 25, 2009

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  List Price: $149.95
  Price: $145.99
  You Save: $3.96 (3%)

  Windows 7 Home Premium makes it easy to create a home network and share all of your favorite photos, videos, and music--you can even watch, pause, rewind, and record TV

  Install Windows 7 Home Premium on up to three PCs in your household

  Make the things you do every day easier with improved desktop navigation

  Start programs faster and more easily, and quickly find the documents you use most often

  Easily create a home network and connect your PCs to a printer with HomeGroup

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  Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 32bit (Full) System Builder DVD 1 Pack

  Software (Microsoft Software)
  

  Rating (43 reviews):

  (4.3/5)

  

  Easy to install. My old hard drive died, so i installed a new hard drive and used the Windows 7 System Builder successfully

  The 500Gb hard drive on my Dell XPS 420 died and I struggled with how to get the machine up and running again without too much expense. First, I knew I needed a new drive and since I have been running Carbonite (on-line/off-site backup) on this machine, I purchased a 1Tb SATA drive and replaced the failed drive. After reading a bunch of license notes on Microsoft's website and a bunch of user comments, I figured out that I could use the "System Builder" version of Windows 7, because I was essentially building a system (for me). The only downside to this version of Windows that I can tell is that it does not come with support. I suppose the support is me, since I am the system builder. The second issue could be a downside, but I don't see how, really. The "System Builder" version of Windows 7 is locked to the machine I installed it on, so I can't move it to a new machine. Here is the workaround , from what I have read. If you purchase any upgrade, you now have a movable,... 5/5 Scott Somers "Scott" (Detroit, MI USA) - See all my reviews, September 10, 2011

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  Boot Camp it for MAC

  I was looking for a cheap Windows 7 disc for Boot Camp so that I could play Star Wars: The Old Republic when it comes out. After starting up the Boot Camp program all I had to do was insert the disk and let it run. This is great for anyone looking to get Windows 7 OS for Boot Camp for a cheap price, though I still prefer OS X Lion to Window 7. 5/5 Necrops - See all my reviews Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?) This review is from: Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 32bit (Full) System Builder DVD 1 Pack (DVD-ROM) I was looking for a cheap Windows 7 disc for Boot Camp so that I could play Star Wars: The Old Republic when it comes out. After starting up the Boot Camp program all I had to do was insert the disk and let it run. This is great for anyone looking to get Windows 7 OS for Boot Camp for a cheap price, though I still prefer OS X Lion to Window 7. Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  Was this review helpful to you? , October 8, 2011

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  windows 7 home premium software

  was a breeze to install finally got rid of vista on laptop. did not lose my documents or pictures. forgot to save my address book my mistake. 5/5 Mickey Mouse "Italian" (alexandria, minnesota United States) - See all my reviews Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?) This review is from: Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 32bit (Full) System Builder DVD 1 Pack (DVD-ROM) was a breeze to install finally got rid of vista on laptop. did not lose my documents or pictures. forgot to save my address book my mistake. Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  Was this review helpful to you? , May 29, 2011

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  List Price: $119.99
  Price: $96.48
  You Save: $23.51 (20%)

  Start programs faster and more easily, and quickly find the documents you use most often.

  Easily create a home network and connect your PCs to a printer with HomeGroup.

  Make your web experience faster, easier and safer than ever with Internet Explorer 8.

  Watch, pause, rewind, and record TV.

  Make the things you do every day easier with improved desktop navigation.

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  Microsoft Windows 7 Anytime Upgrade [Starter to Home Premium]

  Software (Microsoft Software)
  

  Rating (78 reviews):

  (3.6/5)

  

  Great for netbooks, but little else

  This product is only for computers running Windows 7 Starter, so if you are hoping to upgrade from XP or Vista with this kit you are out of luck. If you bought a Windows 7 netbook, chances are you have Windows 7 Starter and have already noticed a few shortcomings of the "netbook-friendly" OS. Among those are the inability to change the background or theme without assistance of 3rd party software, no Windows Media Center, and lack of Aero enhancements such as Glass (translucent borders) and Peek (thumbnail previews of open windows). Starter also lacks a 64-bit version and caps memory at 2GB, but the Atom processors in most netbooks are 32-bit and only support up to 2GB RAM.Windows Anytime Upgrade is a convenient way to increase functionality without spending extra on a full upgrade kit. The case contains only a product key, no disc, so no external DVD drive is needed. Windows 7 installs all of the components for all versions regardless of which is being installed, locking... 4/5 Curtis J. Katinas "sakanagai" - See all my reviews, December 8, 2009

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  Decided to forgo the upgrade

  So far, I am very happy with the Windows 7/Starter on the eeePC. I installed the 2GB upgrade, but I have decided I don't really need the upgrade to Home/Premium:Screensaver: I have read that these have little use with flat panel displays. The best approach is to turn the display off to extend the life of the back lighting. This you can do with 7/Starter.Desktop Background: Don't these tend to become invisible after a while anyway?Aero Effects: Can I live without it? Yeaahhh.Themes: Again, so what?I use the netbook for net surfing, ebooks, forums, email and a little blogging. Bookworm Adventure runs nicely. 7/Starter does all of these things very well. The look of Starter is attractive and pleasing. I can't see how a $77 desktop background will make these things perform any better. 4/5 David M. Wenning - See all my reviews, March 18, 2010

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  Upgraded from inferior product

  Does what it's supposed to do. The "No discs, no delay" is deceiving. When you order from Amazon, you don't just get the upgrade code emailed to you instantly, you actually have to wait for a package to be delivered. There is no disc, just the upgrade code. Seems like it could be done online so you don't have to wait several days for a little card to be delivered. A waste of time and packaging. The delivery method is the reason I'm giving it a lower number of stars.Windows 7 Starter needs to be done away with. Just because you have a small portable laptop does not mean that you want only a few basic features. Shame on Microsoft for making this version that almost forces an experienced user to upgrade. It's just a ploy to get more $$$. 3/5 D. Vajdak "Online buyer" (Aggieland, TX) - See all my reviews Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?) This review is from: Microsoft Windows 7 Anytime Upgrade [Starter to Home Premium] Does what it's supposed to do. The "No discs, no delay" is deceiving. When you order from Amazon, you don't just get the upgrade code emailed to you instantly, you actually have to wait for a package to be delivered. There is no disc, just the upgrade code. Seems like it could be done online so you don't have to wait several days for a little card to be delivered. A waste of time and packaging. The delivery method is the reason I'm giving it a lower number of stars.Windows 7 Starter needs to be done away with. Just because you have a small portable laptop does not mean that you want only a few basic features. Shame on Microsoft for making this version that almost forces an experienced user to upgrade. It's just a ploy to get more $$$. Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  Was this review helpful to you? , July 28, 2010

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  List Price: $79.95
  

  Make your web experience faster, easier and safer than ever with Internet Explorer 8

  Watch, pause, rewind, and record TV on your PC

  Make the things you do every day easier with improved desktop navigation

  Move up to Windows 7 Home Premium from Windows 7 Starter with Windows Anytime Upgrade

  Start programs faster and more easily, and quickly find the documents you use most often

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• 

  Windows 7 For Dummies Book + DVD Bundle

  Book (For Dummies)
  

  Rating (116 reviews):

  (4.2/5)

  

  Rathbone Dummies Win 7 Book

  Very well written with a gentle humor. The book is written for all levels of computer knowledge. You can skip around and read subjects where you need help or have an interest. I chose to start studying at the beginning and even found the basic level of information interesting. Andy has a way of pointing out the secrets of Windows 7. He even taught me several points about Windows XP in the process.The DVD is excellent and covers the basics of Windows 7. The book deals in the depth but the DVD gets you off and running and you can learn from there. Windows 7 is a good operating system but when you jump from XP to Win7 there are gaps that are not obvious. The DVD gets you up to speed quickly.I think the DVD and book package are well worth the price. I have recommended it to several people already. They agree with me that it is a good purchase. 5/5 Allan B. Kittila "Dr K" (Delaware) - See all my reviews, February 26, 2010

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  Windows 7 Intro - Good Resource

  This is a very good book if you want to learn all of the tricks of the new Windows 7 operating system. As a plus it comes with a DVD that will step you through some of the basics. As an experienced computer user I would recommend this book to anyone who has recently upgraded from XP to WIN7. It will help you navigate all of the new features. 5/5 MDCMAN "xmdcman" (Branson, MO) - See all my reviews This review is from: Windows 7 For Dummies Book + DVD Bundle (Paperback) This is a very good book if you want to learn all of the tricks of the new Windows 7 operating system. As a plus it comes with a DVD that will step you through some of the basics. As an experienced computer user I would recommend this book to anyone who has recently upgraded from XP to WIN7. It will help you navigate all of the new features. Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  Was this review helpful to you? , January 7, 2010

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  Neophyte

  This book has been a real help to me getting started with Windows 7. I've moved everthing that I had on a computer with Vista to this new computer with 7 and what a blessing. I am truly thankful to never have to do Vista again even with all the work to set up new in 7. I could have updated on the old computer, I guess, but decided why not start new. This book and two others--"Windows 7 Step by Step" and "Windows 7 plain & simple"--have been a great help in making the transition. 5/5 Bonnie J. Jones (Yakima, WA United States) - See all my reviews, December 2, 2009

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  List Price: $27.99
  

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  Microsoft Windows 7 Anytime Upgrade [Home Premium to Professional]

  Software (Microsoft Software)
  

  Rating (206 reviews):

  (3.9/5)

  

  What this upgrade does

  I don't see much commentary here about the actual product performance. There is a lot of confusion about this upgrade in the retail outlets, so I thought I'd explain to those with questions.I researched Windows 7 before I bought my computer, and knew I wanted Win 7 Professional in case I wanted to run XP programs. Most retail outlets only had Win 7 Home Premium installed on their computers. The computer stores had the Win 7 Pro computers on backorder. Through some investigation at Microsoft, I found out that all versions of Win 7 are preinstalled, and you just need to get a key to "unlock" the higher versions. This is that key.It took a total of 14 minutes to install this upgrade on my new computer. The hardest part was typing in the multi-digit key. (In other words, not hard!) It ran for 12 minutes, and then it was ready to go!I haven't tried the features of Win 7 Pro to rate it, but this upgrade works as promised. 5/5 J. Jaeger (Minnesota, USA) - See all my reviews, November 12, 2009

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  This is how you upgrade from Win 7 Home Premium to Win 7 Professional

  Most laptops/notebooks seem to ship with Windows 7 Home Premium rather than Windows 7 Professional. That is probably fine for most users. However, if you need your Windows 7 Notebook to be part of a business domain network, you need Windows 7 Professional. This upgrade is how you accomplish the change.It turns out that Windows 7 Home Premium already contains Windows 7 Professional; it is simply not enabled. When you buy this upgrade you are getting an upgrade key. No disk, just a key sticker and very brief instructions. Key it in pursuant to the laughably simple instructions and within minutes you will be running Windows 7 Professional. One caveat: apparently you cannot upgrade from Windows 7 32 to Windows 7 64 bit. This will affect very few users as I do not believe that hardly any computers are shipping with 32 bit Windows 7. Nor should they. Windows 7 64 bit is very compatible with existing 32 bit software, and in the future we can expect lots of 64 bit... 5/5 Roger J. Buffington (Huntington Beach, CA United States) - See all my reviews, December 28, 2009

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  Needed upgrade

  My laptop crashed and needed to be replaced. Old laptop was on XP Pro; new one on Win 7 Premium Home. One of my old software programs did not work on Win 7, and it is no longer supported, but I needed to use it. Research told me I could create a Virtual PC operating on XP but only from Win 7 Pro. So I bought the unlock code. It worked fine. I have now created Virtual PC and can access my needed old software program in that manner. Couple minor problems. First, a Virtual PC is truly a separate PC. It does not have access to the antivirus software installed on the Win 7 PC. Fortunately my ISP offers free downloads of Norton PC. Laptop came with McAfee (I did not want it because of my free access to antivirus from my ISP, but I had no choice). So I now have the main laptop protected by McAfee and the Virtual PC protected by Norton. Upgrade downloads occur separately and require separate reboots to take effect. There is no conflict because they are effectively two separate... 4/5 Retiree "Retiree" (Richmond, VA) - See all my reviews Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?) This review is from: Microsoft Windows 7 Anytime Upgrade [Home Premium to Professional] (Software) My laptop crashed and needed to be replaced. Old laptop was on XP Pro; new one on Win 7 Premium Home. One of my old software programs did not work on Win 7, and it is no longer supported, but I needed to use it. Research told me I could create a Virtual PC operating on XP but only from Win 7 Pro. So I bought the unlock code. It worked fine. I have now created Virtual PC and can access my needed old software program in that manner. Couple minor problems. First, a Virtual PC is truly a separate PC. It does not have access to the antivirus software installed on the Win 7 PC. Fortunately my ISP offers free downloads of Norton PC. Laptop came with McAfee (I did not want it because of my free access to antivirus from my ISP, but I had no choice). So I now have the main laptop protected by McAfee and the Virtual PC protected by Norton. Upgrade downloads occur separately and require separate reboots to take effect. There is no conflict because they are effectively two separate... Read more Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  Was this review helpful to you? , March 30, 2010

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  List Price: $89.95
  Price: $68.71
  You Save: $21.24 (24%)

  Watch, pause, rewind, and record TV on your PC

  Connect to company networks easily and more securely with Domain Join

  Move up to Windows 7 Professional from Windows 7 Home Premium with Windows Anytime Upgrade

  Easily create a home network and connect your PCs to a printer with HomeGroup

  Run many Windows XP productivity programs in Windows XP Mode

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  Microsoft Windows 7 Professional

  Software (Microsoft Software)
  

  Rating (88 reviews):

  (3.4/5)

  

  Here Comes Windows 7

  Here comes Windows 7, nearly three years after Windows Vista and eight years after Windows XP. By most accounts, Windows 7 is what Vista should have been. Do we finally have a worthy successor to XP?PROS:- Fast startup and performance- Stable- Nice aesthetic and functional changes to the desktop- Improved networking, power management & security- 32-bit & 64-bit versions included- Windows Media Center- Windows XP ModeCONS:- User Account Control still annoying- Upgrade can be challenging- ExpensiveThere are only two Microsoft operating systems I've personally skipped since DOS 6.x-- Windows ME and Windows Vista. Windows ME was so terrible that PC World coined it the "Mistake Edition." Vista, when initially released, was considered to be bloated, relying on higher hardware requirements than XP, while being outperformed by XP on identical hardware. With Microsoft fast-tracking Windows 7, I... 4/5 Ed R. (San Francisco Bay Area) - See all my reviews, October 22, 2009

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  A home run by Microsoft -- Finally!

  Microsoft clearly understood that it was "betting the bank" on Windows 7. This is evident from the fact that installation of Windows 7 Professional is trouble-free, and the OS is attractive, easy to figure out, and easy to configure. It has quickly become a cliche' that Windows 7 is what Vista should have been, but it is also true. In my installation all of my hardware peripherals (3 printers, a fax, a scanner, and numerous external hard disk drives) installed instantly and easily. Only one of my printers required me to log onto Hewlett-Packard's website, and right there was a Windows 7 64 bit driver waiting for me. This is one day after Windows 7 was released to the public -- Microsoft clearly worked closely with hardware developers to ensure that everything was ready to go. Installation of all hardware went without a hiccup. In fact, most times when you plug a device into a USB port, Win 7 automatically finds the necessary drivers and simply installs the device... 5/5 Roger J. Buffington (Huntington Beach, CA United States) - See all my reviews, November 2, 2009

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  Meh. Better than Vista, but...

  Exec summary:Don't stay on XP, this would be a huge mistake, security-wise. W7 is an _required_ evolutionary step forward. Not a great leap, in 10 yrs, except when contrasted with Vista. Compared to XP, it has a number of frustrating issues which really lead me to question how Microsoft spends its time.I've been working and using on Windows for 20 yrs now, as a developer and a power user. I've largely switched to Mac OS aka OSX at home (w. a Win7 Pro bootcamp on it), use Win 7 at work and sometimes use Linux (Ubuntu).The emphasis here is largely that of a home user / home office. So why Windows Pro? Simply put, if you need to bring your laptop onto a company network for some reason, like consulting, you will find that Microsoft puts limitations on Home versions of Windows joining company network domains. Can you get it to work? Maybe, network admin is not my strong point. But easier, if you care, to just get a Pro, it'll run your games just... 3/5 WiltDurkey (Vancouver, BC Canada) - See all my reviews This review is from: Microsoft Windows 7 Professional (Software) Exec summary:Don't stay on XP, this would be a huge mistake, security-wise. W7 is an _required_ evolutionary step forward. Not a great leap, in 10 yrs, except when contrasted with Vista. Compared to XP, it has a number of frustrating issues which really lead me to question how Microsoft spends its time.I've been working and using on Windows for 20 yrs now, as a developer and a power user. I've largely switched to Mac OS aka OSX at home (w. a Win7 Pro bootcamp on it), use Win 7 at work and sometimes use Linux (Ubuntu).The emphasis here is largely that of a home user / home office. So why Windows Pro? Simply put, if you need to bring your laptop onto a company network for some reason, like consulting, you will find that Microsoft puts limitations on Home versions of Windows joining company network domains. Can you get it to work? Maybe, network admin is not my strong point. But easier, if you care, to just get a Pro, it'll run your games just... Read more Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  Was this review helpful to you? , July 9, 2011

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  List Price: $299.99
  Price: $239.99
  You Save: $60.00 (20%)

  Windows 7 Professional (includes 32 & 64-bit versions) lets you run Windows XP productivity programs in Windows XP Mode.

  Easily create a home network and connect your PCs to a printer with HomeGroup

  Start programs faster and more easily, and quickly find the documents you use most often

  Make the things you do every day easier with improved desktop navigation;

  Recover data easily with automatic backups to your home or business network, connect to company networks effortlessly and more securely

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