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Editor's picks

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  Microsoft Windows 7 Anytime Upgrade (Home Premium to Professional) [Online Code]

  Digital Software (Microsoft)
  

  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: $74.68
  You Save: $15.27 (17%)

  Run many Windows XP productivity programs in Windows XP Mode

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

  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

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

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  Medialink - Wireless N USB Adapter - 802.11n - 150Mbps - 2.4ghz - Windows 2000 / 2003 / XP 32-Bit and 64-Bit / Vista 32-Bit and 64-Bit / Windows 7 32-Bit and 64-Bit Compatible

  PC Accessory (Medialink Products, LLC)
  

  Rating (0 reviews):

  (4.6/5)

  

  Great Company with a Big Bang for your Buck product

  I own a computer that utilizes Windows Vista (64 bit) and was not having success installing wireless adapters from two reputable companies. At this point I was ready to cut open walls and run the ethernet cable to my computer. I mentioned the problem to my computer geek cousin and he told me to purchase a medialink wireless adapter as it supports Windows Vista 32 and 64. So I googled the wireless adapter and found that Amazon carried it. So I went to Amazon.com and there it was in the medialink adapter's product information, compatible with Vista 32 and 64. At $29.99 ( $10.00 cheaper then the previous two adapters), I thought it was worth the risk. I recieved it two days later and proceeded to install the medialink wireless G USB adapter and again no success. At this point I'm ready to punch a hole in the wall out of frustration. I finally decided to contact Mediabridge to convey my dissatisfaction. The phone was picked up after one ring and a customer service person rerouted me to... 5/5 RSV - See all my reviews This review is from: Medialink - Wireless N USB Adapter - 802.11n - 150Mbps - 2.4ghz - Windows 2000 / 2003 / XP 32-Bit and 64-Bit / Vista 32-Bit and 64-Bit / Windows 7 32-Bit and 64-Bit Compatible (Electronics) I own a computer that utilizes Windows Vista (64 bit) and was not having success installing wireless adapters from two reputable companies. At this point I was ready to cut open walls and run the ethernet cable to my computer. I mentioned the problem to my computer geek cousin and he told me to purchase a medialink wireless adapter as it supports Windows Vista 32 and 64. So I googled the wireless adapter and found that Amazon carried it. So I went to Amazon.com and there it was in the medialink adapter's product information, compatible with Vista 32 and 64. At $29.99 ( $10.00 cheaper then the previous two adapters), I thought it was worth the risk. I recieved it two days later and proceeded to install the medialink wireless G USB adapter and again no success. At this point I'm ready to punch a hole in the wall out of frustration. I finally decided to contact Mediabridge to convey my dissatisfaction. The phone was picked up after one ring and a customer service person rerouted me to... Read more Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  Was this review helpful to you? , November 11, 2009

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  Compatible with WD TV Live

  I purchased this adapter with high hopes that it would somehow magically work with my , despite my knowing that it was an unrealistic expectation since the dongle comes with it's own drivers. At best, I was expecting to have to run some home-brewed firmware on the WD TV in order to get this to work.Lo and behold, I plugged it in and it was recognized within seconds. In under a minute, the box was connected to my network and I was streaming YouTube video to my upstairs bedroom. I was absolutely amazed.This dongle is not yet listed on WD TV Live's supported device list, and I've found no previous posts or reviews confirming this compatibility. Hope this helps those looking at this for the same reason that I was. 5/5 Alan Novitskiy "wrench monkey" (San Fancisco, CA) - See all my reviews, December 4, 2009

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  A rare find - a multi-OS Wireless N adapter!

  I recently added Mac OS X to my Windows Dell Mini 9. I had replaced the WiFi card in the Mini with an Intel 5300 which is great, but there's no Mac OS support. So I was on the lookout for an inexpensive USB adapter that supported OS X and Windows - if it was wireless N also, that would be a bonus. A couple of weeks ago when I started this search, I came up empty, but this time I found the Medialink adapter, which claimed to support Windows, OS X and Linux. I decided to give it a try.When I received it I was upset to see that the packaging claimed support for Windows only, and the Medialink web site has only Windows drivers. But the instruction leaflet says that OS X and Linux drivers are on the CD and sure enough, they are.Medialink claims that this is one of the smallest Wireless N USB adapters and I believe them - it's half the size of an Actiontec adapter I recently reviewed.I first tried it under Windows 7. The driver installed nicely and... 4/5 S. Lionel (NH USA) - See all my reviews, October 25, 2009

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  List Price: $89.99
  

  Supports the Following Security Protocols: WPA/WPA2, 64/128/152-bit WEP.

  Simplified One Click Wi-Fi Installation

  Compatible With Any Brand 802.11g or 802.11n Router Using 2.4ghz Wavelength

  Docking Station Included with Attached 3ft USB Extension Cable for Desktop Convenience

  Microsoft WHQL Certified

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  2MP USB Powered Digital Microscope Endoscope Magnifier (400X Magnification) for Windows 7(32 bit, not for 64 bit)/Vista/XP/2000 Mac OS X 10.5

  CE (BrainyTrade)
  

  Rating (3 reviews):

  (3.0/5)

  

  Horrible choice

  It seemed like a great deal, unfortunately its not. Small light weight, USB 2 sounded awesome. Unstable, the stand does not hold it sill. am unimpressed with this item. It has only one focus point, and that is determined by the zoom, so only one zoom setting actually. Also the program that comes with it lacks any decent tools . NO auto focus. Also the program did not recognize the microscope when I tried to use it after closing the program and restarting it. I had planned on buying a few of these for my family, not any more. 1/5 BigRockJohnson (RICHMOND, CA, US) - See all my reviews Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?) This review is from: 2MP USB Powered Digital Microscope Endoscope Magnifier (400X Magnification) for Windows 7(32 bit, not for 64 bit)/Vista/XP/2000 Mac OS X 10.5 (Electronics) It seemed like a great deal, unfortunately its not. Small light weight, USB 2 sounded awesome. Unstable, the stand does not hold it sill. am unimpressed with this item. It has only one focus point, and that is determined by the zoom, so only one zoom setting actually. Also the program that comes with it lacks any decent tools . NO auto focus. Also the program did not recognize the microscope when I tried to use it after closing the program and restarting it. I had planned on buying a few of these for my family, not any more. Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  Was this review helpful to you? , September 10, 2011

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  Good solid product!

  If your looking for a portable microscope so to say then look no further.I use this with my mac book and it works great the magnification is top notch as is the clarity.I use this in my lab looking at different pests and trichromes with great results.LOOK no further i've paid over 150$ in the past for basically the same product and the exspensive one failed on me.I've only had this new one for about a month or two but use it almost daily and it works great even when i am not the most gentle with it accidently of course.You will not find another for the low price as this one is especially one compatiable with mac. 5/5 Kushlvr - See all my reviews Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?) This review is from: 2MP USB Powered Digital Microscope Endoscope Magnifier (400X Magnification) for Windows 7(32 bit, not for 64 bit)/Vista/XP/2000 Mac OS X 10.5 (Electronics) If your looking for a portable microscope so to say then look no further.I use this with my mac book and it works great the magnification is top notch as is the clarity.I use this in my lab looking at different pests and trichromes with great results.LOOK no further i've paid over 150$ in the past for basically the same product and the exspensive one failed on me.I've only had this new one for about a month or two but use it almost daily and it works great even when i am not the most gentle with it accidently of course.You will not find another for the low price as this one is especially one compatiable with mac. Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  Was this review helpful to you? , March 22, 2012

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  Worked but was a pain.

  Driver it came with and the one from the website did not work with win 7 64. I found a program on the net that would so I did get to use the product it was just an hour wasted looking for it. As far as a microscope goes, this is the first time I every used a digital one. It was ok and would make a great toy for kids. 3/5 navdawg (fl) - See all my reviews Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?) This review is from: 2MP USB Powered Digital Microscope Endoscope Magnifier (400X Magnification) for Windows 7(32 bit, not for 64 bit)/Vista/XP/2000 Mac OS X 10.5 (Electronics) Driver it came with and the one from the website did not work with win 7 64. I found a program on the net that would so I did get to use the product it was just an hour wasted looking for it. As far as a microscope goes, this is the first time I every used a digital one. It was ok and would make a great toy for kids. Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  Was this review helpful to you? , November 27, 2011

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  Focus Range: Manual focus from 10mm to 500mm. Frame Rate: Max 30f/s under 600 Lus Brightness

  Image sensor: 2Mega Pixels (interpolated to 3MP). Operation system: Windows 7(32 bit, not for 64 bit)/Vista/XP/2000, Mac OS X 10.5 or above.

  Package including: 1x USB Microscope, 1x Tripod, 1x Driver, 1x User Manual

  Magnification Ratio: 20x and 400x. Video format: AVI. Photo format: JPEG or BMP. Light source: 8 LED (adjustable by control wheel). PC interface: USB2.0.

  Still capture resolution: 1600x1200, 1280x1024, 1280x960, 1024x768, 800x600, 640x480, 352x288, 320x240, 160x120. Video capture resolution: 1600x1200, 1280x1024, 1280x960, 1024x768, 800x600, 640x480, 352x288, 320x240, 160x120

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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%)

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

  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.

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

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  Microsoft Windows 7 Anytime Upgrade (Home Premium to Ultimate) [Online Code]

  Digital Software (Microsoft)
  

  Rating (60 reviews):

  (4.2/5)

  

  (ALMOST) As Easy as A, B, C

  I give this product 4 stars. 5 Stars for the quality of features unlocked and less 1 star for the hoops and hurdles involved in getting the Win 7 XP mode to be fully functioning.Well, if you were previously like me, having a Win 7 Home Premium O/S, hesistant about spending an extra US$129.99 (as at the time of writing) for an O/S upgrade, there are a couple of things you might want to know before taking the plunge.My Toshiba Qosmio X505-Q898 laptop (also bought from Amazon) came pre-installed with Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit. Unless you require practical features such as Bitlocker, XP Mode and the ability to use other languages for your O/S, the Ultimate edition is an overkill for the typical consumer. Well, as for "intangible" benefits, running Win 7 Ultimate comes with bragging rights too... ;) hee heeThis product will only upgrade Win 7 Home Premium 32 Bit/64 Bit to Win 7 Ultimate 32Bit/64Bit respectively. It will not work with any other... 4/5 Michael Ballack "mike_of_london" (London) - See all my reviews Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?) This review is from: Microsoft Windows 7 Anytime Upgrade [Home Premium to Ultimate] I give this product 4 stars. 5 Stars for the quality of features unlocked and less 1 star for the hoops and hurdles involved in getting the Win 7 XP mode to be fully functioning.Well, if you were previously like me, having a Win 7 Home Premium O/S, hesistant about spending an extra US$129.99 (as at the time of writing) for an O/S upgrade, there are a couple of things you might want to know before taking the plunge.My Toshiba Qosmio X505-Q898 laptop (also bought from Amazon) came pre-installed with Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit. Unless you require practical features such as Bitlocker, XP Mode and the ability to use other languages for your O/S, the Ultimate edition is an overkill for the typical consumer. Well, as for "intangible" benefits, running Win 7 Ultimate comes with bragging rights too... ;) hee heeThis product will only upgrade Win 7 Home Premium 32 Bit/64 Bit to Win 7 Ultimate 32Bit/64Bit respectively. It will not work with any other... Read more Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  Was this review helpful to you? , December 23, 2010

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  Make sure your computer has a TPM chip

  In order to use bitlocker, your computer must have a TPM chip in it. If not, you can turn bitlocker on but have to use a USB drive to hold the key file every time you boot it up. An acceptable solution for a desktop, but for a laptop a bit of an inconvenience having a USB drive sticking out of it, plus it takes up a USB port. My 2 month old Dell XPS laptop had the option of having Win 7 Home Premium, Professional, or Ultimate installed, so I assumed I could upgrade afterwards. Turns out they must only put that chip into models shipping with Ultimate already. So double check that if bitlocker is important to you.Other than this issue, the update process was quick and painless. It seemed to take less time than installing a regular software program since it didn't have to load off the CD and do a lot of registry changing.Ultimate itself with the XP mode seems a good upgrade for me. A few hardware items and some software just doesn't work with Win 7. Plus I... 4/5 AKO California (Los Angeles) - See all my reviews Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?) This review is from: Microsoft Windows 7 Anytime Upgrade (Home Premium to Ultimate) [Online Code] (Software Download) In order to use bitlocker, your computer must have a TPM chip in it. If not, you can turn bitlocker on but have to use a USB drive to hold the key file every time you boot it up. An acceptable solution for a desktop, but for a laptop a bit of an inconvenience having a USB drive sticking out of it, plus it takes up a USB port. My 2 month old Dell XPS laptop had the option of having Win 7 Home Premium, Professional, or Ultimate installed, so I assumed I could upgrade afterwards. Turns out they must only put that chip into models shipping with Ultimate already. So double check that if bitlocker is important to you.Other than this issue, the update process was quick and painless. It seemed to take less time than installing a regular software program since it didn't have to load off the CD and do a lot of registry changing.Ultimate itself with the XP mode seems a good upgrade for me. A few hardware items and some software just doesn't work with Win 7. Plus I... Read more Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  Was this review helpful to you? , March 27, 2011

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  Upgrade to Ultimate a snap

  I upgraded a Dell machine that was pre-installed with Windows 7 Home Premium using the code that Amazon provided electronically, and the upgrade completed without any issues, in a reasonable amount of time. Ultimate features (like encryption, backup to a remote share, etc...) are all available. Registration process with Microsoft also went without a hitch. 5/5 ron_in_california - See all my reviews Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?) This review is from: Microsoft Windows 7 Anytime Upgrade (Home Premium to Ultimate) [Online Code] (Software Download) I upgraded a Dell machine that was pre-installed with Windows 7 Home Premium using the code that Amazon provided electronically, and the upgrade completed without any issues, in a reasonable amount of time. Ultimate features (like encryption, backup to a remote share, etc...) are all available. Registration process with Microsoft also went without a hitch. Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  Was this review helpful to you? , March 29, 2011

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  List Price: $139.95
  Price: $79.91
  You Save: $60.04 (43%)

  Connect to company networks easily and more securely with Domain Join

  In addition to full-system Backup and Restore found in all editions, you can back up to a home or business network

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

  Help protect data on your PC and portable storage devices against loss or theft with BitLocker

  Work in the language of your choice and switch between any of 35 languages

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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: $73.96
  You Save: $15.99 (18%)

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

  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

  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
  

  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

  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

  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

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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
  

  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

  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

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

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  Microsoft Office Home & Student 2010 - 3PC/1User [Download]

  Digital Software (Microsoft)
  

  Rating (642 reviews):

  (4.0/5)

  

  A whole lot of polishing make it an efficient, worhtwhile upgrade

  I've had an opportunity to use Office 2010 Beta edition for a couple of months now and now that I see the full, final, edition I can say that this is a very worthwhile upgrade. First things first, I am not a techie. I am someone who uses Word, Excel and PowerPoint on a very regular basis, who really liked some of the changes in Office 2007 but who thought some things needed tweaking, so when given the opportunity for the beta edition I jumped on it and have not been disappointed. Office 2010 is to Office 2007 what Windows 7 was to Vista; that is, there are not many breakthrough, drastically different features, but a whole lot of polishing and cleanup to make it easier and more efficient. Overall, the program seems to run faster, incorporates many of the most commonly used options and makes them more accessible (eliminating many dialog boxes and tabs) and allows for more customization.At first glance it looks very much like its predecessor, the ribbon is back and it is now... 5/5 Surgery100 "ADJ" (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews This review is from: Microsoft Office Home & Student 2010 - 3PC/1User (Disc Version) (DVD-ROM) I've had an opportunity to use Office 2010 Beta edition for a couple of months now and now that I see the full, final, edition I can say that this is a very worthwhile upgrade. First things first, I am not a techie. I am someone who uses Word, Excel and PowerPoint on a very regular basis, who really liked some of the changes in Office 2007 but who thought some things needed tweaking, so when given the opportunity for the beta edition I jumped on it and have not been disappointed. Office 2010 is to Office 2007 what Windows 7 was to Vista; that is, there are not many breakthrough, drastically different features, but a whole lot of polishing and cleanup to make it easier and more efficient. Overall, the program seems to run faster, incorporates many of the most commonly used options and makes them more accessible (eliminating many dialog boxes and tabs) and allows for more customization.At first glance it looks very much like its predecessor, the ribbon is back and it is now... Read more Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  Was this review helpful to you? , June 16, 2010

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  Very worthwhile, but a word of caution on install.

  This is a worthwhile upgrade for me. I debated whether to do it or not and what version to get. I finally decided on the Home and Student version. I was pleased to see the price actually drop upon shipping. For me the main deal was OneNote 2010 which allows me to print directly into OneNote. In December I bought a new laptop and it has Win7 Pro 64bit. I was very disappointed to find that OneNote 2007 did not include a driver to print directly into it. While MS did provide a work around this much better.One word of caution when you are installing. My MS Office install is a bit of a collection. I'm using stand alone versions of Outlook and Publisher (both 2007) and Access (2003). I had decided to leave these as is. Upon installing 2010 I was presented with two buttons: "Upgrade" and "Customize". I picked curtain 1 (upgrade). My bad! The install then proceeded to remove Outlook, Publisher and Access. Since the program I was installing did not include these products I think... 5/5 John (United States) - See all my reviews, June 17, 2010

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  Probably Not Worth the Upgrade!

  In my title, I noted that it is "probably" not worth the upgrade. The probably depends upon what you are upgrading from. If you are using Office 2007, stick with 2007. This has a slightly longer load time and not much in the way of usable new features. If you are upgrading from an even earlier version of Office, then this is probably the way to go.The good: The ribbon bar. I like it and it is still there, with a couple of minor improvements such as adding a file option and incorporating your most commonly used actions into one place (kind of like Office 2003 did). The look is slightly updated to be more in line with Windows 7. There are some nice video editing features for PowerPoint that you may find useful. Also, the true claim to fame of this program is that it nearly catches up to Google Docs with online options. Finally, this is a three computer license, which is nice since so many people buy one and put it on all the computers in the house anyway... 2/5 John Keitz "Islesfan" (Nevada) - See all my reviews, August 25, 2010

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  List Price: $149.99
  Price: $105.00
  You Save: $44.99 (30%)

  Pressed for time on a major assignment? Get ideas down fast with ready-made templates, new photo- and video-editing features and eye-catching transitions all with Microsoft PowerPoint 2010.

  School fundraisers and neighborhood events come together efficiently when you use Word 2010. Create documents using new photo-editing features, lively text effects, then easily share them online and invite others to collaborate

  Microsoft Office 2010 gives you powerful new tools to express your ideas, solve problems, and connect with people.

  Gather a wealth of information and resources all in one spot with OneNote 2010. Post, share and edit notes for group projects online so everyone can work at the same time with real-time updates.

  Saving for retirement, changing homes, cutting expenses-all are important financial decisions. Excel 2010 offers useful direction with simple templates to help you build budgets and track expenses so you can focus on financial goals.

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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%)

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

  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 the things you do every day easier with improved desktop navigation

  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

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