I can confirm a copy of Win 7 upgrade will install onto a clean pc, without requesting any sort of “old version” to confirm the upgrade.

Now that’s an interesting statement. Are you sure? Maybe they’ve changed it now, then. Hmm.

see previous post… it’s definitely installed on a clean hdd, I was expecting something to request a ‘previous version check’ but nothing came up during the installation, though I’ve yet to activate it.

The trick with ‘upgrading’ Win7 is quite easy…

…. install it fully without a key (active for 30 days IIRC).

Then from within the OS, ‘upgrade’ to the same OS you are running…

Don’t enter they key during the installer – it checks the OS you’re upgrading FROM. Wait until the new upgraded OS is installed, then put in they key (from within Windows).

The OS knows it’s an upgrade – but can’t check the previous OS, as it’s been overwritten.

Simples.

And the x32 and x64 OS’s work with the same installation keys.

Have yet to see that Windows 64bit offers any “real world advantages”, other than memory access

Big enough advantage in my book, seeing as 4GB is fast becoming the practical lower limit for new systems that offer any kind of performance beyond web browsing and word processing these days. And memory capacity is only going to go up and up, not down, in the long run. So IMO, best to make the switch to 64bit ASAP. Besides, Macs have been 64bit for quite some time now, and there is a definite performance advantage that’s noticable there.

So, does http://www.ebuyer.com/product/251310 plus http://www.ebuyer.com/product/259863 look like the best deal for me ?

IMO yes Graham, hence I suggested it! 😉 Seriously though, you’ll not get better performance for similar money elsewhere, and the Zoostorm PC’s are actually very good these days. Ebuyer’s backup is also very good should anything go wrong.

Just a word of advice though, the standard integrated Graphics won’t be up to much. I don’t know what you use your PC for, but if you want to play any HD videos at all, you’ll probably want to budget another £25 to £30 for a low end graphics card such as this… http://www.ebuyer.com/product/240886

Also, if you use your computer wirelessly, you’ll need a wireless network card such as this… http://www.ebuyer.com/product/155641

though I’ve yet to activate it.

Ah, yes. You had me going for a minute. It installs fine, it’s activation that will fail.

Sun SPARC’s have been 64bit since the 90s… but then again, they’re a completely different architecture…

mboy – do you have any test results/evidence for x64 Macs having a ‘definite performance advantage that’s noticable’ over x32? Not trollin’, just curious…

Big enough advantage in my book, seeing as 4GB is fast becoming the practical lower limit for new systems that offer any kind of performance beyond web browsing and word processing these days

Except all most people do do with computers is web browsing and word processing (or similarly undemanding activities) and I don’t see any evidence of the OP doing much more. I do actually do rather more and haven’t noticed significant impact with only 2 or 3GB – it’s only if you get into serious image processing or stuff like that you really need lots of memory.

4GB ought to be enough for anybody.

xiphon, not personally, but some programs such as Final Cut Pro, Logic Studio, Photoshop etc. can require significantly more than 4GB of memory if lots of plugins are being used.

You can request for the program to open in 64 bit mode (rather than just 32) whereby it will help itself to as much of your system memory as it pleases, rather than topping out at 3-4GB. I’ve seen instances of 100’s of plugins being used on a system with 16GB of RAM iirc, and it was munching through the lot!

If 64bit offered no advantages ever, we’d never fit more than 4GB of RAM!

But yes, for the average user, 32 bit is still going to be fine for many years to come.

Did you ever get my email about the Hackintosh by the way? I was in dire need of help at one point, seem to have fixed it all now though. FINALLY got my wireless Vs 4GB RAM issue sorted out (wireless wouldn’t work unless I removed 2GB of RAM!)…

640K should be enough for anybody

So, does http://www.ebuyer.com/product/251310 plus http://www.ebuyer.com/product/259863 look like the best deal for me ?

Just read some of the reviews on the machine, they say it has an ASUS P5G41T-M Motherboard in it. Might not mean a lot to you, but ASUS are top when it comes to Motherboards, so you’re getting decent quality there. Also, as it’s G41 not G31, the integrated graphics should be fairly reasonable.

The version of Windows 7 mentioned is OEM. You will only be able to use it on the PC you first install and activate it on. The licence becomes “tied” to the motherboard. If you buy another new PC in future then you’ll have to buy a new OS for it too. The retail version of Windows 7 isn’t limited in this way.

shadthebad – not quite, as you can re-activate the OEM on similar hardware, especially if it’s the same brand (HP, Dell, etc).

I sometimes use HP branded media on Dells…

Interesting. I read that in this months(August) Custom PC, p124. The OP’s PC of choice isn’t one of the major brands you’ve mentioned though and may be an issue in future.

You can’t directly compare PCs with Macs and SPARCs in this way. The SPARC is a totally different architecture, and the Mac is a tightly controlled platform.

ASUS are top when it comes to Motherboards

No real arguments here, I like ASUS boards.

you can re-activate the OEM on similar hardware,

Physically perhaps, but it’ll be outside the terms of the licence.

I sometimes use HP branded media on Dells

That’s a whole other lengthy topic of conversation.