Get Windows 8 Pro upgrade for $40

Microsoft aims to make transition to Windows 8 as painless as possible.

If you are running Windows XP, Windows Vista or Windows 7, you will qualify to download an upgrade to Windows 8 Pro for $39.99. The promo will start when Windows 8 is launched this fall, and will end January 31, 2013. Additionally, the add features option in Windows 8 will allow upgraders to download Windows Media Center for free.

If you would prefer to buy an upgrade from a retail store, it will cost $69.99 during the promotion.

The Upgrade process to Windows 8 is simplified by the Windows 8 Upgrade Assistant. It starts by checking your system for any compatibility issues, and will advise you on changes you will need to make to hardware or applications before or after Windows 8 is installed.

The Windows 8 Upgrade Assistant tool itself will download the Windows 8 operating system locally. When it is complete, you will have the option to Install immediately (which will upgrade your current Windows installation), "Install by creating media," which will create a bootable USB drive or burnable ISO or it will give you the option to place a shortcut on the Desktop to upgrade later.

Bootable media will allow you to format your hard drive as part of the upgrade process, if you would prefer to keep nothing of the previous Windows operating system.

Exactly what the Upgrade tool can retain depends on what version of Windows you are upgrading from...

Windows XP - Update can retain your personal files.
Windows Vista - Update will retain Windows settings and personal files.
Windows 7 - Update will retain more or less everything including personal files, Windows settings and installed applications.

Including Windows XP as part of the deal is a positive step from Microsoft, which has been nagging XP users to upgrade for years already. You have to wonder though, how many PCs running Windows XP will be compatible with Windows 8?

Some questions have been raised about whether this promo includes OEM versions of Windows, but the Microsoft blog announcing the promotion did not even mention licensing.

Written by: James Delahunty @ 3 Jul 2012 10:34

imnomyth

Not 39.99, not even free; not with a 10 foot pole...

3.7.2012 18:47 #1

aldan

when hell freezes over.

4.7.2012 02:19 #2

ps355528

you could set me on fire and it still wouldn't tempt me.. not even with �500 included for free.. I like my stuff to work.. don't see the point of making great hardware then breaking it with wincrap :)

ARR! Them pesky Navy! Get out of my sea!
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5.7.2012 01:18 #3

Bladerz05

Windows 7 is a good operating system that is leaps and bounds ahead of xp and vista; there is no point to load win8(vista version 2).

5.7.2012 15:47 #4

EzCeazy

PASS!

5.7.2012 17:34 #5

tekzilla

Hello all, I have win8 beta installed on a VM drive and if this upgrade or any final version of win8 is anything like the beta I won't be getting any pc with win8 on it.

I bought a win7 machine a couple of years ago from a box store, and I love win7 and I will just stick with it till a better version than win8 comes out.

God Bless
Tekzilla

8.7.2012 12:03 #6

jimmurray

wow....cool....when is win9 due? maybe then....

8.7.2012 17:53 #7

drhanaba

Sorry to spoil the party, but I'm buying two upgrade copies and will purchase two surfaces as soon as they are released. Windows hit a double home run here, and will lead other system makers into the 22nd century.

8.7.2012 22:23 #8

aldan

good for you.somebody has to buy it.just not me.

8.7.2012 22:47 #9

ddp

nor me.

8.7.2012 22:53 #10

JST1946

I'll pass on this one.

8.7.2012 23:01 #11

locobrown

I bought a laptop 3 months prior to the release of Windows 7 a couple of years ago, and i downgraded from Vista to XP. Vista is a joke of an OS. It was rushed and the service packs are evidence of that. I haven't been convinced to upgrade to Windows 7. Many of us still use XP or have downgraded from Vista, and have not even installed 7 yet. Microsoft is going to release 8 already? I'll pass on 8 for the time being, as long as there is no compatibility issues with the programs that we use, i might consider upgrading or until Microsoft ends XP support set to be on April 8, 2014.

9.7.2012 00:48 #12

aldan

i used xp for years,was comfortable with it,had no problems with it.that having been said upgrading to win 7 was a definite step up.easier to use,faster,and more reliable.never regretted losing xp.i still have my install disk tho.lol.upgrading to 8 would be a step down in my estimation.

9.7.2012 01:45 #13

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