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Microsoft offers $30 Windows 7 upgrades to students
The operating system will be offered as a download through Digital River, a company which specializes in downloadable software, on October 22. Copies are restricted to one download per email address and you'll have to choose between the 32 OR 64-bit versions. Not sure which one to get? Be sure to read our guide explaining the differences, and also our recent tip detailing the available Windows 7 upgrade paths.
If you accidentally downloaded or activated the incorrect version, though, you may still contact digitalriver.com for help; and additionally there's the option of ordering a backup DVD with both versions. Microsoft has set up a special web site for this deal at win741.com, where you'll be able to catch all the details. Comparable offers for students in several non-US countries will reportedly follow soon.
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User Comments (39)
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Guest on September 17, 2009 5:53 PM |
sweet deal.. thanks microsoft! |
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Guest on September 17, 2009 6:22 PM |
How do these upgrade versions work? Right now I'm using Windows 7 RC, which I know I can't use to upgrade from, but I have an old computer with a Windows XP license sticker on the back, could I use that code to activate an upgrade edition of Windows 7? |
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hamsteyr on September 17, 2009 6:29 PM |
The article is actually quite misleading in itself until you have a read through it... From my understanding from reading, its pretty much just buying a new copy for 30 bucks if you're a student with a .edu email o.o From the topic i actually thought that it was an upgrade you pay for 30 if you just got a machine with vista or something... D: Still, i don't see why microsoft can't have the key work for both the 32 and 64 bit versions. |
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SNGX1275 on September 17, 2009 6:44 PM |
Man this is good news, I wanted to get 7, but didn't jump on any of the preorder stuff for $50 or whatever it was. Now I can get it even cheaper! |
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Guest on September 17, 2009 11:55 PM |
But you know, I can't seem to find how to order the professional version of Windows 7 on the website. I can only get Home Premium. Any ideas on how to get Professional like it says in the article? |
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Punkid on September 18, 2009 1:34 AM |
great news !!!! its pretty cheap |
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gobbybobby on September 18, 2009 1:50 AM |
well $30 is not £30, ive seen alot of UK tech based websites reporing this story, and putting it at £30, $30 is £18 (Figure correct when I converted using the currect rate), I would happily pay £2 shipping to get it £10 cheaper! |
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Guest on September 18, 2009 1:54 AM |
I tried to order also and there is no option for the PRO version only HOME PREMIUM whats the deal Techspot???? |
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Guest on September 18, 2009 6:24 AM |
A very good buisness idea from Microsoft.Why? Because Mircosoft knows that it is mostly students who goes to P2P or Torrents to get copies of their products. I'm sure no student will hoop off for such copies when a geniune copy is there for just $29.99. |
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tcharp on September 18, 2009 8:30 AM |
The article states that the offer will be available on October 22. Seeing as that date is still more than a month away, perhaps the website will be updating by that time. |
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Docnoq on September 18, 2009 8:41 AM |
Hmm.. interesting. Now I am debating canceling my $50 preorder to get this $30 version instead, but then again, I may need a second copy for my laptop anyway. If they are truly planning on offering the pro version, this is a no-brainer. I don't think they will though. |
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IanDSamson on September 18, 2009 8:44 AM |
The article says "anyone with a valid .edu email address". Really? How does anyone prove to be a student when the professors and other such entities at universities all have .edu e-mail addresses. This is undue favoritism. |
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Jos on September 18, 2009 9:02 AM |
I tried to order also and there is no option for the PRO version only HOME PREMIUM whats the deal Techspot???? You must first apply for eligibility here... I assume afterwards you'll get the option of pre-ordering either the Home Premium or Professional version: Through the Digital River Windows 7 Offer, Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium Upgrade and Microsoft Windows 7 Professional Upgrade will be available for students to pre-order starting on September 17th, 2009. Read more here.Students who place a pre-order will receive an email on October 22nd, 2009 which will contain a link to access the download of their product. For those who purchased the Backup DVD, the disks will be shipped around this date and a separate shipping confirmation email will be sent confirming the shipment. There's also a FAQ at [link] with all the details regarding the promotion. |
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Docnoq on September 18, 2009 9:12 AM |
Ah ha! I found the Professional link. Once you get the confirmation email and click the link, you should see a yellow strip in the middle of your page that says "Need to join your school's network domain? Click here." If you click that link, it will pop up the page with Windows 7 Professional for $29.99. |
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Guest on September 18, 2009 10:09 AM |
This decision by Microsoft to lower it’s introductory price for Windows 7 is the best and most progressive thinking I have heard from Microsoft Corp for a very long time. I wish them well with their market approach with this new software release. Let us also hope that the gremlins that plagued Vista are nowhere around when it comes to the use of this product. I just wish I was a Student again, then I could get a bargain too. Signed Carl Barron Chairman of agpcuk |
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LNCPapa on September 18, 2009 2:20 PM |
I'm willing to be it has a lot to do with the Snow Leopard pricing. Still, I think it's a win for everyone. |
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SNGX1275 on September 18, 2009 2:49 PM |
The article says "anyone with a valid .edu email address". Really? How does anyone prove to be a student when the professors and other such entities at universities all have .edu e-mail addresses. This is undue favoritism. Traditionally thats how it works, sometimes things are reported as "student" discount, but almost always they are "educational" discounts. Same thing works with educational discount on apple hardware, anyone with an edu.
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guyver1 on September 18, 2009 4:01 PM |
So this offer if not available to EU/UK people?? great 
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Guest on September 18, 2009 4:05 PM |
This is not as sweet as it seems. Microsoft has always provided a reduced rate for students for every operating system. I have been a student for 7 years and I am in graduate school. To show you what I mean here is how much I paid for each operating system: XP Pro: $7 Vista Business: $15 Vista Ultimage: $15 and now! Windows 7: $30 And the next windows for students will be $45 or $60 probably? |
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LNCPapa on September 18, 2009 4:18 PM |
That pricing is based on what kind of License Agreement your university has with Microsoft - this deal has nothing to do with that. At my current job we make Vista Enterprise available (yes, right now) to our students for free if they don't need burned media and for a minimal media charge (I think $5) if they want it burned for them. We also have a decent Campus License Agreement to be able to offer that - but it's a very expensive agreement. We also do the same for Office 2007 and 2008 - and for the same prices, so yes it is a very good deal if your University doesn't have this type of license. |
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Guest on September 19, 2009 8:49 PM |
What about Canadian students??? |
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Guest on September 20, 2009 1:12 AM |
Windows 7 Professional is free for University of Malta students (at least the I.T. Students) amongst other Microsoft products such as Visual Studio 2008. |
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Guest on September 20, 2009 7:23 AM |
Ballmer panicked of the Mac OS X prices and reduced Windows 7 prices. To upgrade to windows7 read, http://www.goospoos.com/2009/09/all-in-one-guide-to-windows- -upgrade/ |
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Guest on September 20, 2009 11:53 AM |
Having contributed to the Gates coffers for 20 years, and been ripped off every time, I am well ****** off at this. Hey Windows 7 seems to be the FIRST Windows product which is largely bug free (have I spoken too soon). It is MY money which has financed this transition at the end of the day. Without me (and millions of others I admit) then Microsoft wouldn't have got where they have ,and avoided prosecution for fraud and supply of unfit goods through their highly one-sided EULA I have pre-ordered and no I cannot get an edu address. Too old,. So yet again I am charged over the odds. Gates clearly despises his long term customers. IF Microsoft can afford this largesse then they should be able to afford it for everyone - not just students and academic staff. Disgusting Bewick UK |
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LNCPapa on September 20, 2009 5:12 PM |
Not really sure how anyone can get upset over MS's old products - have you not been able to use them throughout the years? The only Windows OS I feel MS ever mistakenly put out was WinME - it's the only piece of absolute garbage I've seen from them. Everything else works pretty much as advertised. Would you have rather not used any MS operating systems until you could use Windows 7? Then you'd be completely new to the world of computers unless you used linux or Mac. I just don't get what people are so upset about - they've helped bring computing to the mainstream. They've nudged hardware developers to get us faster and faster parts and pieces. If it wasn't for Microsoft you'd be playing a game of Photoshop on your Mac right now. |
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