Small PC maker plans free Windows 7 upgrade deal

Mon Mar 2, 2009 2:57PM EST

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Who could blame you for not wanting to buy a new PC right now? With Windows 7 mere months away (some rumors even claim it will ship as early as September 2009), why would you want to get stuck with Windows Vista, then have to shell out  hundreds again for a Win7 upgrade later in the year?

Unless you buy a system within weeks of Windows 7's arrival (one source says the planned cutoff date is July 1, but that's a rumor right now), Microsoft is unlikely to offer free or discounted upgrade coupons, and that means computer sales are likely to stagnate for the time being as buyers take a "wait and see" approach.

At least one company has other ideas, though, and wants to keep sales going. Seattle-area PC builder Puget Sound Systems says it is launching a program this week to give new computer buyers a free copy of Windows 7, "completely independent of any Microsoft program."

There are a few catches: You have to buy a machine that costs at least $1,000. And you have to equip it with Windows Vista Ultimate, 64-bit edition. Your free upgrade will be to Windows 7 Ultimate, also 64-bit. (Update: The company says Home Premium will also be supported.) You don't simply get a disk to do the upgrade yourself, sadly: You'll have to bring or ship your computer back to Puget Sound, so they can install the upgrade themselves, "to make sure that the upgrades go smoothly." You pay for shipping both ways.

Maybe not a great deal, but at least a good sign and a really good idea -- and it makes me wonder if any of the big PC players will follow up and offer a similar program. No sense losing sales while Microsoft figures out what people want, right?

Comments on Small PC maker plans free Windows 7 upgrade deal

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  • 1 Posted by pln3944 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:14PM EDT Report Abuse

    Fine but how many people bought computers with XP and a coupon for a free upgrade to Vista and are still waiting?

  • 2 Posted by jonbach79 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:40PM EDT Report Abuse

    Thanks for running the story! A few corrections: 1) You do get a Windows 7 disk, we say that specifically in the details. 2) The program also includes the Home Premium version. Jon Bach President - Puget Systems http://www.pugetsystems.com

  • 3 Posted by alexgannis on Thu Sep 3, 2009 2:50PM EDT Report Abuse

    Hmm, Sound like too much of a bad deal to me, Why on earth would you send your PC back and pay for shipping both ways and have to wait maybe eight weeks before you get your computer back, and end up paying if not more if you would have just have bought Window7 full version. Not worth the upgrade. Anyway it better to have a full version in case you need to reinstall. By the way I have window7 beta right now, and has much I like window vista Window7 is much better and faster by far.

  • 4 Posted by youmember2001 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:57PM EDT Report Abuse

    So what exactly is the plan if users need to reformat their systems; perhaps due to some virus or user error? Since you don't get a disc will windows 7 be a downloadable iso (like most linux distros) where you would just need to enter your product key to reinstall it? I'd be quite a pain if you had to ship it to them AGAIN just to fix your system after disaster strikes.

  • 5 Posted by cnull on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:27PM EDT Report Abuse

    jon - Sorry, didn't mean to imply you didn't actually get the disk in the end; just that you can't do the upgrade yourself.

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