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Resolved Upgaded Windows 7 when buying new PC

Discussion in 'Windows 7' started by sandilew, 2014/03/28.

  1. 2014/03/28
    sandilew Lifetime Subscription

    sandilew Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    Hello,

    It's been 10 years since I bought my Dell computer with Visa installed. A little over a year ago I purchased Windows 7 Home Premium, and installed that over my Vista OS. I plan on purchasing a new computer sometime within the next year or two, and I was thinking that when I did, I could have all my files simply transferred to the new computer with no problem. No, I would not be doing it mtyself, most likely, but having it done at the store where I purchase my new PC.

    Now my daughter just informed me that I will not be able to do that, because when I purchased my Windows 7 OS, it was an OEM, therefore documents and any other files I have created with my Window 7, will not be able to transfer to a new computer because there is a major difference between a purchased OEM and a Windows OS commercial installation.

    Is this true??? Will all of my documents be lost to me? I have all of them copied to an external hard drive, as well. She said I will not be able to recover them from there either. That the new computer with the commercial edition of Windows whatever OS, will not be able to read those files, because they were made with an OEM edition of Win7.

    I am in a near panic here, so I hope someone can help, and clear this up for me. She dared me to check it out, because she is so certain she is right about this. I sure do hope that this time, she made an error. :)

    Sandie
     
    sandilew,
    #1
  2. 2014/03/28
    Evan Omo

    Evan Omo Computer Support Technician Staff

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    Hi Sandie. Sadly your daughter is correct. OEM licenses are NOT transferable to a new machine. See this link, No, OEM Microsoft Windows licenses cannot be transferred to another PC.

    Now new computers that you buy in electronic stores will be using Windows 8.1 anyway so if you don't like Windows 8.1 and wanted to use Windows 7 on the new computer that you bought then you will need to purchase a new copy of Windows 7 and use the Windows 7 DVD to perform a clean install of Windows.

    You don't need to buy Windows 7 if you don't want to. You could merely buy a new computer which will come with Windows 8.1 pre-installed on the machine, then you can use a flash drive to transfer your files and pictures over to the new machine. Mind you applications such as Microsoft Office, Adobe Reader, Games, and Security programs will need to be reinstalled on the new computer. You will not be able to copy programs over to the new computer unless they are portable apps that don't require installation.

    This is utter nonsense. As long as the new computer has the right application to read and open those files then you can transfer your files over with no problems. Its the Windows 7 OEM license that won't transfer. Even then I've heard that in some cases you may be able to get away with having the Windows 7 license transferred onto another computer if you call Microsoft and explain the situation to them.
     
    Evan Omo,
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  4. 2014/03/29
    Arie

    Arie Administrator Administrator Staff

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    Sorry, but you are wrong. Please re-read the question:

    You can use ALL of your user created files on any other machine. As long as it has the software installed to read them. For example if you now have a copy of Microsoft Office and you have Word files, you'll need a program on the new PC capable of reading Office files.

    Your daughter & Evan seem to think that you want to transfer the Windows installation, which is another issue.
     
    Arie,
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  5. 2014/03/29
    sandilew Lifetime Subscription

    sandilew Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    Hello,

    Thank you both, for coming to my rescue. But you are right Arie, I do not want to transfer my entire OS to another computer. I just want to know that the files I have copied and saved to my external hard drive, will still be readable on the new computer. And of course, I would make sure to have the right programs to read them, such as PDF reader, office suite, etc.

    I was surprised to learn from my daughter that if backed up my entire system on the external hard drive, and should my computer crash for good, I would not be able to restore it because of my Win 7 OEM installation. I did not know that. And since, within my documents, which are all copied to the external drive, are my purchase receipts for any programs I should want to keep, I will have no problem installing them again. Just so long as the files will be readable. That was my main worry.

    So thank you both for responding, and I am much relieved now that my files are safe. And to make them safer still, I am uploading them to a cloud drive as well. That should keep them safe enough, I should hope. LOL

    Sincerely,
    Sandie
     
    sandilew,
    #4
  6. 2014/03/29
    Evan Omo

    Evan Omo Computer Support Technician Staff

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    I get that now. :p Based on the initial post it sounded like Sandie wanted to transfer all of the data INCLUDING the Windows 7 OEM license over to the new machine. Regardless though, I already mentioned that Sandie will be able to transfer her data over to the new computer without any trouble.

    Thanks for clearing up any confusion on the matter. Good luck with the eventual migration over to the new system.
     
    Evan Omo,
    #5
    sandilew likes this.

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