Too good to be true?

[cheap]

I want to purchase an additional copy of Windows XP w/ SP2.
I compare prices on C/Net Shopper and usually make a purchase based on
those comparisons vis-a-vis the ratings of the vendors under
consideration.

http://shopper.cnet.com/Windows_XP_...ml?orderby=210&sort=asc&info=specs&tag=ob_210

lists 25 on-line vendors and by entering my zip code I am advised that
Von1 - a five star vendor - is my most economical choice. Given the
disparity between Von1's low price and all the others, I should guess
it would be everyone's best choice. Can this price be real or have the
rest of the vendors not dropped their prices with the release of
Vista? I have checked the listing repeatedly over the past week and it
remains the same therefore I can not think this is a misprint. I
firmly believe in the adage, "If it seems too good to be true, it
probably is".

Comments?

 

[Ghostrider]

I want to purchase an additional copy of Windows XP w/ SP2.
I compare prices on C/Net Shopper and usually make a purchase based on
those comparisons vis-a-vis the ratings of the vendors under
consideration.

http://shopper.cnet.com/Windows_XP_...ml?orderby=210&sort=asc&info=specs&tag=ob_210

lists 25 on-line vendors and by entering my zip code I am advised that
Von1 - a five star vendor - is my most economical choice. Given the
disparity between Von1's low price and all the others, I should guess
it would be everyone's best choice. Can this price be real or have the
rest of the vendors not dropped their prices with the release of
Vista? I have checked the listing repeatedly over the past week and it
remains the same therefore I can not think this is a misprint. I
firmly believe in the adage, "If it seems too good to be true, it
probably is".

Comments?

Visited Von1's website for Windows XP products? Know what is being sold
at that price? That is, the Windows XP products range from just the XP
OEM cdrom to the retail box, at their respective, relative street prices.

 

[Guest]

you are right about "too good to be ture".. If you need a full copy of Xp
spk2 to do a full install...you can't use an "oem" or an "upgrade"..both of
these can be had for around 100$ A new stand alone full version of XP with
Spk2 will run you closer to 200$ the full version has its own COA and is
bootable..

 

[Newbie Coder]

Go to Ebay & get one with COA from there. Only get one from someone with
100% feedback & who has sold quite a few items

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

I want to purchase an additional copy of Windows XP w/ SP2.
I compare prices on C/Net Shopper and usually make a purchase based on
those comparisons vis-a-vis the ratings of the vendors under
consideration.

http://shopper.cnet.com/Windows_XP_...ml?orderby=210&sort=asc&info=specs&tag=ob_210

lists 25 on-line vendors and by entering my zip code I am advised that
Von1 - a five star vendor - is my most economical choice. Given the
disparity between Von1's low price and all the others, I should guess
it would be everyone's best choice. Can this price be real or have the
rest of the vendors not dropped their prices with the release of
Vista? I have checked the listing repeatedly over the past week and it
remains the same therefore I can not think this is a misprint. I

You are comparing apples and oranges. The low price for Von1 you are seeing
is for an OEM version, and you are comparing it to Full reatil versions.

I always recommend against OEM versions. I recommend that you buy a retail
upgrade version from a reputable discount source. You can buy an OEM version
instead, but it's usually only slightly cheaper than an upgrade version, and
the small difference in price isn't worth having the disadvantages of an OEM
version, the most severe of which
is that once installed, it can never legally be moved to another computer,
even if the original one dies.

 

[Rock]

you are right about "too good to be ture".. If you need a full copy of Xp
spk2 to do a full install...you can't use an "oem" or an "upgrade"..both
of
these can be had for around 100$ A new stand alone full version of XP
with
Spk2 will run you closer to 200$ the full version has its own COA and is
bootable..

I don't understand what you're saying. Why can't an OEM copy be used or an
upgrade copy? An OEM version is bootable and can do a clean install, but
not an upgrade. An upgrade version can do a clean install, it will just ask
that you insert the shiny media for the qualifying OS.

Any legitimately purchased copy of XP, whether OEM, upgrade or full retail
comes with a COA and is bootable.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

you are right about "too good to be ture".. If you need a full copy
of Xp spk2 to do a full install...you can't use an "oem" or an
"upgrade".

No, that is *not* correct. Both the OEM version and the Upgrade version
*can* do clean installations.

In fact, a clean installation is the only kind of installation an OEM
version can do.

Retail versions, whether Full or Upgrade, can do both clean installations or
upgrade installations The only difference btween the Full Retail version and
the Upgrade is that, to do a clean installation with the Upgrade version,
you need to have a CD of a previous qualifying version to insert when
prompted, as proof of ownership.

 

[Ghostrider]

You are comparing apples and oranges. The low price for Von1 you are seeing
is for an OEM version, and you are comparing it to Full reatil versions.

Ken, it's the Windows XP cdrom only...no COA.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Ken, it's the Windows XP cdrom only...no COA.

Thanks, I missed that. So it's even worse than I thought. The CD by itself
is worth nothing, so he's not comparing apples and oranges, he's comparing
apples and raisins. ;-)

 

[Alias]

You are comparing apples and oranges. The low price for Von1 you are seeing
is for an OEM version, and you are comparing it to Full reatil versions.

I always recommend against OEM versions. I recommend that you buy a retail
upgrade version from a reputable discount source. You can buy an OEM version
instead, but it's usually only slightly cheaper than an upgrade version, and
the small difference in price isn't worth having the disadvantages of an OEM
version, the most severe of which
is that once installed, it can never legally be moved to another computer,
even if the original one dies.

In some countries, like where I live, the retail upgrade version is much
more expensive than a generic OEM.

Alias

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

In some countries, like where I live, the retail upgrade version is
much more expensive than a generic OEM.

OK, all the pricing that I know about is what's in the USA. So if there are
places where my advice above isn't applicable, then the price differential
will need to be considered. Still, there would have to be a very big savings
for me to prefer an OEM version.