Microsoft just announced that all Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7 users will be able to upgrade to Windows 8 Pro once released for $39.99 in 131 markets via Windows.com. As an added option, after the download finishes, users can elect to also buy a backup DVD for $15 plus shipping and handling.
Additionally, Windows Media Center which we all thought would be an additional cost will be available within Windows 8 Pro as a free option after you upgrade to Windows 8.
If users would prefer to get a physical disc and not perform the upgrade online, packaged DVD Windows 8 Upgrades will be available for $69.99.
Both the upgrade promotion online and at retail stores will only run through January 31st, 2013 so it’s obvious Microsoft is looking to make this a huge push to get all its Windows Users upgraded quickly.
This news comes just days after Microsoft hinted at the upgrade paths to Windows 8 users can expect as well as the discounted price for Windows 8 for those users who bought a new PC in 2012 before the release of Windows 8.
Overall, I’m impressed to see that Microsoft dug deep on this one. Allowing users to go from Windows XP all the way to Windows 8 for just $39.99 is a classy move.
Update:
For those of you running a Pre-Release of Windows 8 like the consumer preview, here’s an update from Microsoft regarding the upgrade options as well as the upgrade cost to Windows 8 RTM:
Brandon LeBlanc
“People can move from the Windows 8 Release Preview to Windows 8 Pro using the Windows 8 Upgrade Assistant and will only have the options to migrate their personal files or keep nothing at all when upgrading. People moving from the Windows 8 Release Preview will need to make sure you have an underlying license for either Windows XP, Windows Vista or Windows 7. “
Via Windows Blog
25 Comments
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Austin Krause
July 2, 2012 at 1:03 pm
It’s very cool to see multi-generational upgrade pricing at this low point.
Could this inexpensive upgrade pricing be a sign of weak faith in Windows 8 sales? I think it could be, but I’m not so sure.
Regardless of Microsoft’s reasoning, it’s a smart move to get as many users as possible onto Windows 8. If I were them, I’d be offering it for free. Getting users into Windows 8 means getting users into Microsoft’s new Metro platform and the Windows appstore. If Microsoft wants to take a bite out of Apple, this is the best way to do it. Once you’ve purchased enough apps in one market, you won’t want to switch. I know plenty of people with iPhones who’ve purchased 1000’s of apps and songs. They will never switch to Android simply because they don’t want to lose all of their purchases. I do think at some point in the future developers will make a push for “cross-platform” app purchases, but for now it’s a monopolistic situation where whoever can pull in the users wins them over permanently.
Steve Krause
July 2, 2012 at 1:36 pm
The Windows App Store is what resonates with me. Give away the OS, sell the apps. Apple allows users to upgrade for $19.99 which I’m sure played into this a little as well.
Looking long-term I agree, publishers need to settle on a single platform to sell all their apps. I personally only buy games from Valve Software – http://store.steampowered.com/
Buy the game for PC and get it on the MAC and Linux. Would be great to have them dip into the mobile market. :)
Brian
July 2, 2012 at 6:02 pm
Yes. This is welcome news indeed. Plus, if you buy a PC now, until the end of the year — I think — with Windows 7 pre-installed, you get a voucher to upgrade to Windows 8 Pro for only $14.99.
https://www.groovypost.com/news/windows-8-new-pc-upgrade-price/
This is a great deal considering you can upgrade from XP — according to Microsoft’s announcement last week about Windows 8 upgrade paths.
https://www.groovypost.com/news/windows-8-upgrade-options/
I am sure the Apple OS X upgrade price played a role in the decision.
Ocelotty1
July 2, 2012 at 8:32 pm
This is great news. We still run XP in the office & at this price point I am willing to convert all stations to Win 8.
Many people say that this is a knee jerk reaction to the price point of OSX. I don’t think so. Even though sales of Apple computers/ laptops are sky rocketing the market share of OSX is still falling or at best remaining level.. http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/02/statcounter-windows-7-top-OS/
This move is, I believe, an attempt to try knocking XP out of the equation as well as bringing the corporate world onto win 8 at an affordable price point.
Personally, I can’t wait to grab a surface pro or other similar win 8 slate which can fully integrate with our remote servers
Steve Krause
July 3, 2012 at 8:44 am
@Ocelotty1:disqus So these are new PC’s which you’ve just kept on Windows XP or older units?
Does your company have a EA which gives you the upgrade to Windows 8? I’m thinking this could be a great way for Corps. to upgrade to windows 8 even if they don’t have an EA….. Very low price for the upgrade.
Ocelotty1
July 3, 2012 at 6:00 pm
Older computers which we will upgrade in phases. We are based in Hong Kong, so we can do that comparatively cheaply. We don’t need high powered machines. They just need to be able to run Office. We also retain the original XP keys so upgrading to Win 8 is perfectly feasible.
Paul Fullilove
July 3, 2012 at 9:35 am
This is great news but what’s the price of Windows 8 Pro for people who are already using Windows 8 Consumer Preview?
Steve Krause
July 3, 2012 at 10:17 am
Great question @facebook-1270888950:disqus. Here is the official answer from Microsoft:
Brandon LeBlanc
“People can move from the Windows 8 Release Preview to Windows 8 Pro using the Windows 8 Upgrade Assistant and will only have the options to migrate their personal files or keep nothing at all when upgrading. People moving from the Windows 8 Release Preview will need to make sure you have an underlying license for either Windows XP, Windows Vista or Windows 7. “
Paul Fullilove
July 3, 2012 at 11:04 am
Thanks Steve. If I had known this before, I wouldn’t have installed the Win 8 Preview.
Steve Krause
July 3, 2012 at 11:39 am
Yeah…. not bringing the apps or config with you is painful. That’s a surprise for me also.
Not sure how they will confirm if you have an underlying Windows XP/vista/7 license either…
Joan
July 3, 2012 at 9:50 am
This is great news — do you know:
if you can load it on multiple computers?
can you do the upgrade without wiping your hard drive?
Steve Krause
July 3, 2012 at 10:10 am
Hi @disqus_8IkfmWUsgu:disqus
The upgrade price of $39.99 is only good for 1 PC.
In regards to the upgrade path — read this article here about what can be upgraded / migrated vs. a clean install: https://www.groovypost.com/news/windows-8-upgrade-options/
CAtransplant
July 3, 2012 at 11:07 am
As a long time user of Win OS products (go back to the DOS 2.x days) who has stayed on the XP platform since a few months after it’s release, I’m glad to see MS taking this approach. However, there are apps on my PC for which conceptually better upgrades were not released (imho; I’m running ACT 6.x for example). Moreover, Symantec released a word processing app called Q/A back in the DOS days, and I use it ALL the time (MS Word for high quality printing, imbedded pics/graphs, etc). Q/A runs under XP just fine. The ACT discs disappeared along with a disgruntled girlfriend years ago, so does this passage (Users with Windows XP SP3 or higher will be able to upgrade to Windows
8, however, only personal files (data only) will be available after the
install.) mean I have to reinstall all apps? If so, it begs the question as to whether Q/A would even run under 8.
Steve Krause
July 3, 2012 at 11:37 am
App Compat….. That’s a nasty one which we always struggle with when Microsoft releases a new operating system.
Here’s the solution:
Step 1 – Run Disk2VHD and convert your Windows XP system to a Virtual Hard Drive File. Here’s the article with step-by-step – https://www.groovypost.com/howto/turn-physical-computer-virtual-machine-disk2vhd/
Step 2 – Upgrade to Windows 8 and enable the Hyper-V Feature to run the Virtual XP box you just created — https://www.groovypost.com/howto/windows-8-hyper-v-virtual-machines/
There is a new requirement for running the Hyper-V feature under Windows 8.
https://www.groovypost.com/howto/can-my-windows-8-pc-run-hyper-v-slat/
Be sure to read this article to determine if your CPU supports SLAT technology. It’s a bit new but all Nehalem Intel Procs and later support it. The later AMD CPU’s also support it.
Hope that helps!
CAtransplant
July 3, 2012 at 12:08 pm
Yow! OK, will settle in one weekday and give it a shot. Thanks very much.
Steve Krause
July 3, 2012 at 1:04 pm
Yah no problem. It will be an adventure I’m sure. When you get it done, would love to hear about it here in the comments or in our forum — groovypost.com/forum/
Chris
July 3, 2012 at 12:39 pm
What is the upgrade url ?
Steve Krause
July 3, 2012 at 1:03 pm
It will be Windows.com however not until the product ships and goes RTM which probably won’t be until the late summer.
Shane Winkel
July 3, 2012 at 5:45 pm
If I upgrade 3 or 4 (home) computers, would I be able to purchase just ONE back-up DVD and use it as a back-up for the whole fleet?
Steve Krause
July 4, 2012 at 11:12 am
Yes. That would be legal since you would have valid licenses for the pc’s upgraded.
Allen
July 4, 2012 at 8:34 am
Ok, my i5 CPU can run Hyper-V, does that also mean my the rest of my hardware is Win 8 compatable?
Steve Krause
July 4, 2012 at 11:14 am
Oh yeah. If you have a i5 Proc, then the rest of your components should be fairly new so you should be good to go.
Mike Rothman
July 4, 2012 at 9:01 pm
With news like this, I’m starting to get excited about MS and Window 8. I’ve been using the Windows 8 Consumer Preview since its release and it is really quite good. MS needs to get the metro OS out there so people see just how good it is. I’m also betting that MS is going to unleash its new media stores with Win8, and for MS the real revenue importunity will come from those stores and the App store. The next few months are going to be *interesting*.
Steve Krause
July 4, 2012 at 10:27 pm
If Microsoft was smart…. they would acquire a store with a lot of cred which is rooted… hmm.. perhaps Valve…??
http://store.steampowered.com/
Barry Potgieter
July 9, 2012 at 3:43 am
What is the CATCH, Bill Gates offering Win 8 for $40.00 instead of the usual $1000.00. I Do not TRUST this Offer and will stay with Win 7 Pro that is not even able to run all Programs that Win XP could. Something Seriously suspicious at Microsoft..