Also, perhaps some tech savvy people are still up. I have a question. I just got my Win 7 disk from walmart.com, or what I thought was a normal win 7 disk. I didn't open it, because unlike most stuff it's sealed twice and you're told to "read before breaking the seal". So I'm readin this thing it's an "OEM system builder pack" which has me a lil confused. It says "if the individual software license is for a desktop operating system or application software, it also must be preinstalled on the hard drive of the fully assembled computer system, using the OEM preinstallation kit (OPK)." WTF does that mean? Does that mean I actually can't just pop the disk in to replace the OS I currently have on my system? Did I seriously just waste 100 bucks because I didn't quite understand the whole thing before buying it? I thought it was a normal win 7 disk, just that you could only install it on 1 harddrive (like I couldn't buy a new computer and install it on the new one. like the product key "binds" to this harddrive or some ***)
well typically an OEM disk is one that compes with a computer, and can only be used for that said computer, however it looks as that one is one meant to be used with a kit for that computer, it still isn't really good for you.
Which windows do you currently have? and are you currently a student?
here's a few notes for the future:
1. don't buy software from walmart
2. seriously don't buy software from walmart
3. don't use Nortan/ Mcafee they are garbage (MSE is a good alternative, or maybe avg maybe...(never used it so not sure).
4. is your system 32bit or 64bit? (basically can the hardware support more than 4gb of ram?
5. you could typically buy a windows upgrade disc but I really don't recommend it, fresh installs are always more stable.
edit: yeah OEM software is meant for companies like HP or small town repair shops that build a system and resell it, or people who build and sell pcs.
this is the software you should have purchased:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116717
(well it's better than the home as it gives an option for network backup, but it doesn't have the features of the very best, but there's only like 2 and nobody uses them...)
also this one has both 32bit and 64bit versions included, and it should have a code for each.