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Rumor · Nov 8, 2009, 04:35 PM

http://www.microsoft.com/student/dis...s/default.aspx

The requirement is that you have an active email provided by your school. The delivery method is a DD from Digital River, but for an extra $12 or so, you can get a DVD (which is what I did). It says it is an upgrade copy of 7 Pro, so I am assuming that you have to currently have XP or Vista installed.

Anyhow, I thought I would post the heads up for those that may not have heard.

seanc · Nov 8, 2009, 05:58 PM

If only I was a current student =(

ghporter · Nov 8, 2009, 06:28 PM

Interesting, to say the least. I wonder if they have a good grasp of how many "school email" addresses are out there. Some schools offer "permanent" addresses for their students through deals with either Microsoft or Google, and you cannot tell from that address whether the student is active or not.

seanc · Nov 8, 2009, 06:31 PM

I don't know if my address is permanent, but I just tested it and it certainly still works.

cgc · Nov 8, 2009, 08:05 PM

Originally Posted by ghporter

Interesting, to say the least. I wonder if they have a good grasp of how many "school email" addresses are out there. Some schools offer "permanent" addresses for their students through deals with either Microsoft or Google, and you cannot tell from that address whether the student is active or not.

...and other schools (mine) don't provide a .edu at all...

Rumor · Nov 8, 2009, 08:32 PM

If your university/school does not provide you with an email address, here is how you can help us verify your eligibility to the program:

Provide the required information requested.
Upload a digital scan of one of the following with your name on it:
Student ID card
Class list
Proof of course payment
Click on the checkbox to confirm you abide by the Program Terms and Conditions.
Click "Submit".
If verified, you will be notified in 1 to 2 weeks.

Found here.

ghporter · Nov 8, 2009, 08:34 PM

Well I'm awaiting permission to spend the money. Once I get it, I'll see if my "provided by Microsoft" school email works for this.

43skidoo · Nov 8, 2009, 11:49 PM

I believe that if you aren't a student, and they find out, they'll make you pay the difference in price between the discount and full versions (I don't know how they'd go about checking and enforcing this, though).

justmetoo · Nov 15, 2009, 02:54 PM

Well, since all the effort they are using to verify the education status is an email address with .edu at the end, they likely are not going to start chasing anyone down. Just another cheap ploy for M$ to try to entice the younger generation over to the dark side...

I took the chance, my work has .edu addresses... Before I hear a bunch of complaints, at least I paid SOMETHING for it, now how about all those hacked and IT freebies?

ghporter · Nov 15, 2009, 11:23 PM

...but did you manage to get it downloaded? I tried several times to get the Digital River downloader to pull the whole thing for me-and it didn't ever want to finish. I was stuck there at 91% until I gave up and had to do other things. I'm waiting on the media I ordered to arrive, though I don't want to give up on the download.

cgc · Nov 15, 2009, 11:29 PM

Originally Posted by Rumor

Found here.

I did that and it seems Microsoft doesn't like the University of Maryland (maybe because my university offers Windows 7 Ultimate Upgrade for $89). I'd much prefer $30 for the "normal" version of Windows 7 especially since I don't use the features Ultimate provides over Home Premium.

Eug · Nov 15, 2009, 11:56 PM

Bah! My institution is still only selling Vista, and it's only an upgrade version too.

Not that it really matters though right now, since my iMac i7 won't have the proper BootCamp drivers for several weeks yet anyway.

justmetoo · Nov 16, 2009, 01:56 PM

Originally Posted by ghporter

...but did you manage to get it downloaded? ... I'm waiting on the media I ordered to arrive, though I don't want to give up on the download.

While waiting for the DVD to arrive (I too paid extra for a hard copy, and waited, and waited...) I tried the download and it did finish, though what was deposited on my desktop I couldn't figure out how to use it.

And oh, was I ever disappointed in the DVD shipping --a bloody cardboard envelope-- THAT WAS IT!!! This for $13 extra dollars???

Mine is kinda scuffed up or card board polished, but no scratches, and it worked, so how the h_ll can I complain?

The DVD I asked for and received is only the x64 Pro version (make sure you find the link to get Pro, don't settle for Home edition), it does not have both 32 and 64 bit like the retail versions. BUT it did the trick!

cgc · Nov 17, 2009, 11:00 PM

Originally Posted by justmetoo

...And oh, was I ever disappointed in the DVD shipping --a bloody cardboard envelope-- THAT WAS IT!!! This for $13 extra dollars???

Mine is kinda scuffed up or card board polished, but no scratches, and it worked, so how the h_ll can I complain?...

What difference does it matter how the DVD is packaged so long as it arrive safely? Apple minimized their packaging as well in an effort to safe them money and look more green.

Rumor · Nov 17, 2009, 11:39 PM

Originally Posted by ghporter

...but did you manage to get it downloaded? I tried several times to get the Digital River downloader to pull the whole thing for me-and it didn't ever want to finish. I was stuck there at 91% until I gave up and had to do other things. I'm waiting on the media I ordered to arrive, though I don't want to give up on the download.

I have always had nothing but issues with Digital River, so I waiting for the hard copy to arrive (took about 12 days). However, since the drivers for Bootcamp aren't available yet (that I know of), I have installed it.

justmetoo · Nov 18, 2009, 09:15 AM

Originally Posted by cgc

What difference does it matter how the DVD is packaged so long as it arrive safely? Apple minimized their packaging as well in an effort to safe them money and look more green.

It makes a HUGE difference! And everyone should be pissed by this too. The DVD was not even in a protective plastic lined paper jacket (and how much would that cost out of my $13 S/H fee, eh? Apple sent Snowleopard in that at least...). The Win7 DVD was in direct contact with the card board and an easily visible outline impression of it was pressed in the cardboard, so it went through some serious handling. The extensive card board polish has completely fogged the surface and cannot be cleaned, I tried.

So it works, so what. Perhaps a little more trauma to it and it wouldn't have, or worse, installed a corrupt OS. AND if it didn't work then my personal delays and complete hassle and frustration of TRYING to get a replacement out of DigitalRiver I can only imagine...

This install DVD has to last me as long as my old XP install disc and my XP disc looks mint after all these years. I look after my sh_t... Would it have been such a burden to put it in a jacket within the cardboard at least?

PS @ Rumor: Remember the Snowleopard DVD has bootcamp 64 bit Vista drivers that can be installed with some finicking about. I then went ahead and updated my video card (definately!) and a few other peripherals off the manufacturers website. It all works.

ghporter · Nov 18, 2009, 09:52 AM

Originally Posted by Rumor

I have always had nothing but issues with Digital River, so I waiting for the hard copy to arrive (took about 12 days). However, since the drivers for Bootcamp aren't available yet (that I know of), I have installed it.

I found a legitimate DR link and downloaded the .ISO for the version I bought; I'll burn it when I get a chance. It took way less time to download the image than the Digital River downloader took for a single, unsuccessful attempt. Oh, and I could download the image while running OS X, another plus.

Originally Posted by justmetoo

It makes a HUGE difference! And everyone should be pissed by this too. The DVD was not even in a protective plastic lined paper jacket (and how much would that cost out of my $13 S/H fee, eh? Apple sent Snowleopard in that at least...). The Win7 DVD was in direct contact with the card board and an easily visible outline impression of it was pressed in the cardboard, so it went through some serious handling. The extensive card board polish has completely fogged the surface and cannot be cleaned, I tried.

So it works, so what. Perhaps a little more trauma to it and it wouldn't have, or worse, installed a corrupt OS. AND if it didn't work then my personal delays and complete hassle and frustration of TRYING to get a replacement out of DigitalRiver I can only imagine...

This install DVD has to last me as long as my old XP install disc and my XP disc looks mint after all these years. I look after my sh_t... Would it have been such a burden to put it in a jacket within the cardboard at least?

PS @ Rumor: Remember the Snowleopard DVD has bootcamp 64 bit Vista drivers that can be installed with some finicking about. I then went ahead and updated my video card (definately!) and a few other peripherals off the manufacturers website. It all works.

The physical media was offered as a backup disc, not the primary delivery method. Obviously MS doesn't think that it's going to be a major draw (though they've been wrong on lots of things, like using Digital River to distribute this version!). On the other hand, since the disc works, make a copy of the disc now. Burning a copy will produce a clean disc that does not have scuffs and fogging. I typically burned a backup of every one of my Windows distribution discs and installed from those, keeping the original media safely stored-this became even more helpful after Windows started to complain when I'd installed new software and "files necessary for Windows have been altered; please insert your installation disc" prompts started showing up.

You could also complain to MS about this packaging. They listened to customers who complained about Digital River's download fiasco, perhaps they'll send you a better disc.

justmetoo · Nov 18, 2009, 01:56 PM

I think I will give Bill a ring (or whoever is at the wheel now) about the packaging, and thanks for advice.

I did of course have to burn a new DVD just to get past the EFI32 on my Mac Pro 1.1, but mentioning that would have taken some of the wind out of my rant!!! :^)

Warhaven · Nov 18, 2009, 05:42 PM

My friend just used his alumni email from USC.

Worked just fine, and we nicked a couple copies of Win 7 Pro. Also got Office Ultimate 2007 for $60. If you've downloaded your copy of Windows through this offer, though, you can turn the files into a bootable DVD after they've been extracted to your HD. There are a couple sites with directions on how to do this so you can make your own media disc and not have to spend any more money on it.

cgc · Nov 19, 2009, 09:28 PM

Originally Posted by justmetoo

...The Win7 DVD was in direct contact with the card board and an easily visible outline impression of it was pressed in the cardboard, so it went through some serious handling. The extensive card board polish has completely fogged the surface and cannot be cleaned, I tried...

It seemed like your original complaint was with the lack of impressive packaging. You have a legit point if the DVD was damaged. I'm sure you could work a swap out with the company you bought the DVD through...