Have MSDN Ultimate 7 installed by company. Want to convert to personal Ultimate 7. Can I?

I purchased a used development PC with Ultimate 7 MSDN version on it. I own a laptop with Ultimate 7 full, installed over XP. I also own a 3 user Home 7 with only one install (2 left). Yes, it's messy. I also own unused copies of XP (2 or 3, not new, but not installed on anything at this time).

So, I think I'm legal to buy an Ultimate 7 Upgrade, or an Ultimate 7 Anytime Upgrade!

The Anytime Upgrade is cheapest!

Can I purchase an Anytime 7 Upgrade, and just enter the new key to turn the MSDN into a personal Ultimate 7?

Gee, I hope you can follow that!

Derick

Posted 2011-02-25T22:30:17.233

Reputation: 1

Answers

No, I don't really follow :S

If you purchased a used development machine with a MSDN version of Windows 7, it is ONLY licensed for development and testing usage. It should of been deleted/formatted before you purchased.

If you have a full copy of Windows 7 Home, you can then purchase a Windows 7 Anytime Upgrade package, although depending on your usage, if you are going to be using this machine for some time, you may want to consider all out buying a Windows 7 Ultimate OEM edition. Depending on pricing in your area.

As for the upgrade, no you can't. Windows does not know it is a MSDN copy, it thinks it is a regular full retail copy however by the license terms, it should not be running. You can not upgrade a Windows 7 Ultimate to Windows 7 Ultimate.

You can however change the product key to another full retail edition, but I would not recommend this due to price.

William Hilsum

Posted 2011-02-25T22:30:17.233

Reputation: 111 572

When I'm working, I have MSDN access. But, I didn't buy it from my employer, and I'm not using it for development! It would be illegal for me to use it at home. That is why I want to 'convert' it to a 'legal' key. And, I helped set it up in the first place, so it benefits me to keep it 'as is' if I can. – Derick – 2011-02-25T23:10:07.543

Windows Ultimate 7 is the same whether you got it from a MSDN license or personally purchased it yourself. There's no need to "upgrade" the MSDN version.

James Mertz

Posted 2011-02-25T22:30:17.233

Reputation: 24 787

2Technically (and legally) it should be deleted and removed, but if they were to acquire a valid key, I am sure no fuss would be made. – William Hilsum – 2011-02-25T22:44:17.083

@Wil agreed, but assuming that you have legal access to a MSDN there's not need. However, this doesn't not seem to be the case. – James Mertz – 2011-02-25T22:52:36.640

-1 The licensing terms are different. Even the user who possesses an MSDN subscription still will need a separate license for home (non-developer) use. – Ben Voigt – 2012-05-03T21:23:26.223