Anyone know how I can get Windows 7 without paying for it?

Appreciate it!

The first link I've been too many times already today
It just tells you about prepping for downloading win 7 but does not offer the actual download


Found several sites that offer it, but not sure which ones are 'safe' to use
(know some may have a 'virus' in them)

Will give your other 2 sites that are listed a look  however  

Downloading one of guohua's links for 64 bit....Casino RV free wifi, so it may take a while
But I'm at home (5th wheel), so all is good 


Will download - then burn to dvd, then install from there
(per nin and wrabbit) 

You'll need a torrent client to get the best installation DVD going for Windows 7. It's a "16 in 1" setup, has both 32 bit and 64 bit installers for several versions of Win7 (Home Premium, Professional, Ultimate, and Enterprise), and includes service pack 1 already slipstreamed into the installer.

The download comes packaged with a program called "Rufus" that will allow you to put the windows installer files onto a bootable USB stick for installation.

I unborked a Dell laptop last year and had to reinstall Win7 on it, and that's the DVD I used for it. As I recall, there was no hassle with the activation - I just used that DVD for an OEM activation for Dell, and as I recall used the number off of the sticker on the bottom of the machine to activate it, and never had a problem.

If I ever get around to getting the parts to fix this netbook, I'll probably either use Rufus to put Win7 back on it off if that same DVD, or else just go with a Linux flavor installed off of a USB stick - that's the only way to get anything on it, via USB.

I've been researching Win10, and it ain't looking good. It looks like Win8 on steroids - more "tiles" and "apps" and eyeballing what you're doing and phoning home about it. That's my main gripe with Win8 and Win10 in a nutshell - Win7 was the last MS operating system that you could use - everything after that uses YOU. It's all bass ackwards. Some folks love it - more power to 'em. I've no use for an operating system that tells me what I am and ain't gonna do, and how I'm gonna do what it wants me to.

"Apps" are a problem for me, and they are what Win8 appears to operate on. I don't want to go to any "MS Store" to get dinky little half assed "apps" - those are for cell phones, because cell phones are really just extremely low powered computers... and that is what half assed "apps" are for - low power stuff. I want to go out into the wild and get full grown programs I can use, without first checking in with Microsoft about them.

There is a Windows 8 machine here that belongs to my mom. It might be Win8.1 by now. I dunno. I spent a couple days fighting with Microsoft and Dell over the fact that it didn't have a useful operating system on it, and they did the same to me as they did to you - just kept shoving on that Win8. I have managed to install just 2 programs on it - Firefox and Irfanview, neither of which are particularly demanding as programs go, but run circles around "apps". Those and a start button I reinstalled to it from a third party vendor is the extent of my use of that computer. It's unnerving having the goddamned thing sit there and watch you as you go about the internet - if I took the network cable loose from it, the friggin' thing would probably either starve to death or choke to death because it wouldn't be abler to phone home any more.

Now in Win10, they took those damned tiles from the start page that sit there and watch you, and have integrated them into the start menu, so that there just ain't NO getting away from the little monstrosities... they appear to have replaced all of the useful stuff on the right side of the start menu with tiles, so they can keep an eye on you...


BUT - the good news is MS says that Win10 is the last operating system they are going to release. So that's something, I guess - Microsoft seems to have come to the end of it's shelf life for innovations. From now on, they're just going to continually upgrade Windows 10, and eventually start charging you a subscription to your computer to make their money. Technically, they're just going to charge you by the month or something for the operating system on your computer, rather than renting back your actual own computer to you, but that's a mighty fine distinction if you ask me - what good is your computer with no operating system if Microsoft locks you out of it for skipping a payment?

Good time to start exploring Linux if you haven't already.

Is this what your computer is running Windows 7 with now? I mean the current BIOS settings? If so...leave them alone. BIOS is DEFINITELY not a place for 'while I'm here anyway' or ...'I might as well'. If it works now, odds are it won't work changed back. (Am I reading that right about Win 7 running and you're asking if you should revert to a less stable BIOS set up?)

--

As far as Linux? If you are going to have this as a Windows machine? I wouldn't necessarily dual boot it at all.

I used to be a big fan of that, but that was many crashes and other issues ago. To be honest, I never have had a dual boot setup work, consistently and without effort, for the long term. I'm not sure it even CAN work these days with SecureBoot systems. That little quirk is a super pain in my butt, I am still dealing with on my laptop right now (as in, tonight, as a matter of fact).


What I WOULD suggest is getting VirtualBox from Oracle. It's 100% free, easy to set up, and once running, it is what it sounds like.

You "create" a new "machine" or 'box' inside VirtualBox which will then run an install ISO, CD/DVD or other source of an operating system to start with. The operating system never knows it is inside a box, and honestly thinks it is on a machine all its own. When you close the box, or shut down the VirtualBox program entirely, the virtual system suspends after shutting down first. So it starts right back up later, as if you just cycled the power button, the next time you want to use it. Nothing is lost, and you have the best of all worlds, without the complexity of actual O/S's existing ON and IN the same machine.


It takes a bit more time to configure (and I can help with that after tomorrow), but right now I have a full screen of my Linux system on one monitor in a virtual box, while my Windows 8 takes the other two screens as the operating system actually running on this machine. Virtual box segregates them from interaction, but set up properly? I can move the mouse seamlessly between them, as if they were two different computers controlled by the same mouse/keyboard. It's really neat and MUCH safer, IMO, than dual boot for long term stability.

You can also install or delete installations of virtual machines whenever you want. So, screw up a linux install? No biggy. Delete that box, create a new one, and 10 mins later you have the install complete (or just save a copy of the virtualbox file after you get the first install done, to save time making more copies later). Each box sits on a list, turned off but available when not being used. So even a slow machine can use this and ..trust me. The school machines are something like early 90's for speed. Slooooooooooooooooow. heh

Okay..I'm a bit confused. Windows 7 would be an upgrade over Windows Vista? ..or would Windows 7 be a clean install?

 

I may not say the correct terminology, which makes it unclear I know, apologies


Upgrade/clean install....which ever is the better option of course

Also, which ever is less complicated for someone like me