June 29th, 2009

Microsoft: Windows 7 Upgrade deal maxes out at 25 PCs

Posted by Mary Jo Foley @ 11:42 am

Categories: Channel, Corporate strategy, OEMs, Resellers, System builders, Vista, Windows 7, Windows XP, Windows client

Tags: PC, Microsoft Corp., Microsoft Windows 7, Microsoft Windows, Operating Systems, Software, Mary Jo Foley

There’s one more bit of small print regarding Microsoft’s Windows 7 Upgrade Option program, which the company unveiled officially last week, that may be of interest to business customers.

Via the program, users who purchase new PCs with Windows Vista preloaded from participating PC makers and retailers, as of June 26, will get coupons entitling them to a free copy of Windows 7 some time on or after October 22.  The fine print: As InformationWeek noted, the Upgrade Option program maxes out at 25 upgrade coupons per customer.

A Microsoft spokesperson acknowledged the 25-PC cutoff and provided the following statement as to why the program is capped at that level:

“Like prior tech guarantee programs, the Windows 7 Upgrade Option is designed for consumers and small business. That said, we’re providing more choice for customers with Windows 7 than we did before. Past iterations of the tech guarantee program, for example, limited the number of free upgrades requests to five for customers buying Windows pre-installed on a new PC. With Windows 7 Windows Upgrade Option for new PCs, Microsoft has increased that limit by five times, to 25 upgrades.

“Many larger businesses already have Software Assurance agreements that provide them with upgrades to Windows 7 Enterprise and if they don’t already they can purchase Software Assurance for new PCs to qualify for an upgrade. Larger businesses also have more flexibility on when they make PC purchases.”

Any small business customers or consumers worried about bumping into the 25-PC ceiling for the program? Or are you covered by your volume-license agreement and not counting on coupons for your Windows 7 upgrades?