Preorder two copies of the Windows 7 upgrade, then sell one later to recoup all your costs.
(Credit: Microsoft)By now you've undoubtedly heard the news: Until July 11 (or while supplies last), you can preorder the Windows 7 Home Premium Upgrade for $49.99.
After the deal expires, that same upgrade will cost you $119.99. Needless to say, if you're interested in Windows 7, now's the time to buy.
My advice: buy two. Then, after Windows 7 ships (on October 22), turn around and sell your spare copy for $100. Obviously that's $20 less than the list price, meaning you should have no trouble moving it on eBay, Craigslist, or wherever.
At the same time, you recoup 100 percent of your investment and get Windows 7 to boot (literally).
Risky? A gamble? Perhaps, but to this day upgrade copies of Vista are selling on eBay for $100 and more. And that's two years later. The only real downside is that you're out $100 for about four months. Worth it? Let me know in the comments.
In the meantime, keep in mind that if you're a Windows XP user, there's no automated way to upgrade your system to Windows 7--not without wiping your hard drive. (Vista users, however, can upgrade directly.)
That means you'll need to back up your drivers, data, and the like, install Windows 7, restore your stuff, reinstall your applications, etc. It's a hassle, but in the end you'll have an outta-the-box-fast PC with a spiffy new OS.
And a free one at that.
(Credit:
Crucial)
I've said it before, I'll say it again: Windows Vista chokes on 1GB of RAM. If you bought a budget desktop, here's your chance to double the memory--and improve system performance considerably--for just 10 bucks. TigerDirect has a Crucial 1GB desktop memory module for just $9.99 after a $10 mail-in rebate.
This is 533MHz DDR2 RAM, a.k.a. PC4200. Make sure your existing RAM operates at the same speed, otherwise you could see some flaky results. Crucial is pretty much tops when it comes to RAM; the stick comes with a lifetime warranty. The rebate deal is good through Feb. 24; each household qualifies for two, so you can stock up on a pair of modules if you're so inclined.
(Credit:
Buy.com)
Windows Vista eats RAM for breakfast. If your notebook has only 1GB, check out Buy.com's deal on 2GB of Crucial PC2-5300 667MHz memory: $24.99 shipped after a $20 mail-in rebate.
This sale consists of a pair of 1GB modules, so you'll probably have to remove your notebook's existing RAM to make room. (Needless to say, you should then head straight to eBay and unload them). Check the manual to make sure the system supports this memory speed and configuration. It's pretty standard, though, so you should be fine. The rebate deal expires Feb. 24.
(Credit:
Newegg)
If you bought a budget-level notebook within the past year, chances are good it came with Windows Vista and 1GB of RAM--a poor combination to say the least. Vista needs at least 2GB to operate efficiently, especially on notebooks with integrated graphics processors (which borrow RAM from the rest of the system).
Newegg.com has a Transcend 2GB PC2 5300 notebook memory module for $26.99 (after a $10 mail-in rebate). Shipping will run you $4.99.
You'll need to make sure, of course, that your system can accommodate this kind of module (it's a pretty standard size and speed). And check the manual to see what kinds of memory configurations it requires. For instance, it's not always possible (or advisable) to mix and match modules, meaning you might not be able to plug in the 2GB stick alongside the current 1GB stick (if that's what you have--your system might have a pair of 512MB modules). In short, you may need to pull your existing RAM to make way for the new module--but, hey, that's what eBay is for, right?
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