I know there are upgrade versions, I don't mean those. The only 95/98/XP discs I've ever seen were the OEM labeled "for distribution with a new PC". Even the ones bought off the shelf in stores like BestBuy and Staples. Was there ever a disc intended for the actual owner to purchase and install himself?
Simple answer; Yes.
I remember seeing Windows 95 boxes on pallets in stores on the news. When Windows XP came out I bought the upgrade version because the "full" version was too expensive.
I mentioned I don't mean the upgrades.
Did the boxes on pallets contain actual retail discs or were they OEM discs being sold as retail?
I seem to remember OEM discs being sold in boxed consumer packages too, but of course intended to be used in the same manner as a commercial OEM copy. (ie installed on a single system and not to have the license transferred to another machine -not that that was very hard to work around either)
Virtually all the installs my dad did with our homebuilt PCs were OEM copies, though a few were upgrade versions too. (I think a couple of our win95 installs and maybe 98SE were like that)
Yeah, they were definitely available as standalone products in "big box" format.
Only exception, maybe, is the Windows 95 OSRx releases, they were only available through the OEM channel.
VogonsDrivers.com | Link | News Thread
I just saw one of the old Windows 95 big boxes at a pawn shop near Independence, MO. Nostalgic moment for me! I have 98 and XP, so I didn't need to get it. I think they wanted five bucks for it.
"The height of strategy, is to attack your opponent’s strategy” -Sun Tzu
“Make your fighting stance, your everyday stance and make your everyday stance, your fighting stance.” - Musashi
SET BLASTER = A220 I5 D1 T3 P330 E620 OMG WTF BBQ
Of course. I have a boxed version of Windows 95.
Not sure if troll... you can find boxed retail versions of all versions you listed above on eBay. I may be able to dig out a receipt I purchased of WinXP Home at Sam's club for ~$100.00 back in the day
wrote:Not sure if troll... you can find boxed retail versions of all versions you listed above on eBay.
Not sure if people are reading my posts... I know that boxed copies exists. I'm more interested in the disc that came within the box and whether it was specifically a retail disc or if it was just an OEM disc sold in a box.
wrote:Not sure if people are reading my posts... I know that boxed copies exists. I'm more interested in the disc that came within the box and whether it was specifically a retail disc or if it was just an OEM disc sold in a box.
Not sure if people are reading my posts...
wrote:you can find boxed retail versions
wrote:boxed retail versions
wrote:boxed retail
wrote:retail
wrote:Not sure if people are reading my posts... […]
Not sure if people are reading my posts...
wrote:you can find boxed retail versions
wrote:boxed retail versions
wrote:boxed retail
wrote:retail
The Windows 2000 CD-ROM in the first picture is an upgrade version.
The Windows XP Home CD-ROM in second picture is an OEM version.
Not sure about Windows 98 in third. Unfortunately I can't read Czech.
wrote:The Windows 2000 CD-ROM in the first picture is an upgrade version. […]
wrote:Not sure if people are reading my posts... […]
Not sure if people are reading my posts...
wrote:you can find boxed retail versions
wrote:boxed retail versions
wrote:boxed retail
wrote:retail
The Windows 2000 CD-ROM in the first picture is an upgrade version.
The Windows XP Home CD-ROM in second picture is an OEM version.
Not sure about Windows 98 in third. Unfortunately I can't read Czech.
Yes, Wink2k is retail upgrade. Just like you can go out and purchase an upgrade version of Win7
WinXP- I just now noticed that. There are retail versions though. I can upload mine with my receipt from back in the day
See attached for winxp pro retail
