January 31st is just days away, and that means Microsoft’s crazy Windows 8 Upgrade Offer is coming to and end.
Since the official launch of Windows 8, Microsoft has been promoting a tempting upgrade offer for existing PC owners. Unlike similar offers for previous versions of Windows, Microsoft is upgrading any edition of Windows XP, Vista, or 7 to the professional version of Windows 8 for just $39.99. That means even if you’re running Windows XP Home Edition, you still get upgraded to the Pro version of Windows 8. If you so happened to purchase your Windows 7 PC between June 2, 2012 and January 31, 2013, you can upgrade for $14.99.
Here’s a little tip for those who want to take advantage of the deal, but may not want to do the upgrade right now. For some, doing a Windows install takes time and effort. For others, they may not be quite ready to take the plunge because of a few things that may drive them nuts. In order to get the deal, you don’t have to install Windows 8 before January 31st – you only need to purchase the key. Download the Windows 8 Upgrade assistant, and go through the checkout. When you get to the part asking you to install Windows 8, simply opt to burn the ISO to a disk for offline installation. Then, you can install it whenever you like.
That said, if you can get your copy of Windows 8 installed and activated by January 31st, you can snag the Windows Media Center Upgrade for free! Otherwise, it will cost you an extra ten bucks if you need/want it.