![[H]ard|Forum](/styles/hardforum/xenforo/logo_dark.png){kind=logo}
Will the Upgrade version of Windows 7 work with XP?
- Thread starter I3eyond
- Start date
The way it has been described is you run the upgrade app in XP and it informs you of what your options are, which are pretty much limited to multi boot or replacing XP completely with fresh install of win7 as I understand it.
If you have upgrade media only don't erase the hard drive first, they say win7 needs to see your activated XP first to be assured you are a legit upgrader.
Still somewhat up in the air as this is coming from a couple sources, which may or may not be in the know. I think for a definite answer we have to wait till the 22nd when the upgrade media starts showing up. Unless there is illegal activities going on no one legitimately has upgrade disks at the moment.
If you have upgrade media only don't erase the hard drive first, they say win7 needs to see your activated XP first to be assured you are a legit upgrader.
Still somewhat up in the air as this is coming from a couple sources, which may or may not be in the know. I think for a definite answer we have to wait till the 22nd when the upgrade media starts showing up. Unless there is illegal activities going on no one legitimately has upgrade disks at the moment.
Incorrect assumption!
An over the top 'in-place-upgrade' install cannot be performed when moving from XP to Windows 7. A 'clean install' is required.
That does NOT mean, however, that the drive must be formatted before installing Windows 7, or even formatted at all!
Nowadays what Microsoft refers to is the 'Custom Clean' install procedure. Choose the 'Custom' install option, point the installer at the partition where the XP install is located, and the following occurs:
- The existing install is bundled into a folder named WINDOWS.OLD, and its boot loader gets removed.
- A fresh, completely clean and new install of Windows 7 is placed on the remaining drive space.
- Overlooked data can be later recovered from the WINDOWS.OLD folder if necessary. That folder can also be used to revert the system back to its original install if need be.
- The WINDOWS.OLD folder can be later removed by using the Disk Cleanup tool.
No format is necessary. No format is performed.
When using an upgrade pack/key an valid qualifying install MUST be present on the system. No Windows version since XP has allowed the 'pop in the previous install disk to verify' procedure.
Okay, so in other words instead of having to go through booting from a disc, formatting, and booting the installer from the disc... all I have to do now is pop in the upgrade disc and it does all the work for me?
And another question: Once I've upgraded to 7, but let's say I need to reformat, etc etc.. Will the upgrade disc I have work on top of the 7? I'm assuming yes, the answering being within the fact that I'm on a valid version of Windows as is.
DeaconFrost
[H]F Junkie
- Joined
- Sep 6, 2007
- Messages
- 11,582
If you really want to go that route, sure, but I always advise doing a fresh install. Whether or not that can be done with an upgrade disc on a system running XP, I don't know. I don't uy upgrade discs, and don't plan on doing so with Windows 7, assuming I had to pay for licenses. I'd just get the full media, and be done with it.
Previous versions, yes. Windows 7...no.
I'd assume that the Upgrade disk/key would upgrade a Windows 7 install which is already in place.
But I wouldn't adopt that approach regardless. All windows 7 versions now include Complete PC Backup and Restore, so I'd make a drive image after successfully installing and configuring Windows 7. Keep that drive image stored safely and, when reinstall time comes, you need only boot from the install disk and avail yourself of the 'repair' options to reimage the drive by restoring the backup image. That way, in one step, you end up with an already configured and activated install.
But I wouldn't adopt that approach regardless. All windows 7 versions now include Complete PC Backup and Restore, so I'd make a drive image after successfully installing and configuring Windows 7. Keep that drive image stored safely and, when reinstall time comes, you need only boot from the install disk and avail yourself of the 'repair' options to reimage the drive by restoring the backup image. That way, in one step, you end up with an already configured and activated install.