Question about upgrading from XP to 7

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Rahburt-33

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I'm building my friend a computer
He has a legit retail xp home cdkey and cd
We are considering buying a windows 7 upgrade disk from the egg
This presents me with three questions

1)Will it allow him to go from Xp to 7 (maybe even windows 2000 to 7)?
2) Will he be able to do a windows reinstall over and over again, or is the windows 7 upgrade disk a one-time only type of deal?
3) Will he be able to go from 32 bit to 64 bit (xp home is only 32, and the primary reason that we are upgrading is so he can use x64)

Thanks in advance for help
 
This post confers no rights and is my personal opinion only. It should not be considered legal advice nor construed as binding upon Microsoft. With that said:


You can buy an upgrade license for windows 2000 or XP. He will need to do a fresh install of windows, there's no direct XP->7 upgrade path.

He can reinstall as many times as he'd like on one computer (or the same computer, if an OEM license).

He can use 32 bit or 64 bit, the windows 7 key works for either.

#edit: more info can be seen here: http://www.maximumpc.com/article/features/windows_7_upgrade_guide_all_your_questions_answered
 
It's a new computer and I prefer fresh installs

I'm still not clear on the reinstall thing, is the upgrade disk OEM or Retail, or are both available?
 
Judt buy an OEM version of 64bit W7. Not much more than the upgrades and less hassle then upgrades. There's no way to skip Vista, straight to W7, from the egg as far as I know.

If you want both 32 and 64, buy a retail version. They have both.
 
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Windows 7 upgrade has 32 bit and 64 bit both. It can be installed more than once. OEM can only be installed once on one machine. I know there are ways around this but is only supposed to be installed once. I use upgrade media and I clean installed. I think it took me about 45 to 50 minutes to double install.
 
rpchip said:
Windows 7 upgrade has 32 bit and 64 bit both. It can be installed more than once. OEM can only be installed once on one machine. I know there are ways around this but is only supposed to be installed once. I use upgrade media and I clean installed. I think it took me about 45 to 50 minutes to double install.
Click to expand...

False.

I have OEM and have installed several times on the same machine.

As for multiple machines, I hear it doesn't work.
 
Rahburt-33 said:
So if he wouldn't even have to start back at XP, he just pops the 7 disk in and does a reinstall?

EDIT:
Another question arose, will we be able to use the XP cdkey after 7 is isntalled and running to install a VM windows xp onto the computer?
Click to expand...

If you get Windows 7 Pro, you get a version of Windows XP for free to use for the vm (XP mode).

However, you can use the same CD as you have now for the vm. It'll work in Windows 7 Home. Just a matter of setting up XP Mode.
 
Rahburt-33 said:
1)Will it allow him to go from Xp to 7 (maybe even windows 2000 to 7)?
Click to expand...
You have to do a clean install
2) Will he be able to do a windows reinstall over and over again, or is the windows 7 upgrade disk a one-time only type of deal?
Click to expand...
You can use it as much as you want.
3) Will he be able to go from 32 bit to 64 bit (xp home is only 32, and the primary reason that we are upgrading is so he can use x64)
Click to expand...
Yes

I would just pay $100 and get Home Premium x64 OEM full version. Why pay $110 for an Upgrade? Zero reason to buy anything else. They both install the exact same way. I've used OEM OSes for years without issues. I wouldn't buy anything else.

You can reactivate the OEM version as many times as you want. If you try to activate it on different hardware within a short period of time it will flag the key but you are only putting it on one machine right now so there will not be any issues. In the future if he wants to upgrade again you can just reinstall it. 'Technically', with OEM software, if you upgrade the motherboard (replaceing it with a like model is OK) you have to buy another version but who does that?
 
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King Icewind said:
If you get Windows 7 Pro, you get a version of Windows XP for free to use for the vm (XP mode).
Click to expand...
True, but the new hardware would have to support Intel VT or whatever it is called on the AMD side.
rpchip said:
OEM can only be installed once on one machine. I know there are ways around this but is only supposed to be installed once.
Click to expand...
Do you really think so many people would be buying the OEM, or more correctly, the System Builder version if you only got one install total?
Rahburt-33 said:
So if he wouldn't even have to start back at XP, he just pops the 7 disk in and does a reinstall?
Click to expand...
Yes, which is why I'd pick OEM System Builder over an upgrade any day of the week.
 
Rahburt-33 said:
I'm building my friend a computer
He has a legit retail xp home cdkey and cd
We are considering buying a windows 7 upgrade disk from the egg
This presents me with three questions

1)Will it allow him to go from Xp to 7 (maybe even windows 2000 to 7)?
2) Will he be able to do a windows reinstall over and over again, or is the windows 7 upgrade disk a one-time only type of deal?
3) Will he be able to go from 32 bit to 64 bit (xp home is only 32, and the primary reason that we are upgrading is so he can use x64)

Thanks in advance for help
Click to expand...

1) Yes for both XP to 7. But in the most simplest he'll have to use the custom install option of Windows 7.

2) Yes. If he encounters any issues upon re-activation all he needs to do is call the Windows 7 phone activation department.

3) Yes, if his hardware supports 64-bit AND when he boots to the disk when installing. Doing an in place install withing an XP (32-bit) going to Windows 7 (64-bit) usually results in the Windows 7 installer erroring out.
 
King Icewind said:
There's no way to skip Vista, straight to W7, from the egg as far as I know.
Click to expand...

I bought an OEM 64 bit Win 7 Pro FULL VERSION from Amazon just 2 days ago. Newegg has the same version available as well, plus free shipping for the time being.
 
pxc Pick your own.....you deserve it., 9.7 Years

Quote:Originally Posted by recurr
No. Tell Microsoft you upgraded your motherboard and whether or not the original motherboard still works. Then come back here and tell us what happens.

http://weblog.infoworld.com/gripelin...board_rep.html

Quote:Fortunately, I was able to find a Microsoft official who was gracious enough to look into the reader's questions for me. "The rule is in place to protect the OEM, or in this specific case the System Builder, so that as computers are upgraded, the System Builder is not obligated (per the EULA) to support a version of Windows that may be on what is essentially a new PC," wrote Tom Moran, director of customer and partner experience for Microsoft Operations. "Generally, you may upgrade or replace all of the hardware components on your customer's computer and the end user may maintain the license for the original Microsoft OEM operating system software, with the exception of an upgrade or replacement of the motherboard. Upgrading the motherboard essentially results in a new computer, to which the original operating system software cannot be transferred. This is not the case if the motherboard is replaced (same make/model) due to a defect."

Microsoft had to draw the line somewhere. "Understanding that end users, over time, upgrade their PC with different components, Microsoft needed to have one base component 'left standing' that would still define that original PC - the motherboard, in essence, is the 'heart and soul' of the PC," Moran wrote. "In the case with Dell that your reader mentions, the situation was evidently caused by a defective motherboard, and the replacements would have been just that - direct replacements vs. upgrades. A replacement of a defective motherboard would not require a new license, while an upgrade would."

I've never had trouble activating the OS or apps over the phone, but MS does have a special rule about the motherboard for OEM licenses.
 
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