A few months ago I downloaded W7 Pro 64bit upgrade. I installed it as a clean installation, and everything works great. Earlier, I tried to upgrade my brother's computer using the same key on a 32bit installation. However it didn't work? It kept saying the key was invalid. Do upgrade keys only work specifically to a 32 or 64bit version? I was under the impression that is was perfectly legal to install separate 32/64 bit versions using the same key, though maybe this only applies to retail versions? I had to download the 32bit ISO, so maybe I downloaded the wrong version? I'm not sure whether or not mine is upgrade - it may be retail, I have to double check.
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W7 32/64bit Key Question
- Thread starter blade52x
- Start date
I dont know much about how this stuff works, but my guess would be you can't use the same key on 2 computers.
I got 2 codes for 32 bit and 64 bit, but they actually work interchangably. Currently I'm using both 32 bit and 64 bit on one key, but its on the one computer. I actually "lost" one of the keys because I upgraded my PC (mobo and all) and when I went to restart windows 7, it wouldn't activate with the code that was previously working on the old computer.
I got 2 codes for 32 bit and 64 bit, but they actually work interchangably. Currently I'm using both 32 bit and 64 bit on one key, but its on the one computer. I actually "lost" one of the keys because I upgraded my PC (mobo and all) and when I went to restart windows 7, it wouldn't activate with the code that was previously working on the old computer.
Actually I run 2 copies of windows 7 from the one key, one 32 and one 64 bit version. However they are both on the same computer.
Which technically is breaking the EULA even in spite of (another technicality) both OSes not running at exactly the same time (one or the other). 
I wonder what someone at Microsoft would actually say about that particular type of installation. I doubt they'd put up much fuss but even so, it isn't 100% legit.
I wonder what someone at Microsoft would actually say about that particular type of installation. I doubt they'd put up much fuss but even so, it isn't 100% legit.
Which technically is breaking the EULA even in spite of (another technicality) both OSes not running at exactly the same time (one or the other).
I wonder what someone at Microsoft would actually say about that particular type of installation. I doubt they'd put up much fuss but even so, it isn't 100% legit.
It did actually ask me to activate a couple of times in the beginning (seemed like opening one windows caused the other one to deactivate), but that hasn't happened again recently. I originally had 2 separate keys anyway, but one vanished when I threw out the old mobo, so they're probably OEM lisences or something (I got them legitimately through University).