Win7 Prem upgrade - keep old vista install?

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LittleMeEgo

Limp Gawd
Joined
Jul 6, 2007
Messages
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Hello [H]ard|Forum,

I want to finally upgrade Vista Home Premium to to Win7 Home Premium. I see the upgrade edition is $90 on various places. Can I install the upgrade edition to a different partition and keep my old Vista install working simultaneously along side Win7? When I upgrade does MS somehow tie the old Vista key with the new Win7 key and deactivate Windows Update or something for my old Vista install? I know the upgrade edition will do a clean install, but I'm wondering what happens to my Vista key.

I don't want to reformat my HDD's and I don't want to upgrade my Vista install. I've been using Windows for 18 years now and am not comfortable with the upgrade process. I have tons of software & stuff installed in Vista so that's why I want to start Win7 with a fresh install, but still buy the upgrade and be able to reboot into Vista whenever I want.

Thanks!

ps. I have a partition already set aside for Win7. Well actually I have an expired 30 day evaluation of Win7 already installed on that partition. Should I just purchase the upgrade from that expired Win7 install? Will that work? It will ask me for my old Vista key?
 
LittleMeEgo said:
Hello [H]ard|Forum,

I want to finally upgrade Vista Home Premium to to Win7 Home Premium. I see the upgrade edition is $90 on various places. Can I install the upgrade edition to a different partition and keep my old Vista install working simultaneously along side Win7? When I upgrade does MS somehow tie the old Vista key with the new Win7 key and deactivate Windows Update or something for my old Vista install? I know the upgrade edition will do a clean install, but I'm wondering what happens to my Vista key.
Click to expand...
Legally you can not. Technically there is nothing stopping you from doing it. Since the Update version can be cleaned installed there is no way for Microsoft to know what you Vista key is even if they wanted to. I suggest paying $20 more for a full OEM version.
I don't want to reformat my HDD's and I don't want to upgrade my Vista install. I've been using Windows for 18 years now and am not comfortable with the upgrade process. I have tons of software & stuff installed in Vista so that's why I want to start Win7 with a fresh install, but still buy the upgrade and be able to reboot into Vista whenever I want.

Thanks!

ps. I have a partition already set aside for Win7. Well actually I have an expired 30 day evaluation of Win7 already installed on that partition. Should I just purchase the upgrade from that expired Win7 install? Will that work? It will ask me for my old Vista key?
Click to expand...
Like I said, nothing it stopping you outside of your own conscience.
 
Well it looks like I found the answer I was looking for but the last part confuses me:

http://social.answers.microsoft.com...l/thread/6719ae72-7187-45cd-80f7-55e66f3ec686

Can I do an Upgrade Install on a Clean/Empty Hard Disk
In order to install the upgrade version of Windows 7, you must have a qualifying Windows operating system installed and activated. You cannot install an upgrade version of Windows 7 on a blank hard drive. The installation procedure does not ask you to insert a Windows disc in the drive for verification, the actual qualifying operating system must be installed.

If you do not have a qualifying Windows operating system installed with a genuine license activated, then you cannot use the upgrade version of Windows 7 - you would need a "full version" Windows 7 license.

In summary:
1. A qualifying Windows operating system must be installed.
2. The qualifying Windows operating system must have a genuine license (product key) and it must be activated.
3. To upgrade, boot to the qualifying Windows desktop, insert the Windows 7 Upgrade disc in the DVD drive.
4. When the setup menu appears, select Custom (advanced) to initiate a clean install procedure, or Upgrade if you are doing an in place upgrade.​


So step 4 will allow me to install the upgrade into a different partition with a custom/clean install? Will that erase my current Vista install or will it allow me to install the Win7 upgrade parallel to Vista?
 
bigdogchris said:
Legally you can not. Technically there is nothing stopping you from doing it. Since the Update version can be cleaned installed there is no way for Microsoft to know what you Vista key is even if they wanted to. I suggest paying $20 more for a full OEM version.Like I said, nothing it stopping you outside of your own conscience.
Click to expand...


Yes, I think the $20 in this case is worth it. Thanks. Sorry I forgot to check the full OEM version price. Good advice thanks!
 
Typically, newer software grants you downgrade rights. You would have to review the EULA in it's entirety, but if Microsoft allows downgrade rights from Win 7 to Vista, then I don't see why you wouldn't be able to keep Vista and install 7 on another partition. Now, if you were to move one or the other to a different PC, then you're definitely breaking the EULA.

Technically there is nothing preventing you from doing this.
 
Yes thanks. I'm mostly concerned with the actual Win7 upgrade process and what it does to my Vista install. You seem to be saying that it won't even require seeing the Vista install and will just 'clean load' which is great. Not sure that's exactly what you are saying though. The MS answers page I linked to doesn't say if steps 1 and 2 are verified directly or only required for legal reasons.
 
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