win7 upgrade 32bit vs 64bit keys

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cj3waker

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I know a normal windows 7 serial key will work for both the 32 bit or 64bit installation of its respective OS. but is the same with the upgrade version?

If I purchase a win7 pro upgrade 32bit key, will it work for a 64bit install?
 
Snufykat said:
Nope
Click to expand...

You are wrong. I have an upgrade package right in front of me with both 32-bit and 64-bit disks and it only came with one key and I know for a fact the key works on both because I installed 64bit first but their were no drivers for the nic on the mobo for win 7 64 bit so I had to install the 32 bit version.

Now to the op how are you going to purchase just a key? Most online stores that sell keys only are not legit, pretty much anywhere besides MS or one of its partners that sells keys only to the public isn't legit.
 
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munkle said:
You are wrong. I have an upgrade package right in front of me with both 32-bit and 64-bit disks and it only came with one key and I know for a fact the key works on both because I installed 64bit first but their were no drivers for the nic on the mobo for win 7 64 bit so I had to install the 32 bit version.

Now to the op how are you going to purchase just a key? Most online stores that sell keys only are not legit, pretty much anywhere besides MS or one of its partners that sells keys only to the public isn't legit.
Click to expand...
It's pretty easy, you just go to microsoft.com...
$29.99 pro upgrade, little sister did it just a few weeks ago.

They email you a key, made her a copy of my retail disc.

32/64bit, doesn't matter, keys are universal in that regard.
 
Menelmarar said:
It's pretty easy, you just go to microsoft.com...
$29.99, little sister did it just a few weeks ago.

They email you a key, made her a copy of my retail disc.

32/64bit, doesn't matter, keys are universal in that regard.
Click to expand...

Which is why I said unless its from MS (Microsoft) or it's partners then it probably isn't legit. Alot of people buy keys online not knowing they aren't legit.
 
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cj3waker said:
I know a normal windows 7 serial key will work for both the 32 bit or 64bit installation of its respective OS. but is the same with the upgrade version?

If I purchase a win7 pro upgrade 32bit key, will it work for a 64bit install?
Click to expand...

Windows 7 product keys do not care if you have 32-bit or 64-bit. As long as it matches the edition you are trying to activate. e.g. W7 PRO PK should only be used to activate W7 PRO.
 
yeah im gonna buy the student upgrade version from digital river. Unfortunately Ive already purchased a 64 bit version and it caps at 1. I can still buy a 32bit, and I wasnt sure if upgrade versions were some reason locked down to only the architecture the key was for. I dont see why the would be since the normal versions are not
 
cj3waker said:
yeah im gonna buy the student upgrade version from digital river. Unfortunately Ive already purchased a 64 bit version and it caps at 1. I can still buy a 32bit, and I wasnt sure if upgrade versions were some reason locked down to only the architecture the key was for. I dont see why the would be since the normal versions are not
Click to expand...

They are not locked. Again keys ignore whether you have a 32-bit or a 64-bit version of Windows 7. What's important is the key is for the specific edition of Windows. i.e. W7 PRO key is for a W7 PRO installation be it 32 or 64. This has actually been the case even in Vista, IIRC.
 
grss1982cvg said:
Windows 7 product keys do not care if you have 32-bit or 64-bit. As long as it matches the edition you are trying to activate. e.g. W7 PRO PK should only be used to activate W7 PRO.
Click to expand...

+ it can matter if it's OEM, Retail or OEM SLP (?) or whatever it's called.
 
I think it doesn't matter where you got the key, as long as the version matches.
 
grss1982cvg said:
Windows 7 product keys do not care if you have 32-bit or 64-bit. As long as it matches the edition you are trying to activate. e.g. W7 PRO PK should only be used to activate W7 PRO.
Click to expand...

Just upgraded to 64bit Pro yesterday from XP 32 Pro 32 bit. After I received the error message "Product key does not match SKU" I noticed the disks I borrowed were premium and not Pro.
I bought a student upgrade of 7 64 bit Pro, tried to use a 32 bit home premium and it doesn't work. Got mine from microsoft via digital river. Couldn't pass up the $30 student upgrade. But what He said "As long as you use the same version it doesn't matter 32 or 64" When you buy the box it has 32 and 64 bit DVD's.

And If your asking why did i do that... I still have my AMD Opteron with only 3 gigs of DDR. lol
 
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