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win7 upgrade question
- Thread starter bocochoco
- Start date
No and maybe
You need to have a 'qualifying' install in place for the upgrade key to be accepted. If you install without first having a qualifying install on the machine, then when you enter the install key it will be rejected as 'not valid'
You will need to contact the vendor or service which sold you the upgrade package and ask if they will allow you to return it unused and pay the extra money to obtain a full install package instead.
If you have a qualifying Windows version to install on the machine you intend to use Windows 7 Upgrade with you will be able to perform a 'custom clean' install for a fresh start. you don't actually have to upgrade install over that qualifying install. It just needs to be in place to allow the installer and install key to work together.
You cannot somehow 'hack' the disk to turn it into a full install disk because that won't work with an upgrade install key.
You need to have a 'qualifying' install in place for the upgrade key to be accepted. If you install without first having a qualifying install on the machine, then when you enter the install key it will be rejected as 'not valid'
You will need to contact the vendor or service which sold you the upgrade package and ask if they will allow you to return it unused and pay the extra money to obtain a full install package instead.
If you have a qualifying Windows version to install on the machine you intend to use Windows 7 Upgrade with you will be able to perform a 'custom clean' install for a fresh start. you don't actually have to upgrade install over that qualifying install. It just needs to be in place to allow the installer and install key to work together.
You cannot somehow 'hack' the disk to turn it into a full install disk because that won't work with an upgrade install key.
You used to be able to upgrade a "trial" (no key) install, but not anymore--you have to have an activated one. However if you have a qualifying install of a different Windows version, just image that before installing 7. Then, if you need to clean install 7 again, just restore the (activated) image and tell 7 to "Custom install" over that.
To my knowledge nobody has yet confirmed, in practice and with an actual upgrade install key, whether or not the qualifying install needs to be an activated one.
That may simply be assumption. Relevent documents on Microsoft website mention that the qualifying install needs to be a 'valid' one. That was also the wording used pre-Vista, when people erroneously assumed that the qualifying install would need to be activated.
If it does not need to be activated then the 'trial install' method would probably still work.
Wait and see, I guess. I won't be personally verifying it this time though, 'cause I can't be arsed buying upgrade packs.
That may simply be assumption. Relevent documents on Microsoft website mention that the qualifying install needs to be a 'valid' one. That was also the wording used pre-Vista, when people erroneously assumed that the qualifying install would need to be activated.
If it does not need to be activated then the 'trial install' method would probably still work.
Wait and see, I guess. I won't be personally verifying it this time though, 'cause I can't be arsed buying upgrade packs.
AFAIK you wouldn't be upgrading XP even if you chose the "Upgrade" route. It'd create a Windows.old folder and throw everything in there and Win7 would be fresh.
bigdogchris
Fully [H]
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- Feb 19, 2008
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- 18,706
Microsoft said the 'double upgrade' full install trick doesn't work with 7 but who knows.
If and only if you don't need an "activated" install of the "qualifying operating system" to upgrade, it is possible (though I would not recommend it) to upgrade XP to Vista (no key) and then upgrade this Vista to 7. Presto. In theory, no lost data, but in practice this is very messy. I may be shot for mentioning it...
I seriously hope so because I'm getting my copy next week and want to have my new build up and running by the end of next week.
The win7 from digital river is a full version? It quite clearly shows an upgrade package on the main page which I didn't notice until linking my friend to it. (http://windows7.digitalriver.com/store/mswpus/en_US/). Would be nice to know I don't have to worry about hacking the disc to get it to do what it should do.