Recent content by Emil

They've already did something sneaky at Microsoft. I just installed my Win 7 upgrade on my computer with my OEM Vista on it. When it came time to enter the product key, the install wouldn't accept it, I had to call Win 7 support to get them to verify the key number (after they had me get into...

Why don't you just try it? Pop in the 7 disc and see what happens. A year ago I did the same thing, only with a Win 98 disc and an XP/64 bit disc. I stopped the install of Win 98 after it formatted the drive by shutting down the computer. I then booted up, hit the Pause button, inserted the...

I'm sure you'll get dozens of verifications within hours of the OS's release. Stay tuned!

Geeks of all abilities will probably discover all sorts of ways around this installation procedure that Alexis of Microsoft insists is the one and only. As Drew states, Microsoft isn't about to reveal ANYTHING about shortcuts or different install procedures that will affect their bottom line...

So, 7 will start installation on a fully-formated drive as soon as it's inserted and the BIOS is changed to DVD, first boot device? Then Alexis is being, shall we say, less than honest in her reply?

Drew, Here's an e-mail from "Alexis" of Microsoft I received yesterday: Thank you for your e-mail regarding your Windows 7 Upgrade. I contacted the presales and licensing department to get the most accurate answer for your regarding the OS instalation. According to them, the information you...

According to a Microsoft spokesperson, this has changed with Windows 7. Here's the response I got when I asked about the install procedure: Thank you for your e-mail regarding your Windows 7 Upgrade. I contacted the presales and licensing department to get the most accurate answer for your...

I think you are right about Microsoft wanting chumpts to purchase the full version. Here's a reply I received from someone at Microsoft who got the "straight scoop" from Presales and tech support: Thank you for your e-mail regarding your Windows 7 Upgrade. I contacted the presales and...

Drew, I hope this is true. You might want to ask your expert friend why MS Tech support and the Presales and Licensing Department are so coy about this issue. At this point in time, I have not gotten a straight answer from any of these departments. Is this a case of keeping necessary...

Notice I used the term XP, not Vista. Personally, I don't care about a Vista install disc because the computer I am currently using is a Gateway with OEM Vista installed. I have a factory-supplied Recoveyr Disc that won't be appropriate after I gut this Gateway turkey and install components...

This is an e-mail I just sent to "Dean" at Microsoft: Dean, OK. Great. Now we're getting somewhere. But this does not fully answer my (our) questions. You state: "then you would need an existing operating system on your machine." What does THIS mean? Does this mean that we cannot boot...

According to the good folks at Microsoft tech support . . . That's exactly--well, maybe--what you have to do. Here's the latest from some tech guy at the Presales and Licensing Department (quote): "On a further note, we contacted the Presales and Licensing Department to ask this question for...

You're right there! In my neighborhood, I'm the "go to" guy after folks have spent hours talking to someone they can't understand either technically or because of a language barrier. By the way, when I contacted the "wrong department" at Microsoft about my question concerning 7 installation...

My copy of Vista came with my Gateway computer a year ago. I intend to customize the thing to make it's guts unrecognizable to the factory-supplied Recovery Disc, so this is why I want to know the definitive answer to whether or not I can install 7 UPGRADE on what will be a custom-made...

Yeah. The thought of upgrade vs full version was the first thought that occurred to me. Why pay $200 when you can get away with paying $50 to an outfit that is about as popular as health care providers and insurance companies? It's clear that 7 is being marketed to folks who bought their HP or...