Windows 7 Info regarding Upgrade Media..

Radenight

New Member
Joined
Nov 16, 2008
Hey gang,

I'm seeing an awful lot of threads popping up regarding the Windows 7 Upgrade Media.. So I thought I'd post a neat little "trick" involving Upgrade Media.. ;)

http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/winvista_upgrade_clean.asp

(As I've stated before, I don't normally refer people to other sites but this seems like an appropriate exception)

Many of you probably already know this "trick" but I know alot don't so enjoy! :) This is just one of the reasons why you should NEVER pay full price for an OS.. ;)

And yes, I'm aware that the guide is for Vista but this will also work for Windows 7 once the Retail gooes live.. ;) And no worries, Microsoft knows this exists (obviously, as they programmed it this way) so your not doing anything illegal..
 
Microsoft knows this exists because they programmed it so that people who had a right to an upgrade copy could perform a pretty much clean install.

I remember reading something like this on a Microsoft blog, concerning this method:

License to run XP + License to upgrade from XP to Vista = License to run Vista
Nothing + License to upgrade from XP to Vista = License to run nothing
 
It's not a "pretty much clean install".. it IS a clean install.. All your doing is 'Upgrading' the Clean install.. ;)
 
Hey Radenight, you should "sticky" this considering all of the times this question has and is coming up.
 
Thanks for the info. Ill be using this trick for Windows 7. Now I can save some cash. I have a oem vista license so I could upgrade from that but I would feel better about upgrading windows 7 over itself for the cleanest install.
 
Not sure if this has been posted or not, but if you plan to actually use the upgrade option, these are the paths you can take.

- No upgrade options for Windows Vista Starter (SP1, SP2), not even to Windows 7 Starter;
- Windows Vista Home Basic (SP1, SP2) 32-bit (x86) and 64-bit (x64) can be upgraded to Windows 7 Home Basic, Home Premium and Ultimate 32-bit (x86) and 64-bit (x64);
- Windows Vista Home Premium (SP1, SP2) 32-bit (x86) and 64-bit (x64) can be upgraded to Windows 7 Home Premium and Ultimate 32-bit (x86) and 64-bit (x64);
- Windows Vista Business (SP1, SP2) 32-bit (x86) and 64-bit (x64) can be upgraded to Windows 7 Professional, Enterprise and Ultimate 32-bit (x86) and 64-bit (x64);
- Windows Vista Enterprise (SP1, SP2) 32-bit (x86) and 64-bit (x64) can be upgraded to Windows 7 Enterprise 32-bit (x86) and 64-bit (x64);
- Windows Vista Ultimate (SP1, SP2) 32-bit (x86) and 64-bit (x64) can be upgraded to Windows 7 Ultimate 32-bit (x86) and 64-bit (x64);
- No upgrade options for Windows Vista Home Basic N (SP1, SP2), not even to Windows 7 N or E;
- No upgrade options for Windows Vista Business N (SP1, SP2), not even to Windows 7 N or E.
- Since a clean install is REQUIRED for XP upgrades, XP users can choose any of the levels of Windows 7, regardless of the level of their current XP.

When it comes down to Vista-to-Windows 7upgrades, “Cross-architecture in-place upgrades (for example, x86 to x64) are not supported. Cross-language in-place upgrades (for example, en-us to de-de) are not supported. Cross-build type in-place upgrades (for example, fre to chk) are not supported. Cross-media type in-place upgrades (for example, Staged to Unstaged or Unstaged to Staged) are not supported,” Microsoft reveals.

In short, you can upgrade up a level, but not down a level. You can do a clean install with the upgrade media though as stated.

For Windows 7 Milestones, Microsoft has revealed that:

- Windows 7 M3 to Windows 7 Beta in-place upgrade is supported;
- Windows 7 M3 to Windows 7 RC in-place upgrade is NOT supported;
- Windows 7 M3 to Windows 7 RTM in-place upgrade is NOT supported;
- Windows 7 Beta to Windows 7 RC in-place upgrade is supported;
- Windows 7 Beta to Windows 7 RTM in-place upgrade is NOT supported;
- Windows 7 RC to Windows 7 RTM in-place upgrade is supported.
 
Anxious for Retail Win7

Lots of great information here on this forum. I am presently dual booting WinXP and Win7 RC. I am thinking of ordering the Win7 Home Premium at amazon.com while still available. i really like Win7 and am feeling comfortable with the RC. I do have one problem, though it is probably something simple that i am just missing. As stated, I am dual booting WinXP and Win7 RC. Win7 recognizes my audio card (Creative Sound Blaster Audigy Series). though I still get no sound, sound is available when booting WinXP. I checked everywhere that i can think to get the sound going. I tried installing the software and drivers. It appears that Win7 does not recognize all of the software on the CD that came with my card (older card). I was able to install the driver, according to Device MGR the driver is current though i suspect differently. Any views on this. My system is home built, Mobo: GA-7VM400AM(F), Proc: AMD Athlon XP 2.7, Memory: 1.5 MB. Any ideas on my sound problem? Also, wondering about the screen saver capabilities of Win7RC. On the RC version Screensaver is X'ed out. But not really complaining...looking forward to Installing the full Upgrade when it comes out. I'm a happy sailor!:D
 
What is the exact model of your sound card?

The screen saver does work on the RC.. by default it is turned off though.. ;)
 
Dido41,
Windows 7 upgrade will be able to do a clean install as long as you have a valid and legal copy of Windows XP or Windows Vista to show during the install. A prompt will appear asking for the cd-rom and product key.
Jessica
Microsoft Windows Client Team

Quoted for truth.
 
Sound Card

Radenight, thank you for the reply. No worries mate. I now have sound. I did some googling and searching. Found drivers for my Creative Sound Blaster Audigy card. I've forgotten the exact model #. Thanks for the tip on the screen saver as well. I had tried using the screen saver on the Beta of Win7 and the PC locked up on me. I'll activate shortly. Have a great day, cheers and beers:)
 
Quote..Windows 7 upgrade will be able to do a clean install as long as you have a valid and legal copy of Windows XP or Windows Vista to show during the install. A prompt will appear asking for the cd-rom and product key.
Jessica
Microsoft Windows Client Team ... Quote,

i have a product key but the acer laptop doesnt come with a cd rom with vista on it, its on the recovery partition.
how to proceed with a clean install of windows 7

thanks
Martyn
 
If Vista is installed....

I would create a new partition, run the upgrade disk and install to the new partition, and let it detect that you have Vista on your computer in the first partition. (I doubt that it will see the recovery partition as a Vista install.) After installing the upgrade (w/o a key), upgrade that installation and you'll have a full install.

If you don't have Vista installed, use the recovery partition to re-install and then follow the thought train above.
 
Upgraded upgrade...

I just wanted to say that I have a Dell laptop at the house which originally had Windows XP on it. Some time ago I did an in-place upgrade of that machine to Vista Ultimate (32-bit). Saturday I did an in-place upgrade of that same machine to Windows 7 Ultimate (I work for an OEM, so have an MSDN version). The upgrade went smooth, although it seems to me that disk access is a bit slow. I get a score of 4.0 on that box, with the 4.0 coming from the Disk Access. It seems slower than a 4.0 score would deliver, to me, but I'll have to give it some time. I hope to make some cogent operations and report here from time to time. RFT!!! Dave Kelsen -- A diagnostic is someone who doesn't know whether there are two gods.
 
I thought you cannot boot from a upgrade disk as they are not bootable. So how would this "Trick" work then? :confused:
 
Upgrade Anywhere

From what I've seen, Microsoft wants you to Upgrade online using Upgrade Anywhere. I guess they want you to pay money first.
 
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