Windows 7 I've solved the upgrade dilemma for a clean install.

[Emil]

As you may know, you cannot make a clean install of Windows 7 upgrade on a formatted disc. You can only install this OS on a hard disc that has a previous version installed (XP, Vista, whatever). So, if you bought a Windows 7 UPGRADE (not the full version), you will have no luck just popping the disc into the DVD drive on a computer with a disc wiped clean.
I bought the Windows 7 upgrade thinking I could do this. I was going to install it on a Gateway computer with Vista 64 originally installed. However, I want to install a new motherboard in this computer, which means that the Recovery Disc for the original Gateway computer will not recognize this new MB if I run the recovery program for the old MB (and halt the Recovery installation).
With this system of installation, you're going to have to have two previous versions of Windows. Luckily, I have the original Windows XP/SP-2 and Windows 98 discs with the installation numbers. So, here's how I solved my particular problem of installing the Windows 7 upgrade on what amounts to a custom-made computer (As far as I'm concerned, this installation can't be illegal because I own the XP and 98 discs used previously on other computers).

Put the XP disc into the DVD drive. Go through the installation procedure (don't worry if you don't have chipset and RAID discs during this process--unless you want to install them). When the XP installation asks you to provide a disc from a previous version of Windows, put in the Win 98 (or Win 95 disc) Finish the installation process. When you boot up to XP, you'll most likely be in primitive mode screen 'cause you don't have a bunch of drivers needed for your computer. This doesn't matter because the next thing you'll do is put in the Windows 7 UPGRADE install disc (which will format your disc again throught the Custom Install setting), getting rid of XP--thus a virgin install).
Of course, if you have a factory computer with Vista installed, just put in the Windows 7 disc, have the hard drive formatted during the installation process and then install the OS. You're going to have to get drivers not installed during the Windows 7 process--but you will boot into Windows 7. If you have a custom-made computer that you assembled yourself, you'll most likely know what to do from this point forward.

 

[tblount]

Never mind

 

[tblount]

Never mind

 

[rock_doctor]

I'm not so sure you can do this. If you have a modern motherboard XP will not have the sata drivers so it may not install at all or may not install the dvd drive which you will need. For the upgrade to work you need to access the Win7 install menu while inside the function OS. If XP or 98 (edit: can't upgrade from 98) do not completely install or at least enough that it will run the dvd drive this won't work. As far as what i have heard, it will not ask for a past disk, it will expect to be installed while in the previous OS. This has been the case since Vista was released. And since you no longer get an actual copy of the OS when you buy a computer they can't really ask for a disk, if they did no body would be able to use an upgrade disk. A recovery disk does not contain a copy of the OS, it is only an image of the hard drive. Give it a try when you get the disk and let us know if it works. As i have said elsewhere, i loathe the idea of reinstalling Vista only to jank it off 3 seconds later. If you have found a way to do this directly you will have saved millions of people hours of work. Once i have 7 installed completely i plan to image the drive onto a recovery dvd so that i will not have to do the upgrade path in the future as i reinstall every year. If you are adventurous you can create a slipstream disk that contains the copy of XP plus all necessary modern drivers. How To: Slipstream your XP installation | Maximum PC

Good luck and let us know how you make out. I hope it works.

 

[Emil]

You are confirming what I just said . . .

I'm not so sure you can do this. If you have a modern motherboard XP will not have the sata drivers so it may not install at all or may not install the dvd drive which you will need. For the upgrade to work you need to access the Win7 install menu while inside the function OS. If XP or 98 (edit: can't upgrade from 98) do not completely install or at least enough that it will run the dvd drive this won't work. As far as what i have heard, it will not ask for a past disk, it will expect to be installed while in the previous OS. This has been the case since Vista was released. And since you no longer get an actual copy of the OS when you buy a computer they can't really ask for a disk, if they did no body would be able to use an upgrade disk. A recovery disk does not contain a copy of the OS, it is only an image of the hard drive. Give it a try when you get the disk and let us know if it works. As i have said elsewhere, i loathe the idea of reinstalling Vista only to jank it off 3 seconds later. If you have found a way to do this directly you will have saved millions of people hours of work. Once i have 7 installed completely i plan to image the drive onto a recovery dvd so that i will not have to do the upgrade path in the future as i reinstall every year. If you are adventurous you can create a slipstream disk that contains the copy of XP plus all necessary modern drivers. How To: Slipstream your XP installation | Maximum PC

Good luck and let us know how you make out. I hope it works.

The first sentence of my posts SAYS that one has to have an OS installed in order to install Windows 7--that you can't boot from a Windows 7 UPGRADE disc ( I KNOW that there is no proof of purchase of a previous OS function during a Windows 7 Upgrade install). I don't know of any recent motherboard out there that will not boot up with XP SP/2. If anyone has an experience otherwise, please inform us all.
And it looks like you have completely misunderstood my process from that point forward, so I'll state it again. If you have your XP and an earlier disc, you can install XP on ANY computer. Just go to your BIOS and change the first booting device to the DVD drive. Put in the XP disc, and when asked if you want to make a new install, click the affirmative. The Disc will format the C drive and then begin to install the OS. During the installation process, it will ask you for a previous OS as proof that you can install the XP upgrade--put in you Windows 95, 98, or 2000 disc. The installation will continue. If it asks you for a SATA driver, pretend like you don't have one and the installation will continue anyhow.
After you boot up into XP, don't bother to register the OS. Instead, immediately put in your Windows 7 disc. Since you have a previous OS on your C drive, Windows 7 WILL INSTALL. After Windows 7 is installed, be sure and keep your XP installation in a separate file in case you want to reinstall Windows 7 at a later date so you don't have to go through the XP installation again (you don't have to ghost the Windows 7 installation if you do it this way).
Have all of your drivers for your custom computer handy so you can install them after your Windows 7 installation.
As far as installing Windows 7 upgrade over an OEM OS in a store-bought computer, YOU CAN DO THIS. The only reason I have submitted this way of installing Win 7 Upgrade is that you can do this on any computer. All you have to have is an XP install disc (upgrade of full version), plus an earlier version like 95, 98, 2000, etc.--preferably ones you have licenses for and have removed from previous computers to keep the process legal).

 

[tblount]

I can't wait to get my hands on an upgrade disk

As you may know, you cannot make a clean install of Windows 7 upgrade on a formatted disc. .

Well you have sorta proved you CAN ... but the main problem you seem to be circumventing is that you can't BOOT from the Upgrade cd. I'm wondering why you can't create a windows emergency repair disk... under "Backup" ( only 164 mb) (that can easily be copied onto a USB device(xcopy) to boot to a command prompt from the USB) and once you are booted, just run the upgrade disk? Has anyone tried this? Where can I download an ISO of an upgrade disk???

This doesn't matter because the next thing you'll do is put in the Windows 7 UPGRADE install disc (which will format your disc again throught the Custom Install setting), getting rid of XP--thus a virgin install).

It *seems* to me that you simply went a round-about-way to get booted -- so you could run the upgrade??? The upgrade is clearly the FULL version (32 or 64 -which ever one you have) since you CAN format your disk and wipe off XP BEFORE it actually goes into the install.

If that doesn't work.. then my next guess would be to boot windows PE and see if the upgrade would load and get to "custom install"

Maybe the upgrade is looking for something specific from a previous OS .. BEFORE it wil go to the Custom Install .. it that is the case you have satisfied thoes requirements by starting the XP install - then popping in the upgrade disk.

Anyway, since you say you CAN do a custom install from an upgrade disk and wipe the hard drive clean.. it seems to me that Microsoft really doesn't care if you have an older OS installed.. they are just giving you a hastle to run it.

 

[Emil]

Well you have sorta proved you CAN ... but the main problem you seem to be circumventing is that you can't BOOT from the Upgrade cd. I'm wondering why you can't create a windows emergency repair disk... under \"Backup\" ( only 164 mb) (that can easily be copied onto a USB device(xcopy) to boot to a command prompt from the USB) and once you are booted, just run the upgrade disk? Has anyone tried this? Where can I download an ISO of an upgrade disk???




It *seems* to me that you simply went a round-about-way to get booted -- so you could run the upgrade??? The upgrade is clearly the FULL version (32 or 64 -which ever one you have) since you CAN format your disk and wipe off XP BEFORE it actually goes into the install.

If that doesn't work.. then my next guess would be to boot windows PE and see if the upgrade would load and get to \"custom install\"

Maybe the upgrade is looking for something specific from a previous OS .. BEFORE it wil go to the Custom Install .. it that is the case you have satisfied thoes requirements by starting the XP install - then popping in the upgrade disk.

Anyway, since you say you CAN do a custom install from an upgrade disk and wipe the hard drive clean.. it seems to me that Microsoft really doesn't care if you have an older OS installed.. they are just giving you a hastle to run it.

I put this method on this forum specifically for the use of those who may not know about esoteric ways to get Windows 7 going (emergency repair disc, etc). But most everyone knows how to pop in a series of DVD's to get the job accomplished. This method only adds thirty minutes or so to the install process (the XP installation).
You're absolutely right about Microsoft presenting a hassle during an upgrade from XP to Windows 7. Just look at this multi-page instruction program they want you to go through:
Upgrading from Windows XP to Windows 7 - Help & How-to - Microsoft Windows.
Since my computer dual boots into XP (32 bit) and Vista Home Premium 64 bit), it's pretty obvious that his method will work. The only hassleI ran into getting this configuration was having to take out 6 Gigs of Ram--leaving me with 2 Gigs for the XP install. After the procedure was complete, I installed the entire 8 Gigs of ram and everything works perfectly (for some reason).
Another problem that one can run into is the SATA driver and RAID drivers that may be different between XP and Windows 7. You can get around this by going to the motherboard/chip set manufacturer and downloading the drivers specifically made for XP and installing this version when asked. After the install, just reinstall the drivers for Windows 7 when asked during that installation.

 

[tblount]

This method only adds thirty minutes or so to the install process (the XP installation)..

I don't have an xp disk. I upgraded from Windows ME.