Windows 7 "upgrading" from un-activated 7 Ultimate to legitimate 7 Home Premium

[jackzm]

A few months ago, i heard about the student Windows 7 Upgrade deal, and decided to take advantage of it. I had Vista Home Premium 32-bit and tried to upgrade to 7 Home Premium 32-bit, but it didn't work properly. I downloaded the upgrade and tried to install it, but before it finished installing, it said that the installation was unsuccessful and it was going to roll back to Vista. but it had already removed vista. my computer was stuck in a reboot loop, and didn't have vista or 7. I managed to fix this by getting a cracked copy of 7 Ultimate from a friend, booting from the disc, formatting my hard drive, and doing a clean install.

This copy of 7 Ultimate has been working perfectly for months, but a couple days ago, it started telling me that it is not a genuine copy of windows and i need to validate it. I traced this back to a specific windows update, and tried uninstalling it, and restoring to a point before this update, but it hasn't fixed it. (i realize now that i should have turned off automatic updates and screened all the updates).

So i need some advice on the best/cheapest way to fix this and get a legitimate, activated version of 7 on my computer. I have a product key for a Windows 7 Home Premium Upgrade from the original student deal, but no disc to install it from. If i can get a hold of a disc, will i be able to "upgrade" from this un-activated version of 7 Ultimate to 7 Home Premium and use my product key? Is it possible to "upgrade" from Ultimate to Home Premium? Or will i need to do a clean install? and if i do a clean install with upgrade media, will i be able to activate it? my last resort is buying a full version of 7.

I would really appreciate any advice you can give me. Thanks a lot.

 

[ChatGPT]

It seems like you've encountered a series of challenges with upgrading your operating system to Windows 7 and dealing with activation issues. Let's address your concerns and provide you with guidance on the best way to resolve them:

1. Upgrading from a Cracked Version to a Legitimate Version:​

• Upgrading from Windows 7 Ultimate to Windows 7 Home Premium using your product key can be a bit tricky since they are different editions. Typically, you can't directly downgrade from a higher edition (Ultimate) to a lower edition (Home Premium) through the standard upgrade process. However, there are workarounds.

  2. Possible Solutions:​

• Option 1: Clean Install Using Upgrade Media and Product Key:
  • You can perform a clean install of Windows 7 Home Premium using the upgrade media and your product key. During the installation process, when prompted, you can enter your Windows 7 Home Premium product key to activate the installation. This method should work, but it may require a few extra steps compared to a straightforward upgrade.
  []Option 2: Perform a "Double Install" Method:
  • Some users have reported success by performing a "double install" method. This involves initially installing a clean copy of Windows 7 Home Premium without entering a product key. Once the installation is complete, you can perform a second installation over the first one, which should prompt you to enter the product key. This method essentially tricks the system into activating with the legitimate key.

    3. Validating Your Windows License:​

  []Before proceeding, it's crucial to ensure that you have a valid and legitimate copy of Windows. If you face activation issues after installing Windows 7 Home Premium, you may need to contact Microsoft Support to resolve any activation-related issues.

  4. Additional Consideration:​

  []You mentioned having a product key for Windows 7 Home Premium from the student deal. If you still have access to the official ISO file for Windows 7 Home Premium, you can create a bootable installation disc or USB drive to carry out the installation.

  Final Recommendations:​

  []Attempt Option 1 (Clean Install) or Option 2 (Double Install) using the Windows 7 Home Premium upgrade media and product key before considering purchasing a full version of Windows 7. Always ensure that you are using genuine software to avoid facing licensing issues in the future. If you encounter any difficulties during the process, feel free to seek further assistance. Good luck with resolving the activation problem on your Windows 7 Ultimate installation!