Windows 7 Upgrading from Vista Ultimate to W7 Premium or Pro

[zaboomafoo1212]

My desktop has Vista Ultimate on it and I don't want to pay $220 to upgrade and I was wondering, If I get Windows 7 or Pro do I need to do a clean install from Ultimate to that?

 

[omnivious]

My desktop has Vista Ultimate on it and I don't want to pay $220 to upgrade and I was wondering, If I get Windows 7 or Pro do I need to do a clean install from Ultimate to that?

I think you's be able to install any upgrade as an upgrade, if it were actually a downgrade(as in older os) you might have problems but there should be no issue at all with upgrading from vista ultimate to either home premium or professional...

 

[zaboomafoo1212]

Ok thanks. This is nice because I have been hearing that I may need a clean install. Thanks for the help

 

[Radenight]

Ok thanks. This is nice because I have been hearing that I may need a clean install. Thanks for the help

Why not do a clean install?? It truly is the best way to go.. Not only do you avoid the garbage that is left behind from an Upgrade but you get a nice fresh 'clean' OS.. Which will perform noticeably better than an Upgraded OS in most cases.. Of course there are always exceptions but a clean install still just makes more sense in my opinion..

Some argue that they don't want to do a clean install because it's too much of a pain to reinstall all their applications and burn all their personal files.. Well not to be harsh but tough sh!t, when testing BETA/RC and RTM versions of an OS it is NEVER recommended that you use them as your main OS (no matter how stable they are).. So it's kind of one of those scenarios where it's your own fault for putting all your personal files on the BETA/RC/RTM version of an OS in the first place..

 

[omnivious]

as long as you don't have a bunch of stuff either not backed up or just don't know where the software came from, I would agree with the clean install, give your hard drive a fresh start, it's always nice, I format my hdd regularly and keep an external hdd for all my backup so I don't really need all the download, although it's a pain in my side, there's always things that don't go away when you delete and when you install over another update, go fresh if possible but to my knowledge it is totally possible to upgrade from vista ultimate to non ultimate win7...

 

[Tepid]

Some argue that they don't want to do a clean install because it's too much of a pain to reinstall all their applications and burn all their personal files..

Agreed, in the long run, you will be better off with a clean install than an actual upgrade, that doesn't mean don't buy the upgrade media, just don't run it as an actual upgrade. If you own vista, there is no reason to purchase a full version of 7. But, I do understand MS are trying to make the upgrade process much more reliable, but at this time, I would not trust it.

External HDD's are extremely cheap, and you should have one anyway for doing backups.

There are 2 groups of people,,,, those who have lost data, and those who will lose data. Back it up.

 

[zaboomafoo1212]

From what you guys have said, I guess I will do a clean k
install. I'm not worried about data loss because I have a 500gb external drive I can put my stuff on. It's just the matter that I have I think four partitions on my one terrabite drive and I wasn't sure if I would format the partition with my OS or not. What would I do?

 

[bobkn]

Ok thanks. This is nice because I have been hearing that I may need a clean install. Thanks for the help

You'll need a clean install, if the upgrade matrix I've seen holds. (I'd give a link to it, but Microsoft has withdrawn it. Perhaps it will change.)

With an upgrade license, the normal approach moves stuff to "windows.old". I'm not certain that includes all files on the OS partition, but I believe so.

All of your applications will have to be re-installed.

For me, that'd be good. I'd rather get one of the pre-orders at $49 or $99. (I admit that I'm not a Vista Ultimate owner.) I hope to be able to format the OS partition and do a *really* clean install of Win7 using upgrade media, but it remains to be seen whether that will be practical.

 

[kojo87]

It's just the matter that I have I think four partitions on my one terrabite drive and I wasn't sure if I would format the partition with my OS or not. What would I do?

you should be able to specify which partition you want to install to without overwriting the whole drive. is that what you're asking?

 

[bobkn]

Someone jump in to correct me, but I believe that an upgrade license requires that Win7 be installed in the partition of the qualifying OS.

 

[omnivious]

if you have 4 partitions, just use a partition that's big enough that doesn't have anything important on it and none of your other partitions will be touched

 

[busydog]

Someone jump in to correct me, but I believe that an upgrade license requires that Win7 be installed in the partition of the qualifying OS.

You install to a partition w/o a key then the upgrade works with a key using the partition you initially installed to.... (a Vista "trick" that will likely work with Windows 7)

 

[omnivious]

Someone jump in to correct me, but I believe that an upgrade license requires that Win7 be installed in the partition of the qualifying OS.

there are ways around it...

 

[bobkn]

You install to a partition w/o a key then the upgrade works with a key using the partition you initially installed to.... (a Vista "trick" that will likely work with Windows 7)

I'm familiar with that "trick". (I assume that Microsoft chose to permit an evaluation version to serve as a qualifying OS for the upgrade; I doubt that it was an oversight.)

1) I was sticking to the official line for upgrades

2) The Win7 upgrade license may support the same "trick", but I'm not prepared to bet on it.

 

[omnivious]

from what I've been told the "trick" is kosher according to microsoft, I don't really know who it actually came from but apparently microsoft supports the "trick"

 

[kojo87]

doesn't the "trick" kind of take away from the advantages of a clean install? or does it not rewrite anything other than allow your license to work?

 

[omnivious]

doesn't the "trick" kind of take away from the advantages of a clean install? or does it not rewrite anything other than allow your license to work?

the benefit of a clean install will still be there because there won't be a bunch of stuff from your previous installment, any programs that you may have on windows vista, when it is upgraded, the programs can cause an ill effect on the upgrade os during and post upgrade so not having any other programs to worry about, any windows os operates a lot nicer then it would with an upgrade, even drivers sometimes give problem, clean install is the way to go and reinstall everything else...

 

[Radenight]

When I use the "trick" I just install all my Motherboard Drivers and all "Important" Windows Updates.. then do the Upgrade install.. Has worked flawlessly for me every time..

 

[omnivious]

with the "trick," you have to do it every time you want to reinstall right? or is it just a one time thing, if you format your hdd I mean...

 

[Radenight]

Yeah unfortunately it's every time you reinstall.. It is annoying but worth it if your strapped for cash and cant afford the full version.. Or just don't want to give MS that kind of money.. ha ha