Windows 7 Anytime Upgrade Question

[dang92116]

Last year I did a "Windows Anytime Upgrade" on windows 7 home to windows 7 pro. The last time I did a clean install of my Windows 7 Home, I tried the Win 7 pro upgrade key, it didn't work. After installing Win 7 Home I had to go to windows upgrade area, enter the key there, then the files for Pro were downloaded.

So the question I have is: Can that Windows 7 pro upgrade be downloaded on to a disc or to my hard drive? That way I have the file if Microsoft decides sometime in the future they wont let me use the anytime upgrade anymore. I just want to be sure I have access to what I paid for.

Thanks for the help!

 

[TheRyuu]

Quick Google search brought this[1] up. I don't know if it'll get you what you want.

Also for what it's worth you can use the same Windows 7 Pro key to get a Windows 10 Pro iso[2] (or USB Drive) for a clean install.

[1] https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows7
[2] https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10 (scroll down and use the "Download tool now" button)

 

[Mushkins]

You can do an Anytime Upgrade using good ol' disk media or a USB. Simply pop it in, run the installer, and select Upgrade. During the install process it will ask for the Pro key.

Note that the "legit" way you have to use your Upgrade key is by reinstalling Home *then* upgrading to Pro. You can skip this and do a clean install via Upgrade media however:

http://its.uiowa.edu/support/article/563

This does not void your key or run afoul of your license. In fact, the first time I did it, it was Microsoft Support who detailed the process for me (Had Upgrade media shipped to me instead of Retail due to a packaging flub when Win7 was released).

Make your own Win7 Install media and you never have to worry about pulling the upgrade down from the Windows Update servers.