Windows 7 Upgrade Q&A

[RebateMonger]

Originally posted by: Majic 7
I've read things saying that MS is advising people to keep a record of the key for their old OS if they do the clean install or double install with their upgrade copy. Just in case there is some problem on a future hardware upgrade or reinstall or something.

Any chance of a reference link?

It's always possible that Microsoft has put a "prior-license-scanner" into Win7 Update-Only software that it's not using right now. Theoretically, six months from now MS could invalidate installs or deny Activation to installs that don't have the required proof of a prior-install. I think it'd be a public-relations nightmare, but no way to be 100% sure about this. I always had the same nightmare about Vista Upgrade installs made to a blank disk.

 

[imported_harlanpepper]

Originally posted by: SimMike2
I'll have to test the Win 7 version of backup and restore. I have used the Vista Business version and it worked OK. From my understanding, Win 7 Home Premium, which is the version I am getting, doesn't have automatic imaging or backup. You must launch is manually. For some reason I thought Home wasn't going to include it, just like it wasn't in Vista Home, but I guess it is going to be there.

http://www.microsoft.com/windo...a/features/backup.aspx

One thing I didn't like about Vista imaging is that you could not open the backup and pick individual stuff to restore. With my Acronis Home, I can open the backups and look at everything that is there.

BTW, installing the WD crippled version of Acronis hosed my full version, putting me on a 15 day trial. I could reenter the serial number, but I'm going to wait until Win 7 is up and running.

I'm using the Win 7 backup and using the backup files & create system image (just C options. It seems to do this on a weekly schedule, by default. Though I haven't tried to restore files, so I'm not sure you can choose which files/folders you want. Probably not.

 

[vtfanmv5]

The Paul Thurrott regedit method worked perfectly on my Upgrade version of Windows 7 Home Premium. Thanks to him and for you guys putting together this nice sticky.

 

[SimMike2]

One thing I don't recall people mentioning is that the upgrade package contains two disks, one for 32 bit and one for 64 bit.

I currently had Win7 RC on the drive I wanted to use. I disconnected my other drive, which has my current version of Vista, which I need to use at least for another couple of weeks. I booted to the Win7 64 disk and chose custom install. I picked the RC location as the place to go. Everything installed fine and it activated just fine. I think beta testers who have the RC are getting a little benefit in being able to use the upgrade. IMHO, this is only fair. Usually in the past I got completely free Windows when I went to the hassle of beta testing.

So far I like Windows 7. I use Firefox and also a dandy little utility called "mozbackup" for saving all my settings in my Firefox Vista install. It does an amazing job of putting everything back, including exact order on bookmark menu, passwords and everything else.

 

[coloumb]

I know it's probably common sense:

You can't use easy transfer from 64 bit to 32 bit [ie: Vista 64 bit to Win 7 32 bit]
Not sure if you can from 32 bit to 64 bit.

 

[Majic 7]

To RebateMonger, I just saw references on sevenforums to the fact that MVPs are advising this. I tried to find a word for word confirmation but couldn't. I have seen the workarounds posted at TechNet and one of their stickies about finally some answers has a link to a blog with the double install deal and the regedit link in it. Other than that they are covering their butts I think, not supported and stuff like that. I don't think any of them really know what is planned. Hopefully MS just lets this slide because I just finished using the regedit to get mine to activate.

 

[RebateMonger]

Originally posted by: Majic 7
To RebateMonger, I just saw references on sevenforums to the fact that MVPs are advising this. I tried to find a word for word confirmation but couldn't. I have seen the workarounds posted at TechNet and one of their stickies about finally some answers has a link to a blog with the double install deal and the regedit link in it. Other than that they are covering their butts I think, not supported and stuff like that. I don't think any of them really know what is planned. Hopefully MS just lets this slide because I just finished using the regedit to get mine to activate.

Thanks for the reply. The owner of "SevenForums" was throwing all kinds of weird "facts" out on the Microsoft Social.Answer forums over the past few months. For instance, he was insisting that you couldn't upgrade an already-installed and Activated "Upgrade" version of XP or Vista.

As I noted earlier in this thread, it's always possible that MS has unannounced "anti-piracy" capabilities in Win7 or in their Activation database. But it's hard to believe they'd pull the plug on a bunch of Upgrades with genuine Keys that were already in place for months (or longer). MS has LONG been aware of the Vista Upgrade "double-install" capability. Most everybody thought that'd be disabled with W7. If MS was going to disable it, you'd think they'd have done it a week ago.

 

[EAEeae]

Possible solution for those of you having their Windows 7 upgrade hang during installation - digital river student download of 64 bit software on an XP 32 bit machine.

After several days of tinkering here's what worked for me.

I changed the cable on my LCD monitor from digital to VGA.

Install took 15 minutes, and I entered my Key when prompted and subsequently activated my copy of Windows 7.

No need for a registry hack, for me at least.

The "make an ISO" method has been widely promulgated, as has Microsoft's program for putting the ISO on a 4 gig usb stick so I won't repeat them here.

I'm posting this because my fix was very simple - only it happened after many hours of doubting the validity of the install data, and messing about unplugging things and switching things on and off in the bios.

Hope it helps you.

Eric

 

[Majic 7]

I read a weird workaround. Some guy says he created a windows.old (empty) and put it where an upgrade install would and it worked. RM, I almost went and got a retail copy just so I would never have to worry about MS doing something retroactive but then I thought about the double install deal still working and the other workarounds working and I am sure MS could have prevented this. I just can't think of a reason why they didn't, they had to have known what was going to happen.

 

[RebateMonger]

Originally posted by: Majic 7
I just can't think of a reason why they didn't, they had to have known what was going to happen.

Maybe a change of heart on this whole "Upgrade" thing? Sacrificing a bit of profit from the build-it-yourself crowd (which is a pretty small portion of the Windows market nowadays) in exchange for less aggravation for customers.

When your hard drive has just failed and you've lost everything, a hassle over finding old disks and Keys or having to re-buy your OS is not what you want to experience.

 

[soonerproud]

I just wanted to quickly say that the Retail Upgrade copy of Win 7 I bought from a major electronics retailer in the US (BB) activated without any jumping through hoops on a clean install after formatting the drive from the Win 7 DVD. I am not certain if Windows 7 still counted the old RC installation because I formatted the drive before installing from the DVD as stated earlier. Looks to me this is hit and miss.

 

[SimMike2]

Originally posted by: soonerproud
I just wanted to quickly say that the Retail Upgrade copy of Win 7 I bought from a major electronics retailer in the US (BB) activated without any jumping through hoops on a clean install after formatting the drive from the Win 7 DVD. I am not certain if Windows 7 still counted the old RC installation because I formatted the drive before installing from the DVD as stated earlier. Looks to me this is hit and miss.

Did you install 64bit version? There is some talk about the 64bit version being more forgiving on the upgrading.

 

[soonerproud]

Originally posted by: SimMike2
Did you install 64bit version? There is some talk about the 64bit version being more forgiving on the upgrading.

Check my sig.

 

[MrTransistorm]

Yay! The forum is back up!

@RebateMonger, Paul Thurrott has an updated article on Win7 clean installs: http://www.winsupersite.com/win7/clean_install_upgrade_media.asp

Also, please make this thread a sticky again. There is a lot of useful information in here.

 

[KaGee]

Thank you for this thread. I was pulling my hair out until I read it. Win7 Pro-64 now on-board. The double-install worked here.

 

[cheapherk]

Just installed Windows 7 64-bit Upgrade (Acer Upgrade).
Chose custom install. Deleted old partition. Installed with ease- no upgrade required. No fancy workarounds.

 

[RebateMonger]

Just installed Windows 7 64-bit Upgrade (Acer Upgrade).
Chose custom install. Deleted old partition. Installed with ease- no upgrade required. No fancy workarounds.

Was this an upgrade from Vista to Win7?
Was it from x64 to x64?
Were you REQUIRED to perform a "clean install"? Or could you have done an in-place upgrade if you wished?

 

[cheapherk]

Was this an upgrade from Vista to Win7?
Was it from x64 to x64?
Were you REQUIRED to perform a "clean install"? Or could you have done an in-place upgrade if you wished?

The disc was an upgrade disc. I chose custom install (I did NOT select "Upgrade") then deleted the partition which contained my Vista OS. Upgrade was an option, although I didn't try it. The choice wasn't greyed out or anything. Previously had Vista 64-bit and installed Windows 7 64-bit.

 

[RebateMonger]

The disc was an upgrade disc. I chose custom install (I did NOT select "Upgrade") then deleted the partition which contained my Vista OS. Upgrade was an option, although I didn't try it. The choice wasn't greyed out or anything. Previously had Vista 64-bit and installed Windows 7 64-bit.

Thank you for the information. I've been wondering how those Acer/Dell/HP "free upgrades" worked.

 

[IksokChoy]

Duplicate Sorry

 

[IksokChoy]

I got my upgrade disc from Dell for a new machine running Vista 32. I can't get 64 bit drivers for my network adapter is why I migrated back to 32 bit Vista. I've installed the Win 7 Os twice and only get it to load the 64 Bit, thus no network access. What am i missing. I've loaded it both ways, clean install and upgrade over the Vista 32. At no point do I see an option as to which version to choose. How do I get the 32 bit version loaded. I've spent 2 days trying to find drivers for my Belkin N network card to no avail. Ive tried by chipset, the terrible Belkin site and every Atheros adapter I can find. Any Thoughts?
Thanks Btw it's njot for the machine in my profile!

 

[RebateMonger]

Have you chatted with Dell Support? I suspect that Dell only gives you one type of Upgrade disk: either x32 or x64. I'd ask them what they sent and, if the wrong one, ask them to send the x32 package.

 

[IksokChoy]

I've emailed them no less than 6 times & got standard Bot reply. I Guess I'll have to sweat out a call to Tech support. Last answer I got was that both 32 & 64 are on the same disk, but not sure how it determines wich version to install since it was over the Vista 323 Bit

 

[Luddite]

Ok, just to be clear:

If I go out and buy the full retail version of Win 7, does the package include both 32 and 64-bit versions? Are these on separate discs, or on one disc with an installation option?

Thanks!

 

[jaytone1]

I have a Dell with Business version of Vista 32 bit. I did a system advisor test and says I have to use Windows 7 Professional 32 bit to upgrade.

I really want to use Windows 7 Home edition 64 bit.

Questions are:

1. Even though the advisor says I can only upgrade from Vista 32 to Windows 7 Professional 32 bit, is it possible to use the HOME UPGRADE Disk edition and install it by using Custom install since its not a new hard drive and Vista is currently on the hard drive ?
2. Will the option for Custom install work using an upgrade disk as long as I have Vista installed or do I have to buy the full version of HOme edition in order to install.
3. If you say yes that I can do a Custom install using an upgrade version dis, does the Custom install wipe the hard drive clean before it installs ?

If this is possible, I know I will lose my data, but it is backed up.

Thanks