Doing a Clean Install with a Upgrade Windows 7 Version

Brink · Oct 22, 2009

Hello everyone,

Just to let you all know that I have confirmed that you can do either a clean install, custom install, or upgrade install with a retail Upgrade version of Windows 7 and activate it on a clean unallocated (blank) drive or partition without any other OS installed or with one installed. It does not matter.

For questions and more information on this, please see this tutorial:
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/31402-clean-install-upgrade-windows-7-version.html

100% confirmed
Shawn

Warning

Remember that you need a valid qualifying previous version of Windows to use a Upgrade Windows 7 copy legally. Microsoft only made doing a clean install from a upgrade Windows 7 possible to make it more convenient so you do not have to reinstall both the old Windows version (ex: Vista) and upgrade to Windows 7 everytime you needed or wanted to reinstall.

If you do not have a valid qualifying previous version of Windows, then you are violating the terms of Microsoft's Windows 7 End User License Agreement and could get your product key number invalidated by Microsoft. Plus, it is considered illegal.

For more about this, please see: Microsoft SMB Community Blog : Regardless of what any hack says, a Windows 7 Upgrade is an Upgrade. What you need to know.

gregrocker · Oct 22, 2009

Thank you for clearing this up.

The past few days have been a constant battle against misinformation that an Upgrade clean install can be done from boot. Even some regulars have insisted this on thin evidence that the XP Upgrade installer could boot and ask for the qualifying OS key, something which hasn't been in effect since XP.

Similarly, the Vista upgrade over itself trick was specifically foreclosed by MS, ending any hope for a boot clean install. Or so we thought. Now we learn that the Vista trick itself works, and there is Paul Thurrot's workaround to avoid having to install over itself.

Brink · Oct 22, 2009

You're most welcome Greg.

Nibiru2008 · Oct 22, 2009

It is possible to do a clean install using an Upgrade version of Windows 7. Just be sure that you have the original install disks of either XP or Vista on-hand.

Microsoft has a tutorial here.

Quote from above link:

Locate the original installation disks for the programs currently on your computer.

Insert the Windows 7 DVD and follow the instructions for a custom installation by selecting the Custom (advanced) installation option.

SilverGator · Oct 22, 2009

But does that "clean" installation also REFORMAT your hard drive?

I am on Windows Vista HP 32-bit and have the Upgrade disc for Windows 7 HP 64-bit. What I WANT to do is reformat the drive and then install a clean, fresh copy of Windows 7.

Is that possible? If so, please explain how (not step-by-step, just what method I should use).

Thank you. (PS - My first post, so be kind!

)

Brink · Oct 22, 2009

Hello SilverGator, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Yes, you can do a clean install (format) with your upgrade Windows 7 and activate it.

mastman · Oct 22, 2009

Similar query to SilverGator's, but I am a few steps further down the road. Have a fully-licensed XP machine. Decided to also install a new larger hard drive. Disconnected XP drive while I installed Build 7600 on the new one. Tried to activate when I got the MS email today for the upgrade I bought during the half-price special in June. Of course MS says no go 'cause it's a clean install. Doh, I should have know better.

Do you see a work around, or do i need to backtrack quite a bit? Sorry in advance if this should have been in a separate post.

BTW i read the entire "clean install" link above and saw nothing that would help.

mastman

pparks1 · Oct 22, 2009

Brink said:
Hello SilverGator, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Yes, you can do a clean install (format) with your upgrade Windows 7 and activate it.

So, you are confirming that with the upgrade media and no operating system on the hard drive whatsoever, you can simply install this clean and then input the upgrade key when you have finished and it will activate.

From your tutorial, i see no proof being gathered whatsoever that you ever had a previous copy of a Microsoft based operating system.

Brink · Oct 22, 2009

Hello Mastman, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Yeah, you will not be able to activate the RTM 7600 (full) with a upgrade product key. You can try doing a Custom install from the RTM to your upgrade copy, and activate afterwards.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

Brink · Oct 22, 2009

pparks1 said:
Brink said:

Hello SilverGator, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Yes, you can do a clean install (format) with your upgrade Windows 7 and activate it.

Click to expand...

So, you are confirming that with the upgrade media and no operating system on the hard drive whatsoever, you can simply install this clean and then input the upgrade key when you have finished and it will activate.

From your tutorial, i see no proof being gathered whatsoever that you ever had a previous copy of a Microsoft based operating system.

Hi Parks,

Yes, that's what I am confirming.

I created a new unallocated 40GB partition, then proceded to do a clean install of the Upgrade Windows 7 Home Premium. After installing, I manually activated it without a problem and got the Genuine Software logo.

pparks1 · Oct 22, 2009

Brink said:
Hi Parks,

Yes, that's what I am confirming.

I created a new unallocated 40GB partition, then proceded to do a clean install of the Upgrade Windows 7 Home Premium. After installing, I manually activated it without a problem and got the Genuine Software logo.

Wow, that is just crazy. They left us clueless all this time as to exactly how this would work and just kept saying "it had to be activated"...but you don't even need the double install trick anymore. You don't need anything anymore. You just need an upgrade disc and a clean computer with no previous OS software from MS. Crazy.

I'm glad that I officially know.

mastman · Oct 22, 2009

Is the only difference between my situation and your last reply to Parks caused by my using the RTM instead of the upgrade version? If so, jumping the gun by a few days is really gonna cost me a lot of time.

Nosmo · Oct 22, 2009

Shawn,
With the greatest respect, I still feel there is confusion in how to use the full and upgrade media.

To make matters worse, some upgrade downloads today have turned out to have 'full retail' keys with media that is labeled 'Update'.

MS says that you must direct the upgrade install to the partition that has the original OS on it. Have you found this to be true?

Brink · Oct 22, 2009

Nosmo said:
Shawn,
With the greatest respect, I still feel there is confusion in how to use the full and upgrade media.

To make matters worse, some upgrade downloads today have turned out to have 'full retail' keys with media that is labeled 'Update'.

MS says that you must direct the upgrade install to the partition that has the original OS on it. Have you found this to be true?

Hello Nosmo,

This was done with a boxed retail Upgrade Windows 7 Home Premium version bought off the shelf at Best Buy. I can 100% confirm that a clean install was done with it. I tested it myself as described above. I cannot confirm if the download versions were actually upgrade or OEM or what though.

gregrocker · Oct 22, 2009

pparks1 said:
Brink said:

Hi Parks,

Yes, that's what I am confirming.

I created a new unallocated 40GB partition, then proceded to do a clean install of the Upgrade Windows 7 Home Premium. After installing, I manually activated it without a problem and got the Genuine Software logo.

Click to expand...

Wow, that is just crazy. They left us clueless all this time as to exactly how this would work and just kept saying "it had to be activated"...but you don't even need the double install trick anymore. You don't need anything anymore. You just need an upgrade disc and a clean computer with no previous OS software from MS. Crazy.

I'm glad that I officially know.

I believe he says he has Vista on the computer and created a new partition for the Upgrade, which we have known all along can be done.

The question we are waiting to have answered is if he accomplished this by booting from the Upgrade install media, or was it run from Vista as MS says must be done.

So you still need "previous OS software from MS" to proceed with the Upgrade, otherwise all Upgrade disks would in effect be full versions.

gregrocker · Oct 22, 2009

mastman said:
Similar query to SilverGator's, but I am a few steps further down the road. Have a fully-licensed XP machine. Decided to also install a new larger hard drive. Disconnected XP drive while I installed Build 7600 on the new one. Tried to activate when I got the MS email today for the upgrade I bought during the half-price special in June. Of course MS says no go 'cause it's a clean install. Doh, I should have know better.

Do you see a work around, or do i need to backtrack quite a bit? Sorry in advance if this should have been in a separate post.

BTW i read the entire "clean install" link above and saw nothing that would help.

mastman

You have to start the Upgrade disk from the qualifying activated OS in order to install Win7 Upgrade disk via clean install to the separate HDD. Then you can dual boot, or change the boot order in the BIOS, mark Win7 install HDD active and run startup repair to get rid of the dual boot.

Brink · Oct 22, 2009

gregrocker said:
pparks1 said:

Brink said:

Hi Parks,

Yes, that's what I am confirming.

I created a new unallocated 40GB partition, then proceded to do a clean install of the Upgrade Windows 7 Home Premium. After installing, I manually activated it without a problem and got the Genuine Software logo.

Click to expand...

Wow, that is just crazy. They left us clueless all this time as to exactly how this would work and just kept saying "it had to be activated"...but you don't even need the double install trick anymore. You don't need anything anymore. You just need an upgrade disc and a clean computer with no previous OS software from MS. Crazy.

I'm glad that I officially know.

Click to expand...

I believe he says he has Vista on the computer and created a new partition for the Upgrade, which we have known all along can be done.

So you need "previous OS software from MS" to proceed with the Upgrade, otherwise all Upgrade disks would in effect be full versions.

No Vista was installed. This was a fresh clean install of a retail Upgrade Windows 7.

zigzag3143 · Oct 22, 2009

SilverGator said:
But does that "clean" installation also REFORMAT your hard drive?

I am on Windows Vista HP 32-bit and have the Upgrade disc for Windows 7 HP 64-bit. What I WANT to do is reformat the drive and then install a clean, fresh copy of Windows 7.

Is that possible? If so, please explain how (not step-by-step, just what method I should use).

Thank you. (PS - My first post, so be kind! )

Hi and welcome SilverGator

The answer is Yes!!

Boot from the dvd (not from inside windows) run setup. It will ask you where you want it to go, and if you point it at a partition with a OS in it , pick custom, chose format, then sit back.

It really isnt that bad UNLESS you have a raid (if you dont know what it is you probably dont have it) or are overclocking.

Tips of the trade. Get your wifi driver before just in case so you arent left without a way to get it.
Upgrade BIOS, and the video driver after if necessary.

If all goes smooth think about how you are going to backup just in case

Ken

pparks1 · Oct 22, 2009

gregrocker said:
I believe he says he has Vista on the computer and created a new partition for the Upgrade, which we have known all along can be done.

That is not what he said and not what he is describing and not what he is confirming.

He came from a 100% blank slate.

gregrocker said:
So you need "previous OS software from MS" to proceed with the Upgrade, otherwise all Upgrade disks would in effect be full versions.

Exactly, all versions are full versions. That's exactly it.

gregrocker · Oct 22, 2009

Nosmo said:
Shawn,
With the greatest respect, I still feel there is confusion in how to use the full and upgrade media.

To make matters worse, some upgrade downloads today have turned out to have 'full retail' keys with media that is labeled 'Update'.

MS says that you must direct the upgrade install to the partition that has the original OS on it. Have you found this to be true?

Is it possibly those claiming to get full retail keys have construed them that way because they accomplished something they didn't expect (install to separate partition or HDD). We need confirmation that a clean install from boot with activation has been accomplished with the Upgrade media.

Doing a Clean Install with a Upgrade Windows 7 Version

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