For everyone concerned about buying the upgrade disk

Static said:

Thanks for the clarification on this. I was worried as well.

I have a second question then.

If I do a fresh install of Win7. and use my old Vista disk as just the proof that I have purchased it, and continue and have windows 7 on my desktop PC.

Can I then use that vista disk/key on my older laptop? or is that Vista Key being used by my windows 7 as well?

Basically If I use a vista with a 7 upgrade disk, can I have vista still going on a second computer and have them both running side by side at the same time? (legally speaking)

I may be wrong, but legally I don't think you can. Meaning that you only have one Vista disk and you used it to upgrade your desktop and then used it again to install it on your laptop. Technically though it should be possible, just not legal.

If you had two Vista disks one for the laptop one for the desktop then that would be no problem, legally and technically.

Theyve been using this method since Windows 95 if I remember correctly.

windowsguy said:

I may be wrong, but legally I don't think you can. Meaning that you only have one Vista disk and you used it to upgrade your desktop and then used it again to install it on your laptop. Technically though it should be possible, just not legal.

If you had two Vista disks one for the laptop one for the desktop then that would be no problem, legally and technically.

Be careful on which way you do it.
1. If you have vista installed -insert the upgrade Win7 disk and upgrade -when ask insert the KEY. Then you have legally stated I no longer have the right to use this Vista KEY.
2. If you boot to the DVD, when ask custom. and install when ask DO NOT insert the KEY. READ the POPUP Carefully, the click correctly you will have a FULL Functioning Win7, good for 30 days...
3. Any time you are loged in to Win7, insert the DVD say UPGRADE, when ask use the UPGRADE KEY, then activate when install is finished.
4. You can then use Vista on any other computer as Primary OS.

MS tells you how to legally CLEAN install using the UPGRADE Disk, then insert disk and upgrade w/KEY. it is 100% legal.

IF YOU USE THE UPGRADE DISK TO LEGALLY UPGRADE FROM VISTA to Win7 - that terminates your right to use that VISTA KEY. It legally terminates your LEASE.

grouchpunk08 said:

They told me that you can Start the process, and if there is no previous OS installed on your system, then it will simply ask you to insert the previous OS's DVD, and that is enough to confirm that you do have the previous OS. Doing even doing this will ensure that the upgrade activation key will still work.

This is really sweet. This used to work in 98 and even XP, but they stopped it in vista; the upgrade-from version had to be installed on the HDD.

Being able to use original media to authorise a direct clean update install will be really goddamn useful, and I'm really pleased to see it come back.

harpua said:

Don't some of the Vista installation disks contain all versions? If so, wouldn't one of those disks then allow a person to upgrade to any version of W7, assuming one was using the disk to prove they were entitled to upgrade? And speaking hypothetically, of course, couldn't a person then download one of those Vista iso's from a torrent (if one didn't already have one), and burn it to a disk and then use it along with a W7 home premium upgrade disk to perform the upgrade?

Yes, Vista disks contain all of the versions, at least the disks I have. And you probably could download a torrent iso, but obviously it wouldn't be recommend nor legal. That is unless Microsoft asks for some other method to verify the disk.

harpua said:

Don't some of the Vista installation disks contain all versions? If so, wouldn't one of those disks then allow a person to upgrade to any version of W7, assuming one was using the disk to prove they were entitled to upgrade? And speaking hypothetically, of course, couldn't a person then download one of those Vista iso's from a torrent (if one didn't already have one), and burn it to a disk and then use it along with a W7 home premium upgrade disk to perform the upgrade?

Every DVD of Vista had every version on it... the KEY is selective for the Version installed. sample: a Ultimate Key will not activate a Home Premium Key, a Business key will not activate a Ultimate.
KEYS ARE SELECTIVE TO THE VERSION.

So would this mean I couldn't upgrade from XP Pro x64 to Win 7 Home Premium? That sucks ...

My Vista Home Premium laptop came with no disks -- I had to create the recovery disks myself. What do we do in this case? Use the recovery disks?

Forgive me but I'm still a little confused (been a long day)

Does this mean you can't go from XP Home to Win 7 Home premium?

Do you have to have XP Pro?