Windows 7: upgrading windows 7

When you upgrade to pro or ultimate from windows 7 home {full} does that cause your original key{home 7} to be locked out? I have other copies of xp that are not in use that meet requirements to use upgrade media...but are not instaled , I would like to use home 7 {full} on another system. I would like to avoid a clean instal of the upgrade, not because I can't do it...but...well you know

If you use the cheaper upgrade DVD (but the same features as the full retail). The OS that you upgraded from is legally dead. You cannot use it.

Well Great...can't afford to lose a good win 7 while I have All these xp's gathering dust......Thanks for the reply

Glad to help you, sorry not what you wanted.

First, MS wants you to use Anytime Upgrade to upgrade within Windows 7. Any upgrade using the retail installer thus needs to be a clean install or it will fail with error to use Anytime.

If you are asking whether you can change your qualifying OS to XP while keeping in place your existing 7 Home Premium for the purpose of upgrading to 7 Professional, I believe it can be done with the popular workaround used by many beta testers to change to their retail version of Windows 7.

No keys of qualifying XP/Vista are ever blocked in the first place, nor is Windows 7 a qualifying OS for Windows 7 Upgrade anyway except using Anytime. These are merely EULA provisions which you want to correctly comply with by using XP to upgrade to Windows 7.

The workaround tricks the installer into thinking you are doing a same-version Repair Install which is always allowed and which resets Activation. Since it is an Upgrade install, it should take an Upgrade version key.

If you want to try this, first save a Windows 7 backup image of your current install so you can start over if necessary: Backup Complete Computer - Create an Image Backup - Windows 7 Forums.URL

Next set a Restore Point, then change the Registry keys shown in the screenshot here to the exact name of the version you are Upgrading to:


Now run the Upgrade installer for the higher version from your desktop. Afterward activate at Computer>Properties link. If it refuses key, use the registry workaround given here: Clean Install with a Upgrade Windows 7 Version - Windows 7 Forums.URL

I agree with Gregg. As I said in my short simple answer, the OS that you upgraded from is dead, which is true. If there is a way to legally upgrade from XP, then your 7 can still be used.

My wife told me she could buy software through her work{ AFTER I had bought and installed windows 7 home and moved in}....was I interested? Uhhh...yes....Limit of one each...stupid cheap....$19.10 retail professional $20.10 ultimate...upgrades not anytime... Putting ultimate on a 6 year olds computer would just be wrong...This workaround would save me a lot of time reinstalling and setting back up Many thanks!!!

Followed Gregrockers advice...now running ultimate...even my icons are still on the same place on my desktop!!!
Many thanks!!! Now I need one of those green check marks thingys...{ I always hated when there is no follow up /did it work or not?}

Hello, glad to see you got it sorted; thanks for the update.