can i do this

i am currently running vista premium on my C:/ -
i want to finally upgrade to windows 7 64bit professional -

here is the debate:
i want to put a bigger hard drive in my computer - for the C:/ - then i want to re-install vista --> then upgrade to windows 7 professional..

the issue in had is - i am running the system builder version of vista and not sure if i can re-install and then upgrade?

i got my hands on a student version of the 7 professional upgrade, and therefore don't want to spend the money on a full version of professional right now if i don't need 2.

so if i am reading everything correctly... i can just install vista -- then upgrade to 7 with no problems.

You do not need to reinstall Vista to upgrade to Win7.

Use one of the workarounds explained in this tutorial: Clean Install with a Upgrade Windows 7 Version

Having any version of Vista on hand and not using it again is sufficient under the Win7 EULA.

so hold on - i am going to be installing win 7 - on a new hd...with no os on it

so does all the above mean i can take the upgrade version and install it as new... - i thought upgrade ment i had to have a previous OS installed on the hard drive before doing the upgrade.??

I'd backup important data from the older hard drive first, then perform a clean install of windows 7 on the new HD (or just have the system boot from the second hardrive/os <if that's the HD you install windows 7 on>, then copy important data after windows 7 install) Also, If your windows Vista is 32 bit, you would have to do a clean install of the windows 7 64bit OS anyways.

patrick82 said:

so hold on - i am going to be installing win 7 - on a new hd...with no os on it

so does all the above mean i can take the upgrade version and install it as new... - i thought upgrade ment i had to have a previous OS installed on the hard drive before doing the upgrade.??

Yes, but you have to do one of the workarounds given in the tutorial which explains it all.