Windows 7: Need some help with reinstalling windows

whiplash · 18 Jan 2011

i'm trying to reinstall windows 7 home premium. i want to upgrade from 32-bit to 64-bit, but i'm having trouble getting the windows disc to run. could it be that i have the upgrade version of the OS. Here's a pic of what happens when i put in the 64-bit disc.

can anyone tell me how i can install 64-bit using the same windows 7 upgrade discs?

DocBrown · 18 Jan 2011

You cannot upgrade directly forom 32 to 64. You must do a Clean Install. Back up anything important first.

Clean Install with a Upgrade Windows 7 Version

gregrocker · 19 Jan 2011

You'll also have to boot the installer to do the Custom clean install: Clean Install Windows 7

When you boot the installer, it will see the other OS to allow use of Upgrade version key up front, even if you then go on to use Custom>Drive Options (see screenshots in tutorial above) to Delete, repartition and Format before install.

whiplash · 19 Jan 2011

I know I can't "upgrade" from 32-bit to 64-bit, I'm having trouble doing a clean install so that I can install 64-bit from scratch. I've tried putting the 64-bit disc in and booting from it, but windows just loads like normal. Any ideas???

Thanks for the quick replies.

DocBrown · 19 Jan 2011

Did you change your BIOS boot order to have the DVD drive as the first boot drive?

**cluberti** · 19 Jan 2011

Also, is the disc you're attempting to boot from an upgrade disc or a full Windows disc? Upgrade discs are not bootable, but full discs are. If you have a full disc and it isn't booting, obviously you want to check the BIOS boot order, etc as previously mentioned to make sure that CD/DVD drive is the first boot option, before hard disks, USB/removable media, and network boot.

whiplash · 19 Jan 2011

I tried setting the boot order to the DVD drive being first, but that didn't work.

I am using an upgrade version of win 7.

While I'm here let my reword my question. How can I use my 64-bit upgrade disc to do a clean install if win 7 and get 64-bit?

**cluberti** · 19 Jan 2011

You can follow the tutorial from this very section of the forums, which was linked to in this thread previously by DocBrown and gregrocker.

gregrocker · 19 Jan 2011

Are you following these steps to set DVD drive to boot first: Boot from CD - How to Boot your Computer from a Bootable CD or DVD - Boot to CD

Does it say Press Any key to Boot from DVD? If not, it is not set correctly in BIOS.

If so, Where did you get Windows 7? Did you burn the DVD yourself? Try burning another using ImgBurn at 4x speed.

Try booting the Upgrade version DVD using one-time BIOS boot menu key given on first boot screen.

If this fails, use free Partition Wizard bootable CD which will autostart to Wipe the HD from the disk tab, then DVD should autostart on blank disk. Free Download Magic Partition Manager Software - Partition Wizard Online

Leave the Product Key box blank, then after install use one of the workarounds given here to activate at Computer>Properties: Clean Install with a Upgrade Windows 7 Version

whiplash · 19 Jan 2011

Quote: Originally Posted by cluberti

You can follow the tutorial from this very section of the forums, which was linked to in this thread previously by DocBrown and gregrocker.

i've looked at your link but in the warning box in the post it says i'll need a valid previous version of windows to use the upgrade discs.

Windows 7: Need some help with reinstalling windows

Need some help with reinstalling windows problems?