Windows 7: Windows 7 Upgrade - Safe blank install

I have bought a old(ish) laptop designed for Vista but has no OS on it. I can
afford a Windows 7 Professional upgrade disk.

My question is can I install Windows 7 off a clean partition without ANY previous version of Windows and activate safely without conflict or invalidating the serial key.

(I would like to stress there is NO copy of Windows on the laptop.)

Thanks

Anyone? I have searched but there answers from 2009. Am looking to see if Microsoft has prevented this.

Have a look at thIs tutorial: Upgrade Install with Windows 7

You are qualified to use an upgrade disk if you at have an earlier qualifying Microsoft OS, such as Vista. But that earlier OS does NOT have to be installed---you just have to own it.

If you have qualifying XP or Vista then you can clean install Upgrade version with no OS on the HD but you'll have to leave the key blank when requested at beginning of install, then after install do the qucik registry workaround given here to activate Upgrade version on clean HD: Clean Install with a Upgrade Windows 7 Version

If you don't have a qualifying retail XP or Vista you're not using or a Vista factory COA sticker on that machine, you'll need to buy OEM or full retail.