I need help to do a Win7 clean install after doing upgrade from Vista.

I have an HP TouchSmart tx2-1275dx with Vista OS at time of purchase. I upgraded to Windows 7 Ultimate 64 using the upgrade medium when it was first released. I did not do a clean install. (Probably my first mistake.) I immediately had problems with various touch screen related software as well as other software for which the drivers had not been created yet. I resorted to returning my system to the original Vista OS. After several months and changes in my priorities, I upgraded once again to Windows 7 Ultimate 64. I of course have had problems with HP WiFi printer drivers, (repeated 0x000003eb errors) and none of the Multitouch software would install properly. Long story, short, I would now like to do a clean install of Windows 7 Ultimate 64. Do I need to revert to Vista first? Does anyone have any help for me? I have been a lifelong PC user and only just bought an iPad. I find it sad that after hours of trying to get my TouchSmart to print to an Hp printer, the iPad did it with just one button.

Win7 should deliver the driver for that printer via optional Windows Updates if it isn't in the installer. It's likely 64 bit drivers weren't as common when you first installed so there should be more of them now. Any drivers not in installer of quickly updated via optional Updates can be found on the HP SUpport Downloads webpage for your model.

Adapt these steps to clean reinstall Win7 OEM to get a perfect retail reinstall: Reinstalling Windows 7

When you boot the Win7 DVD it will see an OS on the HD and allow use of Upgrade version key even if you use Custom install Drive options to delete, repartition and format. Only if the HD is new or cleaned do you need to leave the Product Key blank during install and afterwards do the quick registry workaround given here to activate on blank HD: Clean Install with a Upgrade Windows 7 Version

PCMark7 said:

Do I need to revert to Vista first?

No need to go back to Vista. Just follow Greg's steps.