Windows 7: Activation Question...

I am currently using a non-activated version of Windows 7 Ultimate, I was wondering if I bought Professional or Home Premium, could i install this over the top and keep all my apps/files? or would i have to buy Ultimate....?

Thanks, Jordan

If you bought Windows 7 Home Premium/Pro, you'd have to do a fresh install to get it activated as you can't 'downgrade'. You could buy a copy of Windows 7 Ultimate and activate it and you'd keep everything.

okay, thanks for the quick reply!

It's not officially supported, but there are ways to hack it:

Hack to In-Place “Downgrade” from Windows 7 Ultimate or Professional to Less Premium Editions « My Digital Life

(Basically, it's a Registry change that fools the installer into allowing an upgrade installation of a lesser version over Ultimate.)

This is not guaranteed to produce a stable installation.

Thanks bobkn, I'll look into that

The workaround to change between versions has been used countless times since Windows 7 release without a single reported case of it being any less successful than any other Repair Install. The fact that it changes the edition seems to have no effect whatsoever.

That's good to know. I neglected to mention that I'd never tried it.