install win7 RC as home premium and upgrade to retail

is it in any way possible to:

1) install windows 7 RC as the home premium version (not ultimate). i heard you can edit some file to allow this.

2) when the retail version of windows 7 home premium upgrade comes out, use that to upgrade my RC installation AND KEEP MY INSTALLED PROGRAMS?

i heard you can do a custom install which makes a windows.old folder. i am looking to NOT do that.

thanks

Interesting idea.

What scant info we have heard from MS indicates you can use RC as a qualifying installation for the purchased upgrade.

I suspect it would need to be an activated install to do that.

I tried to install the RC as home premium but the RC keys wouldn't work. Can you get a RC key for a home premium version of windows 7?

tannim said:

I tried to install the RC as home premium but the RC keys wouldn't work. Can you get a RC key for a home premium version of windows 7?

Yes you can buy a legit key for any version of win 7 from microsoft, or amazon, etc

Ken

I already pre-ordered, I'm not buying another just to see what home premium looks like compared to ultimate.

tannim said:

I already pre-ordered, I'm not buying another just to see what home premium looks like compared to ultimate.

Well you could download the RTM (7600) and use it for 90 days to see if you like it

Ken

I'll just take that as a 'no, you can't get the RC key to run the RC as home premium' and save the bandwidth.