Windows 7: Upgrade from Polish XP to an English 7 Pro

As it says in the title. I am fed up looking through websites and not being able to find a simple answer.
So i have a 32bit polish XP and I want to buy an english upgrade windows 7 pro 64bit. Will it be possible to install so I have the english version win 7. I have just bought a laptop and it hasnt got an OS.
Or can I just install it without instaling xp?

Thanks

Hello Azibiz, welcome to Seven Forums!


Leaving languages aside, there is no real reliable way to upgrade from XP to Windows 7 without a clean install, have a look at this tutorial linked below for a way and be sure to post back to keep us informed.

Do a Clean Install with a Upgrade Windows 7 Version

Yes, you qualify for Upgrade version if you have XP version even if it's not installed.

If XP is on the HD, boot the Windows 7 installer to Clean Install Windows 7. It will see an OS on the HD to allow use of UPgrade version key during install.

If no OS on HD, install without Product Key, after install do one of the workarounds in the tutorial Barefoot linked above to activate Upgrade version on a clean or new HD.

Hey thanks.for. your reply . So the laptop has no os . But my another concern is the language, from polish to English. Will the upgrade make the Windows 7 english. When I do the installation do I enter my serial.from xp?

The language version is irrelevant to whether you qualify for Windows 7 Upgrade version.

If you own a retail copy of XP or one which came pre-installed on the machine, you qualify for Upgrade version. It does not need to be installed.

Boot the installer, delete all partitions during install using Custom install Drive Options (Advanced). Create new partition(s) as you wish to format, or just click Next after deleting and the installer will do it for you. Clean Install Windows 7

Since there is no OS on the HD, leave the Product Key blank during install, then afterwards do the quick registry workaround in Option 3 of Clean Install with a Upgrade Windows 7 Version to activate on a blank HD.

The answer to the language question is normally yes.

In what cases the answer is no ? just to be 100% sure.
and I have bought the XP Home Ed. separately. It's an OEM version. Does it still matter?

EDIT// one more thing XP is 32bit and Windows 7 will be 64bit Does it make a difference?

EDIT2// sorry for noob questions but i want to be 100% sure what iam doing. Do i need to instal the xp first (I am using it right now on my pc) And when doing option 3 as you said will I have to enter my xp serial or will there be another one in the upgrade Windows 7 box?

As long as you have a retail copy of XP on hand and not used while qualifying for Windows 7 upgrade, then you're good to go with Windows 7 upgrade. They can be different bit versions. As I've said three times now XP does not need to be installed. There is no XP serial entry. Did you even read Option Three?

Forget the XP, it is completely irrelevant what language or edition it is. It is this simple: if you have bought an English Windows 7 Upgrade install media, it is in English and will install an English Windows. With it you can do one of the two things:

1. Clean install as Ted and Greg here above have told you
2. In-place upgrade an English (and only English!) Windows Vista. In-place upgrade from XP is not possible(*)

Nothing else is possible.

So, backup your personal files to external media and then completely forget you have ever had a Polish Windows XP, boot using the Windows 7 upgrade media and follow the instructions on tutorial mentioned in Ted's post (post #2). The only product key you are going to need is that of your new Windows 7 upgrade.

Kari

(*) = Theoretically it is possible to in-place upgrade XP to 7 using Vista as a "springboard" as told in here: Upgrade Install - XP to Windows 7. However, the tutorial was made more out of boredom than real need, even I as an in-place advocate cannot recommend this method.