Doing a Clean Install with a Upgrade Windows 7 Version

Brink said:

Hello everyone,

Just to let you all know that I have confirmed that you can do either a clean install, custom install, or upgrade install with a retail Upgrade version of Windows 7 and activate it on a clean unallocated (blank) drive or partition without any other OS installed or with one installed. It does not matter.

For questions and more information on this, please see this tutorial:
Clean Install with a Upgrade Windows 7 Version


100% confirmed
Shawn

   Warning

Remember that you need a valid qualifying previous version of Windows to use a Upgrade Windows 7 copy legally. Microsoft only made doing a clean install from a upgrade Windows 7 possible to make it more convenient so you do not have to reinstall both the old Windows version (ex: Vista) and upgrade to Windows 7 everytime you needed or wanted to reinstall.

If you do not have a valid qualifying previous version of Windows, then you are violating the terms of Microsoft's Windows 7 End User License Agreement and could get your product key number invalidated by Microsoft. Plus, it is considered illegal.

For more about this, please see: Microsoft SMB Community Blog : Regardless of what any hack says, a Windows 7 Upgrade is an Upgrade. What you need to know.

I first did a upgrade from Vista to 7 with the upgrade disc. Not satisfied with the results I did a custom install install went without a flaw activated fine

When you ran or booted the installer, it scanned the HD to see an OS which is enough to pass flag allowing Upgrade version key - even if you then go on to use Custom>Drive Options on booted DVD to Delete, Repartition and Format the HD.

Option 3 worked great for me! Saved a trip for me to reinstall Windows XP then Windows 7. Thanks...

I just tried to do a clean install on a new SSD with my win 7 upgrade disk. When I tried to activate windows with the upgrade product key it would not let me. Any ideas on what I may have done wrong?

Thanks, I don't know how I missed that option. It's working now.

Does using the registry hack option still flag your OS as genuine after you enter the product key? I'm not going to encounter any problems with Windows refusing to do something because my copy isn't genuine, right? Windows Update will still work and not deactivate your product key?