Can I use my laptop Windows 7 code elsewhere now I bought Windows 8?

rogerthat · 21 Feb 2014

Can I use my laptop Windows 7 code on a new desktop I just built, as I bought a separate independent Windows 8 Disk set (32/64) from Amazon for the laptop last month and it runs great now?

(i.e. a Windows 7 OS of mine is going unused; and I need an OS for my new desktop) (only a few days till Activation day)

Or

Should I wipe my laptop hard drive and install the windows 7 on that and re-register the Windows 8 for my new desktop.

I mean Are Microsoft so bothered about which of my computers which OS is on?

I just dont want to mess about too much; MS caused me hundreds of hours of difficulties already; over the years (anyone remember the MS Office smashing documents all over the place when Office 2007 autosaved open Office Word 2000 Docs??). Weeks of destroyed documents I had to fix or lose and re-write (hundreds of pages) until a fix/update came along.

Bongo · 21 Feb 2014

If the laptop came preinstalled with Windows 7 is most likely a OEM which is tied to that laptop motherboard if that is the case then no you cannot transfer it to your new build, if it is a retail version of Windows 7 then you can.

As you said you have installed Windows 8 on it did you buy a retail or a OEM copy of Windows 8?

If you installed and activated the Windows 8 and it is an OEM it is most likely tied to the laptop now also so you may not be able to wipe the laptop and put it on the new build.

Jerry

rogerthat · 21 Feb 2014

Bongo said:

If the laptop came preinstalled with Windows 7 is most likely a OEM which is tied to that laptop motherboard if that is the case then no you cannot transfer it to your new build, if it is a retail version of Windows 7 then you can.

As you said you have installed Windows 8 on it did you buy a retail or a OEM copy of Windows 8?

If you installed and activated the Windows 8 and it is an OEM it is most likely tied to the laptop now also so you may not be able to wipe the laptop and put it on the new build.

Jerry

Hi Jerry,

The 7 came with the laptop (OEM); but I bought the W7 ULTIMATE Update Retail. (I was forced to buy the Ultimate UPGRADE because the laptop could not get into ENGLISH any other way).

The Windows 8 Pro is a retail version.

ALSO; I already had to re-activate the Windows 7 to that laptop after the motherboard fried in the summer after the Tsunami here (Japan) when we were not supposed to use Air-con.

Bongo · 21 Feb 2014

I am not sure the ULTIMATE UPGRADE can be moved because it's tied to the OEM Windows 7. Was it and Upgrade or a retail?

But it sounds like you need to put Windows 7 back on the laptop and Windows 8 on the Desktop.

Jerry

gregrocker · 21 Feb 2014

In addition if Ultimate is Anytime Upgrade, it must be used to Upgrade only a Win7 lesser version. If that lesser version you've upgraded came with that laptop then it can't move.

If it's not Anytime Upgrade but a retail Upgrade Win7 to move to another PC it would need a qualifying XP or Vista, even though neither would need to be installed. Just boot the installer, if its sees no other OS on the drive it will refuse Upgrade version key during install, so wait until afterwards to do the quick Option Two workaround in Clean Install with a Upgrade Windows 7 Version.

rogerthat · 21 Feb 2014

Bongo said:

I am not sure the ULTIMATE UPGRADE can be moved because it's tied to the OEM Windows 7. Was it and Upgrade or a retail?

But it sounds like you need to put Windows 7 back on the laptop and Windows 8 on the Desktop.

Jerry

The ULTIMATE upgrade is a small black box with a rounded corner with a code in it. I dont know what version it is as its all written in Kanji, which I cant read.
e.g. Something like this;-
Windows 7の究極の箱入りのアップグレード版

And darn it, I was hoping for an alternative. Its a lot of work that, I can get more money from working, that the ten hours it will consume of my life trying to do that switcheroo. Microsoft really SEEM to have studied how to get customer to buy twice/thrice (I already have a spare Vista and two 32-bit Windows XP and a few unused copies of Millennium in my stash), knowing the difficulties they code/arrange into the product line.

C'est la vie. No easy solutions. Many thanks for your considerations though. I will look at the link in your other post; not sure what that is yet though.

Lets hope Toyota/Ford/Renault/Ferrari dont eventually follow suit with Microsoft, and prevent you selling your car to someone else; or ban you from changing the garage or engine.

PeaB4YouGo · 21 Feb 2014

rogerthat said:

(I already have a spare Vista and two 32-bit Windows XP and a few unused copies of Millennium in my stash), knowing the difficulties they code/arrange into the product line.

There's your answer. Put Vista on the desktop, then upgrade to Ultimate. Put 8 on your laptop and you're golden.

gregrocker · 21 Feb 2014

If you upgraded Windows 7 lower version to Ultimate then this is normally done by Anytime Upgrade which merely unlocks the few extra features in Ultimate from the OS which you had, and can still revert to at any time by clean reinstalling.

Anytime Upgrade cannot be used to do a Clean Install, or to upgrade from XP or Vista.

It would need to be a retail Windows 7 Upgrade disk to upgrade Vista or XP.

What is in the Upgrade package? It should have a product key. Does it also have a disk? Can you boot that disk and does it proceed as shown in Clean Install Windows 7 ?

rogerthat · 21 Feb 2014

PeaB4YouGo said:

rogerthat said:

(I already have a spare Vista and two 32-bit Windows XP and a few unused copies of Millennium in my stash), knowing the difficulties they code/arrange into the product line.

There's your answer. Put Vista on the desktop, then upgrade to Ultimate. Put 8 on your laptop and you're golden.

What I said in my last post about `I get more money from Working` meant that `for me`, it is quicker and easier to buy another copy of Windows 8 for all the time and hassle it will take to fix everything afterwards from going via older OS systems. W8 Pro is around $100 here. I think I can go the W8 `Update` route?; or will the fact that I have not `Activated` Win 7 yet cause me yet more problems? (As I recall ULTIMATE upgrade giving me a similar denial to Upgrade as W7 is not activated yet?). Maybe I should just buy a new W7 key...which is almost the same price as a W8 licence.

`Magic button`, doko des ka?

Exasperated. As I have spent dozens of hours sorting all the software and files these past few days.

At least you answered my question fully ("Are Microsoft so bothered about which of my computers which OS is on?" [the answer being;- `Ja, ve do not vant you ze cuztomer yuzing ze diffrent mozerboardt for ze produkt you rent; Seig Heil`).

Gotta see the funny side.

gregrocker · 21 Feb 2014

Just answer all the questions I asked and we will sort out what you have. There is no reason to be in doubt.

Once again, Win7 is upgraded only using Anytime Upgrade which is merely a Product Key that is inserted to unlock the few extra expensive features (like Language packs) in the higher version. But if you have AU then it cannot be used from Vista or XP - it must have a lower version of Win7.