Uncertain About Best Way to Activate

I started my upgrade from XP/Pro to Win7/Pro by purchasing a copy of Microsoft Windows 7 Professional Upgrade [Old Version] SKU 882224883443.

Then I searched, posted, and read a lot and concluded that my life would be simpler if I downloaded a comparable ISO from DigitalRiver. I found a link with a list

Windows 7 Direct Download Links, Official Disk Images from Digital River

and I downloaded this file and eventually learned to burn it on a USB thumb drive from which I successfully installed it.

Windows 7 Professional x64 SP1 (old) X17-24281.iso

I did a clean install on a new 120 Gb SSD. The XP installation was done in 2008 by a custom builder. It is on a different drive.

The builder placed a product key sticker inside the door of my case. The product I purchased has a key inside the plastic case.

I got the sense from reading posts and tutorials that I should activate by telephone instead of using the automated "call home to MS" link presented to me during the installation.

1) Given my story, should I try to make contact with a live activation operator at MS to activate this installation?

2) How do I satisfy MS that I am no longer using the XP OS that was/is on my old HDD?

3) Can I delete certain directories on the old HDD so that XP is no longer bootable and still allow myself access to some data that is on that drive?

Thanks,

baumgrenze

Thanks Rich,

Somewhere in this long installation story I got the idea that I could not upgrade from XP to Win7 without ceasing the use of or uninstalling the XP operating system on the same machine.

What happens if I inadvertently boot my machine and I have a bootable version of Win7 on one drive and a bootable version of XP on a second and both are connected to the motherboard. Which version boots or does the machine become a brick?

thanks

baumgrenze

I will reformat the drive when I'm done checking for useful information on it. If I can save a 2-step transfer process and just include it as a drive that is accessible in Windows Explorer on My Computer I'd rather use that option.

If someone know, I'd appreciate learning how the computer device knows which operating system to install on boot.

thanks,

baumgrenze

If you installed Win 7 with the XP disk connected, you might need to keep the XP disk connected or Win 7 won't be able to boot.
Some system files might have been written to the XP disk during the Win 7 installation.
It's best to disconnect all HDs/SSDs when installing Windows except the HD/SSD where Windows is being installed.
Was the XP disk connected when you installed Win 7 ?

For the best help from the experts (not me ), you should post a screen print of your Disk Management when booted in Win 7.
Disk Management - Post a Screen Capture Image

Thank you for the concern.

I followed instructions and had the absolute minimum connected to the motherboard when I ran the installation. My reading suggested that otherwise I ran the risk that the installation software might elect to wipe the old OS/Programs disk and install there. The best way to avoid that was to physically block access.

I'm glad I did. I needed to swap between booting from Win7 and/or XP until I got several questions answered.

thanks,

baumgrenze

DavidW7ncus said:

If you installed Win 7 with the XP disk connected, you might need to keep the XP disk connected or Win 7 won't be able to boot.
Some system files might have been written to the XP disk during the Win 7 installation.
It's best to disconnect all HDs/SSDs when installing Windows except the HD/SSD where Windows is being installed.
Was the XP disk connected when you installed Win 7 ?

For the best help from the experts (not me ), you should post a screen print of your Disk Management when booted in Win 7.
Disk Management - Post a Screen Capture Image

Thanks to everyone who has responded to this post.

I still have a couple of questions:

1) Is there a link where I can see which versions of Windows 7 match which DigitalRiver ISO downloads? I'd like to 'see any differences' for myself.

2) If I encounter an activation problem (if the ISO I used is a mismatch for the 'upgrade version - Old Version' will this be tracked by some Microsoft database that will make activation more difficult next time I try? (I'm sorry, but Redmond's paranoia about my trustworthiness is infectious and, as an honest customer trying to arrive at an honest license to use their software, I don't want to do anything that might upset their self-protection scheme.

3) How does the 'manual' activation process differ from the "automatic" activation process that can take place during the installation?

I have read Shawn's "Clean Install" tutorial and it clearly instructs me to "manually activate" my copy.

Clean Install with a Upgrade Windows 7 Version

And I've read his "How to Activate..." tutorial, too.

Activate Windows 7 Online

Perhaps I didn't read carefully enough, but how can these approaches result in different results? Perhaps it is enough to know that they can, and that only Redmond really understands the difference?

Thanks,

baumgrenze

baumgrenze said:

I started my upgrade from XP/Pro to Win7/Pro by purchasing a copy of Microsoft Windows 7 Professional Upgrade [Old Version] SKU 882224883443.

Then I searched, posted, and read a lot and concluded that my life would be simpler if I downloaded a comparable ISO from DigitalRiver. I found a link with a list

Windows 7 Direct Download Links, Official Disk Images from Digital River

and I downloaded this file and eventually learned to burn it on a USB thumb drive from which I successfully installed it.

Windows 7 Professional x64 SP1 (old) X17-24281.iso

I did a clean install on a new 120 Gb SSD. The XP installation was done in 2008 by a custom builder. It is on a different drive.

The builder placed a product key sticker inside the door of my case. The product I purchased has a key inside the plastic case.

I got the sense from reading posts and tutorials that I should activate by telephone instead of using the automated "call home to MS" link presented to me during the installation.

1) Given my story, should I try to make contact with a live activation operator at MS to activate this installation?

2) How do I satisfy MS that I am no longer using the XP OS that was/is on my old HDD?

3) Can I delete certain directories on the old HDD so that XP is no longer bootable and still allow myself access to some data that is on that drive?

Thanks,

baumgrenze