New
#1
Win 7 Ult to Pro OR Win 7 straight to 8.1 Pro
Original Title: Another "Downgrade Windows 7 Ultimate 64 bit to Pro" post --> Changed because I'm now focusing more on Win 8.1
Windows details:
Intel(R) Core i5-3570K @ 3.40GHz
8.00 GB of RAM
64 bit Windows 7 Ultimate SP1
EDIT: I now think getting an 8.1 Pro Upgrade Product Key is cheaper rather than trying to purchase Win 7 Pro (and also safer; it's sold by Microsoft). Can I use an 8.1 Pro Upgrade key to upgrade a nongenuine/unactivated copy of 8.1 and get genuine Windows 8.1 Pro? If I can do this I would be saving around $100! So please tell me if I'm missing something obvious.
Hello,
I've been using an illegitimate copy of Windows 7 Ultimate 64 Bit for a few years now (I hope it's OK to admit thatespecially since I've been honestly trying to change my ways for awhile now. It wasn't even until recently that I knew it was pirated) In short, I want to get genuine Windows so I can upgrade to Windows 10 without having problems in the future. The day that I'm posting this I've spent hours trying to activate Windows. I bought a key (truly too good to be true) for $41.50 from Bonanza.com. I found out that the Product ID contained 069, meaning the Product Key was attached to a blocked MSDN product. Words can't describe my anger towards the person who sold the key (I know I should have been more wary but I guess I'm too naive), but fortunately he refunded me fully.
Luckily I backed up my old install (I clean installed Windows 7 to activate the key) with Macrium and got it to restore correctly, so here I am back on my ungenuine Windows. I tried a few hours ago to look up some more Windows 7 Ultimate Keys to validate my computer and I found some sellers who seem more legitimate (as in my Bonanza seller joined in May of this year and had 100% rating on close to 200 transactions whereas these eBay sellers joined in 2002 and seem more trustworthy). I even considered buying Windows 8.1 Pro (so I can get Windows 10 Pro) to get the key, get validated, and install Windows 10. Then I thought to myself why not get Windows 7 Pro, since it also allows upgrade to Windows 10 Pro and is significantly cheaper from the most-likely-scamming-sellers (but who knows?). Happily I see that I'm not the only one who thought that and looked at several posts on SevenForums on the topic. All of them have some answers I'm looking for but not all of them. For example, some of the posts I've read (some from 2011, some from a month ago) never say if they are using pirated Windows and the ones that do have vague answers (and I do not want to go through the frustration of Windows not working again). So basically this is what I'm looking to do:
1) I've backed up my current install but I don't really care if I have to clean install as I'm aiming to clean install Windows 10 when I get the chance. I have all the drivers necessary and am prepared to delete Windows 7 Ultimate and start clean, whereas other posts worry about having to clean install. Hopefully clean installing Windows Pro will be easier.
2) I need to buy a Windows 7 Pro Product Key (non OEM). Does anyone have any trustworthy sources? I'm thinking eBay if the seller is experienced. I'm going to be wary of even mailed products as a video I watched (can't find it now but it's basically a guy showing a fake Windows 7 Box and disc).
3) Once I install Windows 7 Pro and validate it I use a USB to install Windows 10.
So as I understand I have to edit the registry and then repair install Windows 7 Pro from my desktop once I get it. It seems pretty easy unless I'm missing something.
Thanks in advance for replies
Last edited by rottencurry; 30 Jul 2015 at 14:07.
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). If I can buy a Windows 8.1 Upgrade key for around $95 I can have peace of mind that: