Windows 7: Win7 Starter Upgrade - What If...?

Let's assume that I have upgraded my netbook from Windows 7 Starter to Home Premium using the Anytime Upgrade license (i.e. no CD). Later, say a year from now, my netbook has a serious virus infection and the remedy is to completely reformat the hard drive. How do I now recover my netbook to Windows 7 Home Premium?

Do you have the Recovery DVD for starter? If yes
Reinstall starter, than use anytime upgrade.

Reinstalls are no longer necessary with built-in drive imaging in Windows 7. Just save externally a Windows 7 backup image when it is running perfectly, and at any time in the future you can reimage your HD (or a replacement) with the saved image using the DVD/Repair CD.

To make the backup failsafe, save a second image using free Macrium Reflect as images can fail sometimes.

When you make your Windows 7 backup image, it will offer to make a Repair CD which you should keep on hand anyway.

And be on the lookout for a friend who can loan you a Windows 7 install DVD should you ever choose to clean reinstall without the factory bloatware - you can unlock all versions in any Windows 7 DVD using the ei.cfg removal tool. Then install your licensed version using the Product key stickered to your machine, which you should write down and safeguard along with your Anytime Upgrade key.

Thanks for the clear and thorough resposes. Keep in mind that a netbook PC typically does not have an internal CD/DVD drive. Perhaps I could use an 8GB USB jump drive instead.

Use one of these methods to write the installer or Repair CD to USB flash stick:

USB Windows 7 Installation Key Drive - Create
YouTube - How to install Windows 7 from USB (WinToFlash)
Multi-boot/Dual-Boot Windows XP on Windows 7

You'll need an external to backup an image, or send it to another computer on the network.