Windows 7 - Clean Install Windows 7 with Upgrade Media

Barman58 · 10-24-2009

Clean Install Windows 7 with Upgrade Media

It was the final unanswered question about Windows 7. But now, thanks to numerous reader reports and my own hands-on experience, I'm can now report that Microsoft is still making it difficult to clean install Windows 7 with Upgrade media. But fear not, there is some good news. While you can't simply use Upgrade media to do a clean install of Windows 7 on an unused PC with a blank hard drive, the workaround this time is easier than ever. Assuming you know the trick.

http://www.winsupersite.com/win7/cle...rade_media.asp

mickey megabyte · 10-24-2009

interesting rearm trick

this will please a lot of people.

JColt · 10-24-2009

Hmmm, I did a clean install with no problem. Formatted drive, installed 7 upgrade. Only "trick" I did was not register when it asked me to then after up and running I registered.

jimbo45 · 10-24-2009

Hi there
some people have reported that you can just do a clean install like the previous poster just pointed out without using the registry hack and slmgr command. (and Brink has also in another thread).

So this is doubly confusing now -- maybe there are TWO different types of update media out there now.

Anyway if the normal update doesn't work the slmgr trick looks good.

Cheers
jimbo

joel406 · 10-24-2009

I have ultimate x86 and x64 with a product key of course. The upgrade version.

I just booted from the x64 disk and installed normaly. I just didnt enter the key when it asked for it. As a result ultimate installed by default.

After install was complete I opened system properties and clicked on the "change product key" link and entered my upgrade key.

Then I phone activated.

I was done.

It's worked twice so far. 8 more to go.

Nosmo · 10-24-2009

Hacks can sometimes work but in this case we need to Activate successfully and then pass Validation with MGA. Time will tell if this all works down the road.

joel406 · 10-24-2009

Well I have already passed validation so it seems a rather short road for that subject.

KCFalcon59 · 10-24-2009

Quote: Originally Posted by JColt

Hmmm, I did a clean install with no problem. Formatted drive, installed 7 upgrade. Only "trick" I did was not register when it asked me to then after up and running I registered.

This is what I did also. Worked great.

Barman58 · 10-25-2009

Updated Article Now Available

This article has now been updated to contain further information ...

http://www.winsupersite.com/win7/cle...rade_media.asp

Night Hawk · 10-25-2009

I see he now has the reference to his previous Vista upgrade install article included. For those who will be reading this here they can also make use of the guide we already here as well that includes mention of the article. Clean Install with a Upgrade Windows 7 Version

Some have been reporting one clean install activates on the first attempt while others have had problems and are undecided on which will work. You can see why he added the double install method there.

(gosh? I already have that solved by simply buying a full version copy of Ultimate.)

I just came across another article which is more of a question and answer session on this.

Quote:

October 25th, 2009

Finally, some answers to Windows 7 upgrade questions

Posted by Ed Bott @ 6:00 pm

Every day for the past few months, I have received at least one question from readers wanting to know how the Windows 7 upgrade process will work. And in every case, my answer was consistent. I didn’t know. Paul Thurrott and I asked Microsoft repeatedly (and I mean every single damn week) for upgrade media, and the answer was always a polite no. I could have taken some educated guesses and hit the Publish button here, but that isn’t what I learned in journalism school.

My compatriots in the Windows blogosphere weren’t always so discriminating. I read a staggering number of rumors, many of them promulgated by people who should have known better.
So when I got home from the Windows 7 launch event and found four copies of Windows 7 upgrades waiting in my office (thanks, Amazon.com!), I got right to work. Here, at long last, are the answers you’ve been looking for.

More at: http://blogs.zdnet.com/Bott/?p=1477&tag=content;col1