Hello Fl700815, and welcome to Seven Forums.
When going from a 32-bit to a 64-bit OS, you can only do a clean install. In your case, you could only upgrade if your were going from a 32-bit Vista Ultimate to a 32-bit Windows 7 Ultimate.
In your situatuon, you will be able to use a Upgrade Windows 7 version to do a custom install instead of having to use a full version.. :)
Last edited by Brink; 22 Oct 2009 at 02:29. Reason: typo
That's interesting as I was wondering about that myself. I am eligible for the "upgrade" box at a very low price but I want to do a clean install of 64-bit Windows 7 rather than upgrade to 32-bit Windows 7. From the online literature attached to it it seems I can do a clean installation even with the "upgrade" box by selecting custom installation.
So, I am not sure of the difference between the "upgrade" box and the "full version".
We should know later today for sure when I get my hands on a upgrade Windows 7 what the exact options will be, but you can compare a clean install from this tutorial VS a custom install. I believe that with a Upgrade Windows 7 version you may be able to do a custom install from the Vista to Windows 7 instead of a upgrade from Vista to Windows 7.
Later today will tell for sure.
Thanks Brink. However, that prompts me to ask another (no doubt dumb) question:
Does a custom install clean up and get rid of registry clutter like a clean install does?
Yes. It basically installs like a clean install except that it places your previous installation in the C:\Windows.old folder in the new installation so that you can copy your old files back from it. :)
Custom Install Windows 7
Thanks very much for your patience, Brink.
This tutorial says it works with Upgrade disk but everything else I've read says you can't boot from Upgrade disk since it has to read the activation of the qualifying OS in order to proceed.
Just askin. Would really like to have this settled.
Greg,
I can confrm 100% that you can do a clean install with a upgrade Windows 7 version and activate without a problem. I went out this morning and got a copy to test and confirm it. :)
Settled.
Thanks indeed. After reading for over an hour it's always the short answers that are the best and do work. This should be placed on the site as a" FLASH" I don't know if this can be done, it would be helpful.
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