Clean Install with a Upgrade Windows 7 Version

bascotie · 02 Nov 2013

Brink said:

Is this is an upgrade version System Builder (OEM) installation media?

If not, then this will be why your upgrade product key is not activating it.

When you do Option Four, you need to enter the product key during the 1st install, but only uncheck the Automatically activate Windows when I'm online box.

Gotcha. The version i bought is this one:

Newegg OEM

It'll be a pain to go back at this point, so no alternatives huh?

Brink · 02 Nov 2013

That is a full OEM copy of Windows 7 Pro, and not an upgrade copy.

You should be able to do a normal single clean install with this purchased installation media, and activate with the key that came with it.

Clean Install Windows 7

bascotie · 02 Nov 2013

Brink said:

That is a full OEM copy of Windows 7 Pro, and not an upgrade copy.

You should be able to do a normal single clean install with this purchased installation media, and activate with the key that came with it.

Clean Install Windows 7

I do computer repair so I have the disks, but the customer in this case had the piece of cardboard with the upgrade key, but not the original disk that came with the upgrade.

Brink · 02 Nov 2013

Ah, ok. It's always fun when they don't keep up with their installation media.

If that's what they purchased at that link, then I'd give a normal clean install shot with full retail or OEM installation media. :)

bascotie · 02 Nov 2013

Brink said:

Ah, ok. It's always fun when they don't keep up with their installation media.

If that's what they purchased at that link, then I'd give a normal clean install shot with full retail or OEM installation media. :)

That's actually a disc I saved from a previous purchase.

Their laptop has a Home premium OEM key on it, and then she upgraded to windows 7 later and just saved the key (lost the disc).

Anyway, thanks for all your help, great write up

Brink · 02 Nov 2013

I hope it goes smoothly for you this round.

Xiigen · 30 Nov 2013

The 64 bit ultimate upgrade here will work fine if I reformatted a hard drive that had XP on it and am putting into my new gaming rig, correct. I assume I will have to use method three, and it is known for a fact that the batch file is still up to date?

Britton30 · 30 Nov 2013

Xiigen said:

The 64 but ultimate upgrade here will work fine if I reformatted a hard drive that had XP on it and am putting into my new gaming rig, correct. I assume I will have to use method three, and it is known for a fact that the batch file is still up to date?

Yes it will work fine. Option 3 only applies if you get the error listed there. The .bat file is good.

Xiigen · 30 Nov 2013

Britton30 said:

Xiigen said:

The 64 but ultimate upgrade here will work fine if I reformatted a hard drive that had XP on it and am putting into my new gaming rig, correct. I assume I will have to use method three, and it is known for a fact that the batch file is still up to date?

Yes it will work fine. Option 3 only applies if you get the error listed there. The .bat file is good.

One last thing before I try this, will changing the registry key, possibly by a registry repair program, unvalidate the computer or do something unwanted to windows?

EDIT: This will also give me the full version of Windows 7 Ultimate edition, and I won't have to redo this process if I want to install it on a new hard drive if I upgrade, correct?
Also, I will have the 64 bit version from here: http://www.utexas.edu/its/products/win7/purchase.php

Brink · 30 Nov 2013

Hello Xiigen,

It depends on what you change in the registry, but yes it's possible to completely hose Windows by messing something up in the registry. If you are referring to the .bat file in the tutorial, then it's completely safe to use as intended.

If you get a full version of Windows 7, then yes you will only need to do a normal clean install instead of the process in this tutorial to clean install an upgrade version of Windows 7.

Hope this helps, :)
Shawn