Windows 7 - Clean Install with a Upgrade Windows 7 Version

You're welcome Ballie. I'm happy to hear that you got it activated now.

Followed your instructions and everything worked well. What a relief! I had installed a new hard drive and the Windows 7 installation was easy but this activation was a problem until I found your posts.

Thanks!

Doug Wickstrom

You're welcome Doug, and welcome to Seven Forums.

The title says this is how to do a clean install of a retail version of the upgrade. Does this also apply to upgrades received from a computer manufacturer as a free upgrade? If so, do you need to use the upgrade assistant cd first, or just the operating system cd?

Hello Shkramer, and welcome to Seven Forums.

It varies with some OEM copies of Windows 7 like that, but you can backup anything that you do not want to lose to be sage and give it a try to see from the Windows 7 installation disc. Be sure that you have all of your devices driver installation files downloaded and saved first to have them handy after the installation.

Purchased and downloaded the upgrade 64 bit edition from Microsoft Store created an ISO and installed from boot using method 1, went without a hitch, wanted a clean install and thats what it gave me Thanks for the tutorial, read it prior to install incase something went wrong.

You're most welcome Helidoc.

I couldn't upgrade windows 7 from within windows xp (don't know why) so I needed a clean install, and with this tutorial it was very easy! Nice pics and clear description of every step, thnx a lot

You're welcome Venucci, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Doing a inplace upgrade to XP from Windows 7 is not an available option. Only a Custom or Clean install.

I appreciate the good tutorial and helpful comments... My pc was built with Vista 64-bit Home Premium w/SP1. I have all of the discs used in the system install and also received a Windows 7 Upgrade Option Program DVD. I hope to do a clean install but have some questions...



Do I have to anything to my hard drive (for example uninstall any programs?) before proceeding with option 1? Since DVDs load automatically, when I reboot will the install automatically boot off the DVD? Please forgive me if these are silly questions! Also, what do I do if I need to reinstall Windows 7 in the future? Must I first install my Vista or just insert the 7 upgrade DVD? Thanks for your gracious help!