Windows 7: For everyone concerned about buying the upgrade disk

grouchpunk08 · 28 Jun 2009

Quote: Originally Posted by K3VL4R

So I am guessing that the installation process goes something like this. (feel free to correct or confirm for me)

Installing Win7 in a new or formatted HD with the upgrade disk.

1. Insert Installation DVD and reboot.
2. Select install now (via upgrade selection) and choose the OS version
3. The installation realizes that there is no previous OS to upgrade from and asks for the previous OS disk.
4. Insert the previous disk and let setup recognize the disk
5. Installation resumes and performs a complete install instead of an upgrade.

Maybe I mixed or missed a step, but the main things that I am looking for is that with this method are:
1. you do not need to provide the previous (upgrading from) OS key, just the disk
2. you are only installing Windows 7 once, instead of two times like you would with the other Windows 7 clean install method.

If this is true then it makes more sense to install with the upgrade disk this way as it would save time right ?

Yeah, if your hard drive is clean (formatted) then you will put in the 7 disk, when it asks for previous os disk you put that in, it confirms you are eligable for upgrade, and then you pop the 7 disk back in and it will continue with the install. That way you can use your upgrade 7 key and it will pass activation. That is the way it was explained to me on the phone. If you don't put in your previous OS disk when it asks for it, however, the upgrade key would fail, therefore you would need to install 7 then upgrade that 7 using the 7 upgrade disk in order for the upgrade key to work. So, basically if you have the previous os disk you can install it once, whereas if you dont have the previous OS disk, you would install 7 twice.

K3VL4R · 28 Jun 2009

Quote: Originally Posted by grouchpunk08

Yeah, if your hard drive is clean (formatted) then you will put in the 7 disk, when it asks for previous os disk you put that in, it confirms you are eligable for upgrade, and then you pop the 7 disk back in and it will continue with the install. That way you can use your upgrade 7 key and it will pass installation. That is the way it was explained to me on the phone. If you don't put in your previous OS disk when it asks for it, however, the upgrade key would fail, therefore you would need to install 7 twice in order for the upgrade key to work. So, basically if you have the previous os disk you can install it once, whereas if you dont have the previous OS disk, you would install 7 twice.

Thank you. That is what I was hoping to hear.

zerodegreec · 28 Jun 2009

Quote: Originally Posted by grouchpunk08

Yeah, if your hard drive is clean (formatted) then you will put in the 7 disk, when it asks for previous os disk you put that in, it confirms you are eligable for upgrade, and then you pop the 7 disk back in and it will continue with the install. That way you can use your upgrade 7 key and it will pass activation. That is the way it was explained to me on the phone. If you don't put in your previous OS disk when it asks for it, however, the upgrade key would fail, therefore you would need to install 7 twice in order for the upgrade key to work. So, basically if you have the previous os disk you can install it once, whereas if you dont have the previous OS disk, you would install 7 twice.

What I was hoping to hear as well... thank you.

grouchpunk08 · 28 Jun 2009

Quote: Originally Posted by K3VL4R

Thank you. That is what I was hoping to hear.

Quote: Originally Posted by zerodegreec

What I was hoping to hear as well... thank you.

No problem guys, just trying to help out

Dzomlija · 28 Jun 2009

I pesonally abandoned using all forms of "upgrade media" a long time ago. I remember having to do the following to install Windows 95:

Install DOS 4.01 (for which I had full disks)
Upgrade to DOS 5.0
Upgrade to DOS 6.2
Install Windows 3.1
Upgrade to Windows 95

The above usually took the better part of a day, without even thinking of installing apps and utilities.

When I switched from Windows 95 to Windows ME (I skipped 98 entirely, T.G!), I did not make the mistake of using upgrade media. I followed that same path for Windows 2000, Windows XP and Windows Vista x64 Ultimate.

When I'm able to get Windows 7 x64 Ultimate from the suppliers in September, I'll be purchasing full. And before anybody asks how I can get it before 22 October:

I work at a computer store, and can get it from the suppliers early in order to begin building machines to have ready for sale on 22 October.

HyperL · 28 Jun 2009

This all upgrade thing sucks...I don't have the previous OS dvd...I didn't received one, I only had a recovery partition on my laptop. Any word on how the upgrade works on Notebooks that came with OEM Windows Vista and no DVD?

Arkhan · 28 Jun 2009

Do an in-place upgrade from within the existing OS (i.e. upgrade over the top), or the preferred option of booting the upgrade media, using the upgrade key, it sees the existing vista partition and lets you carry on, you format the partition and clean install into it.

If you subsequently want to reinstall clean again, now your existing windows 7 partition will count when you do a disc boot with the upgrade key, format, clean install.

If you replace the laptop drive with a new blank one, you can install 7 twice to do a clean install with upgrade media.

harpua · 28 Jun 2009

Quote: Originally Posted by HyperL

This all upgrade thing sucks...I don't have the previous OS dvd...I didn't received one, I only had a recovery partition on my laptop. Any word on how the upgrade works on Notebooks that came with OEM Windows Vista and no DVD?

I'm in the same situation, except I downloaded (readily available if you know where to look) Vista installation media as I felt the need to have an installation disk handy in order to be able to do repair installs and startup repairs.

Anyway, at the very least, the dual install W7 method (clean install W7 w/o key, then do an upgrade install from w/i the newly installed but unactivated w7 w/ a valid W7 key) should work for people who don't have Vista installation media, as was already explained in several recent threads. If that turns out to be true then I don't see this upgrade process as being a problem or sucking, in any respect.

I, for one, would gladly suffer the inconvenience of having to install W7 twice in a row (an extra hour or so of time) to save the amount of money one can save by purchasing a discounted upgrade version instead of the full version and appreciate MS making this money saving method of obtaining a legal copy of W7 available.

SIW2 · 28 Jun 2009

Hi zerodegreec,

The double install method is there so those who no longer have the qualifying media in the correct/accessible form, can still get the upgrade price.

Upgrade price is not available in Europe.

MS is penalising the European enthusiasts, because they are not being allowed to abuse their monopoly position.

That's the kind of thing you expect from a spoiled child.

Arkhan · 28 Jun 2009

It seems to be part of their policy; you can't upgrade from XP or Vista N versions at all, even to Win7 N or E. Of course, N versions are the same price as the normal versions, and harder to get hold of; so why would anyone bother? The EU wasn't happy about that, and I believe was planning to make MS make the N versions cheaper in order to account for the fact it was less 'featured' (i.e. just as MS does for other vista versions with less stuff enabled).

MS want to cut that idea off, by only having E versions on sale at all in europe (at a higher price than the full version in the US, of course). Since the N and E versions are treated as completely standalone product lines, you can't upgrade to or from them via anything else, so full higher price it is then. And they wonder why people pirate the hell out of windows.