Windows 7 Upgrade AHHHH

jhm302 · 25 Jun 2011

Guys, & Gals.

I am trying to get a definitive answer and cannot, can you help me please?

Situation,

I am building a new PC, therefore no OS is installed on my new Harddisk

I own a legitimate copy XP that I purchased last year, which HAS NOT been installed or registered on any other PC.

SO in order to save costs I purchased the WIn 7 64 Bit upgrade Version.

Question: In order to install the WIn 7 64 Bit upgrade Version MUST I have previously installed and registered my Win XP, I obviously do not want to do this as it is a lot of time and effort.

Thanks

j

Dzomlija · 25 Jun 2011

jhm302 said:

Guys, & Gals.

I am trying to get a definitive answer and cannot, can you help me please?

Situation,

I am building a new PC, therefore no OS is installed on my new Harddisk

I own a legitimate copy XP that I purchased last year, which HAS NOT been installed or registered on any other PC.

SO in order to save costs I purchased the WIn 7 64 Bit upgrade Version.

Question: In order to install the WIn 7 64 Bit upgrade Version MUST I have previously installed and registered my Win XP, I obviously do not want to do this as it is a lot of time and effort.

Thanks

j

Is the Windows XP you mention also x64? If yes, then you should have no problems first installing XP then upgrading to Windows 7 x64.

You CANNOT upgrade from a 32-bit OS to a 64-bit OS. You might want to have a look at the tutorial Clean Install Windows 7 with an Upgrade Windows 7 Version.

strollin · 25 Jun 2011

Don't bother to install XP first there is absolutely nothing to be gained by that. Just do a clean install of Win 7 following the tutorial that Dzomlija posted the link to.

jhm302 · 25 Jun 2011

BUT _ What I do not understand is that if it is an "upgrade" and windows xp is not installed how can it be classed as an upgrade? As it is as you mentioned a "clean install"

seavixen32 · 25 Jun 2011

What happens is this:

You install Windows 7 Upgrade using the Upgrade option instead of Custom (Advanced) but you DON'T enter the product key or try to activate the software.

On completion you re-run the installation, but this time you use the Custom (Advanced) method. Windows will treat the first install as a qualifying installation of the operating system and voila! you have a full version of Windows 7.

Ethical? Perhaps not. Loophole? Yes, and one that Microsoft know all about, but have made no effort to close.

Just go ahead with the method suggested in Dzomlija's link.

jhm302 · 25 Jun 2011

Fantastic - that really clears it up. Thank you

karlsnooks · 25 Jun 2011

jhm302 said:

BUT _ What I do not understand is that if it is an "upgrade" and windows xp is not installed how can it be classed as an upgrade? As it is as you mentioned a "clean install"

jhm,
I refer you to these links.

I also will never recommend an unethical procedure.

I'm "by the book" and "straight-arrow".

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd446674(WS.10,printer).aspx

Download Details - Microsoft Download Center - Windows 7 Upgrade Paths

Upgrading from Windows XP to Windows 7 - Help & How-to - Microsoft Windows

seavixen32 · 25 Jun 2011

jhm302 said:

Fantastic - that really clears it up. Thank you

You're very welcome.

Do keep us posted as to how things go.

jhm302 · 25 Jun 2011

Will be a couple of weeks before I get started (due to work) - but rest assured you will be informed

strollin · 25 Jun 2011

It's not a question of ethics. The loophole is there because it needs to be and MS knows it. MS allows upgrading from XP to Win 7 while using a new drive with no OS installed. In the past, the installer would allow you to insert the CD for the prior OS to validate the upgrade. For whatever reason MS doesn't allow that anymore so this loophole has to exist. As long as you own a valid XP license, you are entitled to upgrade whether it is installed or not.