Bought 32 bit online, how can I install 64?

[beaversm]

So I've bought 32 Bit Windows 7 when it first came out for nearly 30$. Some college sale that microsoft had for it's release. I decided to install 32 bit in fear that 64 bit had too many problems. Now I'm looking to upgrade my computer.

Is there anyway I can install 64-bit again without having to rebuy the whole OS? My copy was an online upgrade (vistia 32->home premium 32). I'm willing to buy/order a CD, just don't want to re-buy the whole thing.

Thanks guys

 

[Bill2]

The product key is good for either architecture i.e. any given key will activate both 32 bit and 64 bit installs of the relevant edition. So you dont need to buy a license.

MS gave out backup disks for $13 with this student edition, I dont know whether you can still order them. But MS also made isos available for each student edition.

MS/Digital River Student ISO Links

 

[beaversm]

Wow, awesome. Thanks

 

[beaversm]

Hmm, well if I've activated it as 32 bit, will I be able to activate it again as a 64? Doesn't seem to work.

 

[Bill2]

Hmm, well if I've activated it as 32 bit, will I be able to activate it again as a 64? Doesn't seem to work.

Well the key can only be used to activate one computer at any point of time. Using it otherwise would be illegal. Also, you cant upgrade-install from 32 bit to 64 bit, you need to clean install 64 bit win7 on this computer, then activate.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/31402-clean-install-upgrade-windows-7-version.html

If you have activation problems (though you shouldnt) use this method.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/18715-activate-windows-7-phone.html

 

[beaversm]

If I'm asking too many questions ignore me, but what doesn windows define as a different computer? A new mobo? HD?

It's a homemade computer, I'm slowly upgrading. At what point does it become a "new computer" hahah

 

[Bill2]

From the point of activation, a new mobo is a new computer. Other hardware changes carry less weightages than the mobo but if you keep changing hardware at some point of time the threshold will be crossed (from the point of view of the activation servers) and your computer will be seen as new.

But point is an upgrade key is a retail key and fully transferrable to another computer provided it is only used on one computer at a time. So after you've been swapping hardware for a while and activation becomes a problem, just use that phone activation link. As long as you are not using the key on multiple computers, you are totally respectable.

 

[beaversm]

Ah ok. thank you for all your help Bill. Ya I'm not trying to get an illegal copy. Just a poor college student scrapping by. I bought the 30$ verision when it came out, was regretful that I didn't get 64 bit--some games are barely chugging along now. Was just trying to get the better version (64) without buying it all over again.

Thanks again Bill.