Windows 7 RC To Final Upgrade Possible

[quickquestion]

Say I have a game installed on the RC and it backs up to the "windows.old" does that mean my saved games will work?

 

[neowlchaz]

You will have to do a clean install with the upgrade disc, you just have to have an activated version of windows on the computer. It will create the Windows.old folder, you can get all of your old stuff out of it and then delete the folder after the installation.

Thanks for making that clearer than I did

 

[neowlchaz]

Say I have a game installed on the RC and it backs up to the "windows.old" does that mean my saved games will work?

You'll need to reinstall the games, but you SHOULD be able to copy the saves to your games' installed directory, and they should work fine.

Has worked for me with a few of my games, while doing clean installs from different builds of 7.

 

[quickquestion]

Alright, I guess I'll buy it... I don't like the idea of only being able to install once though.

 

[fakeasdf]

Thanks for making that clearer than I did

I actually was just slow to type, I didn't even see your comment yet, I wasn't trying to correct

Alright, I guess I'll buy it... I don't like the idea of only being able to install once though.

You can install more than once, you just always have to have an activated version of Windows installed before hand when installing it from the upgrade DVD... I half wonder if you can install from an activated version of Windows 7 (if you are in a position that you wanted to reinstall Windows 7 for the fun of it / something butchered your installation)

 

[neowlchaz]

I actually was just slow to type, I didn't even see your comment yet, I wasn't trying to correct

Not a problem, Was a sincere compliment.

 

[zay]

I have not really been following this thread from the start, but from a the last few, it seems like you all are saying that if I get a brand new hd, and copy a windows old folder to it, I can use the upgrade disk to do an installation.

 

[fakeasdf]

I have not really been following this thread from the start, but from a the last few, it seems like you all are saying that if I get a brand new hd, and copy a windows old folder to it, I can use the upgrade disk to do an installation.

No... You need an activated version of Windows installed to use an upgrade DVD or an old Windows CD/DVD (I'm not sure how it checks this, I've never done it). If it's 2000, XP or 7 RC it will move your current installation to Windows.old folder and do a full installation and not an upgrade, but the license key will still be valid etc...

 

[Lordbob75]

Can I upgrade from the RC to the final version of Windows 7?

When you install the final version of Windows 7, you'll need to do a clean installation. So plan on backing up your data then reinstalling your applications and restoring your data.

Windows 7 Release Candidate Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

It seems that MS still says you can't. That page was updated TODAY (July 11th, 2009)

~Lordbob

 

[quickquestion]

So wait, I can't use the RC to upgrade now?

 

[copernicus]

i don't think so... it sounds like the upgrade needs to be installed over an activated version of windows. if the beta/rc builds stop activating, then this little trick won't work...

Until they kill the activation servers it'll work though.

It may not be free copy for participation in beta testing, still a nice tip of the hat to the users.

 

[quickquestion]

Well I ordered it. I hate Microsoft for overpricing everything and making everything so complicated when it should be like Mac OS X - No serial, no activation, one version, one low price.

 

[fakeasdf]

Well I ordered it. I hate Microsoft for overpricing everything and making everything so complicated when it should be like Mac OS X - No serial, no activation, one version, one low price.

I'll take the complicated activation of an OS if it means drastically cheaper hardware...

 

[Lordbob75]

I'll take the complicated activation of an OS if it means drastically cheaper hardware...

Don't forget the customization.

~Lordbob

 

[harpua]

If in fact having an activated version of windows on the drive is going to be required to install and activate W7 RTM using upgrade media & key, then I think that once you have installed and activated Win 7 RTM, you will subsequently be able to use your now activated install of W7 RTM as your activated version of Windows to reinstall or clean install using upgrade media at any time in the future. This idea that you have to use an older version of Windows or the RC doesn't seem right to me and I think it is simply wrong. So, if I'm right there will be no one install limitation, imo.

I think it has to be this way because MS basically has to allow you to do repair installs (which are really upgrade installs) of your activated W7 RTM, even if it was originally installed using an upgrade media and key. Jmo, but I bet this turns out to be the way it works.

 

[garbanzo]

i still have a question about this: is there a difference between an Upgrade Serial and a Full Serial?

meaning, if i buy an Upgrade edition, then install off of a Full edition DVD, can i activate it using the Upgrade serial i bought?

 

[Brand]

i still have a question about this: is there a difference between an Upgrade Serial and a Full Serial?

meaning, if i buy an Upgrade edition, then install off of a Full edition DVD, can i activate it using the Upgrade serial i bought?

I'm afraid there is such a small difference that Full edition will recognize the license key of Upgrade edition, and prompt you to use it with an Upgrade disk, although there is the wide discussed trick to override it.

 

[Muad Dib]

If in fact having an activated version of windows on the drive is going to be required to install and activate W7 RTM using upgrade media & key,......

Agreed....

Is an upgrade going to requires an activated version of Windows ON THE DRIVE or just an activated (legal) PRODUCT KEY?

Several posts have referred to having the original installation media but that makes no sense as it is the product key, not the media that is significant.

Will a user be able to buy the upgrade and do a clean install directly to a new disk drive by manually entering the previous Windows version product key?

It is the same scenario as some have suggested where a user does a successful upgrade/clean install of WIN7 and blows away the original Windows installation. Later that user has a hard disk failure and buys a new disk drive. Now what is MS's proposed re-install method for this completely legitimate and highly probable scenario?

Let's complicate things, does the ORIGINAL Windows have to be a retail key? What if it is an OEM key? What if the "ORIGINAL" key is itself an XP to Vista UPGRADE key?

Seems as though I have run into this Catch 22 before on a Win98 to WinXP upgrade. The Win98 key was itself and upgrade from '95 to '98 (or was it '98 to '98SE?). Anyway it was a while ago.... In the end I needed the ORIGINAL NON-UPGRADE Product Key. BUT, I did not have to re-install the original OS just to do the final upgrade.

Hmm.......

 

[zay]

Upgrade product keys and full version product keys are different. Basically, you cannot use a product key for an upgrade installation, and then attempt to that same key when performing a full installation.

 

[djfirestorm]

One thing I am not so easy about. If you buy an upgrade based on RC1-RTM and loose your hard disk, what happens when you need to completly reinstall Full after March next year...after all, you cant activate the RC-RTM after that date....Microsoft is not stupid, its a scam, after march/10, if you are using the upgrade edition based on the Windows 7 builds, you will get screwed and have to buy a Retail or OEM copy to use it again. After all, MS is clear that it needs an activated copy of Windows 7 RC/RTM!!! The only way I can think about it is if you buy a small hard drive, activate a RC or RTM and keep it for future reinstall. Just clone your drive, then install via upgrade! Oh but wait, the copy deactivates after March 2010. What is the Fn point of that? Scam Scam Scam. Rape the testers when they discover they can't reactivate their upgrade license after March 2010!