Will Windows 7 Upgrade work on Windows 7 trial version?

[Tammy Moore]

Sorry about the crosspost - I think I put the thread in the wrong category before. Newbie here, obviously.

Short version - Will the Windows 7 Professional upgrade key activate a Windows Professional trial version?

The details, if needed:

System - Mac w/Lion running Parallels so I can run Windows 7 software
Purchased already - Windows 7 Home Premium full retail version

My old Windows machine was dying and my family wanted to move this last family member PC holdout over to Mac. This is my first experience with Mac. My grown son wanted to make it as easy for me as possible, so he loaded a trial version of Windows 7 on the new Mac and got everything set up in parallels for me. The idea was that after I transferred all my files over to the new machine I could just move the activation over to the new machine and we would trash the ancient PC.

I was all set last night to officially activate the trial version when I discovered that the new machine's trial version is Windows 7 Professional, not Windows 7 Home Premium.

What I need to find out is if I purchase the retail Windows 7 Professional Upgrade version, could I simply enter that product key and not have to uninstall and reinstall now that I have the trail version for pro all nice and settled. I really do not want to have to uninstall, especially with the added complication of Parallels, install Home and then upgrade. I want 'KISS' and simply enter the product key for the professional upgrade and just keep on working with my set up system. Will that work?

 

[Mark Phelps]

There is no such thing as a trial version of Windows 7. You CAN install and use Windows 7 without activating it for 30 days, and with some tweaking, extend that to 120 days -- but the running version is the full one, not a "trial" version.

 

[Roderunner]

Hi Tammy, if your key for the upgrade is genuine, you wont have trouble. Run from within Windows and follow the instructions. This will keep all your current settings. Their is a shorter way, down load the version you want, it includes SP1 from here. Official Windows 7 SP1 ISO from Digital River « My Digital Life

 

[Tammy Moore]

Thanks Roderunner. It would be worth the extra money to get pro only if I wouldn't have to uninstall and reinstall. If I had to uninstall and reinstall, I might as well just stick with the Home Premium because buying the upgrade wouldn't save the trouble. This is valuable information to help me decide if the upgrade purchase is worth it.

 

[gregrocker]

There is a workaround to change between versions which was used by many to change from beta to their paid lesser versions.

The workaround requires changing 2 Registry listings to trick the installer into thinking it's doing a same-version Repair Install which in Windows 7 is an in-place Upgrade.

You change the following keys to exactly the lesser version name, e.g. HOMEPREMIUM for the EditionID, and Windows 7 HOMEPREMIUM for the ProductName. Then run the installer from desktop, activate with new key:

click to enlarge

 

[Tammy Moore]

Thanks gregrocker. This gives me a no-additional-cost option. I am going to check with my son to see if he feels the Pro version has some essentials that I will need that Home Premium doesn't have. That show be the last bit of information I will need to move forward with one or the other solutions suggested here.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

I am going to check with my son to see if he feels the Pro version has some essentials that I will need that Home Premium doesn't have.

Here is what Professional has that is not available in Home Premium:

Domain join, Remote Desktop host, location aware printing, EFS, Mobility Center, Presentation Mode, Offline Folders, Group Policy (GP) controls, advanced backup, XP Mode.

Most people don't need any of those features.

 

[Tammy Moore]

Thanks ignatzasonic. I did a little web searching to learn about the features you listed. It looks like nearly every one of those features is for a portable laptop or business type of need. Since this is a desktop version and I don't need the business use advantages, it looks like downgrading the Professional to Home Premium so that it will take my key will be the best way to go.

I am thankful for the forum here and such quick responses that are not way above my head. This will let me get past the activation snaffoo without having to drive my son crazy with having to travel here to help me or us spend unnecessary money. :0)

 

[pscowboy]

There is another variable you should know about.

Home Premium will be supported by M/S through 2015.

Professional will be supported through 2020.

 

[Tammy Moore]

Hmmm, considering that it took over an hour to find the phone number to talk to a real human being in Windows tech support, I am wondering if it should matter. JK

Actually, once I did finally find the phone number the tech was very kind and patient. She confirmed that if I bought the upgrade the key would work without having to reinstall. Even with that assurance, I have found it difficult to trust a purchase without hearing from someone who actually did it and found it to be true. My guess is that if she was wrong it would be me to get stuck with the added cost and still have to reinstall everything.

As the day has gone on though, I am finding that I feel more confident in being able to follow Parallels documentation to protect my data, help me with the uninstall, install of Home Premium, and then set the data to be shared again. I would still have to install software and set that all back up again, but the dread is much less than what I felt this morning.

So my plan is to try the method to downgrade that was mentioned by gregrocker. If it works, great. It saved me the trouble of starting over. If it doesn't, well it can all be back up and to the level I have it now in two days or less. sigh. But, I am not doing it tomorrow. It is my birthday and I plan on not inviting headaches when they can wait another day or two. My 30-day Windows trial is good through Sunday. I know what I will be doing all weekend.

 

[derekimo]

Hmmm, considering that it took over an hour to find the phone number to talk to a real human being in Windows tech support, I am wondering if it should matter. JK

Actually, once I did finally find the phone number the tech was very kind and patient. She confirmed that if I bought the upgrade the key would work without having to reinstall. Even with that assurance, I have found it difficult to trust a purchase without hearing from someone who actually did it and found it to be true. My guess is that if she was wrong it would be me to get stuck with the added cost and still have to reinstall everything.

As the day has gone on though, I am finding that I feel more confident in being able to follow Parallels documentation to protect my data, help me with the uninstall, install of Home Premium, and then set the data to be shared again. I would still have to install software and set that all back up again, but the dread is much less than what I felt this morning.

So my plan is to try the method to downgrade that was mentioned by gregrocker. If it works, great. It saved me the trouble of starting over. If it doesn't, well it can all be back up and to the level I have it now in two days or less. sigh. But, I am not doing it tomorrow. It is my birthday and I plan on not inviting headaches when they can wait another day or two. My 30-day Windows trial is good through Sunday. I know what I will be doing all weekend.

You can extend that 30 days at a time for a total of 120 days if you need more time.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/875-activation-trial-period-extend-up-120-days.html

 

[gregrocker]

Happy Birthday, Tammy!

Have never seen the change-versions workaround fail. But back up your files and a Win7 backup image just in case! Backup Complete Computer - Create an Image Backup

If it isn't to your liking then a Clean Reinstall is always a good thing! Reinstalling Windows 7

We'll be here to help if you need us.

 

[bobkn]

I am going to check with my son to see if he feels the Pro version has some essentials that I will need that Home Premium doesn't have.

Here is what Professional has that is not available in Home Premium:

Domain join, Remote Desktop host, location aware printing, EFS, Mobility Center, Presentation Mode, Offline Folders, Group Policy (GP) controls, advanced backup, XP Mode.

Most people don't need any of those features.

I'd add:

Home Premium (X64) supports 16GB of physical RAM. Pro, 192GB.

Home Premium, one physical CPU socket. Pro, 2.

These are irrelevant to most PC users, although 16GB isn't absurdly expensive anymore.

 

[Tammy Moore]

Everything went perfect with the suggestion by gregrocker to upgrade/downgrade to Windows 7 Home Premium. Everything is all settled and no uninstall of my data and programs was needed. A big thanks also to my son who remoted in via MAC/Parallels to assist with the whole thing. :0)

 

[gregrocker]

Glad to hear it, Tammy. Kudos to both you and your son.