How to Install Windows 7 Ultimate on a laptop with Windows Home Basic

[Zyrandiel]

Please help, My friend Wants to Buy Windows 7 Ultimate but first wants to try the 30-day trial version. He's using an HP laptop with Windows Home Basic 64-bit OS. He is wondering how to do this so in turn I am asking you guys out here right now. Does it need a clean install? He already downloaded a retail dvd for the Windows 7 Ultimate OS ISO. Also one of his concerns is that there is an image backup of his OS with the system factory settings, we're both wondering if it would still be accessible (it's on a different hdd partition) once he successfully installs the Ultimate OS.


He's doing this at first, and then he's planning to try out Windows 7 Professional next and then decide which to Buy to replace his original OS.


We'd really appreciate any feedback about this.

 

[zigzag3143]

Im afraid there is no trial of Ultimate, just Enterprise

 

[Zyrandiel]

What do you mean enterprise? So this ISO that he downloaded is not a Windows 7 Ultimate installer ISO?

 

[Influx]

Please help, My friend Wants to Buy Windows 7 Ultimate but first wants to try the 30-day trial version. He's using an HP laptop with Windows Home Basic 64-bit OS. He is wondering how to do this so in turn I am asking you guys out here right now. Does it need a clean install? He already downloaded a retail dvd for the Windows 7 Ultimate OS ISO. Also one of his concerns is that there is an image backup of his OS with the system factory settings, we're both wondering if it would still be accessible (it's on a different hdd partition) once he successfully installs the Ultimate OS.


He's doing this at first, and then he's planning to try out Windows 7 Professional next and then decide which to Buy to replace his original OS.


We'd really appreciate any feedback about this.

You can upgrade to Ultimate but you need to purchase an Upgrade DVD.
Get Windows 7 Ultimate ISO legally here (30 Days Trial).
Learn how to burn it on to a DVD/USB here
Learn how to do a Clean Install here
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/31541-windows-7-usb-dvd-download-tool.html

 

[huffman]

Also one of his concerns is that there is an image backup of his OS with the system factory settings, we're both wondering if it would still be accessible (it's on a different hdd partition) once he successfully installs the Ultimate OS.

There are several pieces of software to image your hard drive. Acronis is the one I find most reliable (is NOT free). There is a free version of Macrium Reflect (I prefer the older version 4.x). There are probably others you can find using Google.

To make sure the image is accessible, it is best to create the image on an external hard drive. Good luck.

 

[DeaconFrost]

You can install any version of Windows 7 and run it without a serial number for 30 days. If he likes it, he can just put in his legit key, activate, and be done with it.

That being said, there's very little reason to pay for Ultimate. Chances are, Home Premium will do just what he needs, and cost much less.

 

[TGSoldier]

Does he really need to try each OS to see which is right for him?

Instead all that headache being spent installing and testing, I would recommend comparing the editions online. Make your choice from there.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/14422-compare-windows-7-editions.html

A question he must ask him self is, does he NEED to upgrade? Or does he just WANT to?

 

[seavixen32]

Please help, My friend Wants to Buy Windows 7 Ultimate but first wants to try the 30-day trial version. He's using an HP laptop with Windows Home Basic 64-bit OS. He is wondering how to do this so in turn I am asking you guys out here right now. Does it need a clean install? He already downloaded a retail dvd for the Windows 7 Ultimate OS ISO. Also one of his concerns is that there is an image backup of his OS with the system factory settings, we're both wondering if it would still be accessible (it's on a different hdd partition) once he successfully installs the Ultimate OS.


He's doing this at first, and then he's planning to try out Windows 7 Professional next and then decide which to Buy to replace his original OS.


We'd really appreciate any feedback about this.

If you clean install another version of Windows you will lose anything on the hard drive you haven't either backed up, partitioned off or created a set of recovery discs for.

As for buying Ultimate, ask him to consider a Windows Anytime Upgrade to Home Premium, he'll save money that he could use to improve his computer in other ways, such as upgrading his RAM.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/windows-anytime-upgrade-frequently-asked-questions

He just needs to buy an upgrade product key, insert it for the upgrade then activate on completion. Even better, his factory image is untouched if he would prefer to keep it and he won't have to mess about partitioning the hard drive.

 

[rraod]

You can ask your friend to read the link from TGSoldier "Compare Windows 7 Editions" and decide what are the features he is looking for and decide the version of Windows 7 to upgrade to.

If he upgrades to Ultimate, he will have all the features of Windows 7 but this may be an expensive option.

Ultimate has all the features of Professional. So once he tries Ultimate, there is nothing extra in Professional.

The best option would be to upgrade using the Anytime Upgrade. Your friend can buy this from Jarir Book Stores. This will be a cheaper option rather than buying a retail version and easier to apply. There is no need to reinstall the OS and all the data and applications shall be intact and operational after the upgrade. The upgrade will take only about 10 minutes.

Using the Anytime Upgrade kit, he can convert the OS from Home Basic x64 to either Professional, Home Premium or Ultimate.

Anytime upgrade will not affect the partitions containing the OS factory restore data. But I suggest he make restore DVDs from the restore partition for backup purpose.

He can save the serial number from the anytime upgrade kit and for any reason he restores the factory defaults to Windows Home Basic x64, he may use the same serial number to upgrade again.

 

[gregrocker]

Shrink the existing OS partition: Partition or Volume - Shrink

Install an affordable version of Win7 unless you want to waste money of features not needed. Clean Install Windows 7

If you decide to keep the new OS and activate it within 30 days we can help you remove the old OS and recover the space once your files and programs are moved over. Partition Recover Space Used by an Older OS

 

[Zyrandiel]

Thanks for your feedback guys, really appreciate it. He's going for Anytime upgrade. Just a question for greg, let's say I'm the owner of the laptop in concern, if I do a clean install on it with a Windows 7 Home Premium then what will happen to the RESTORE TO FACTORY SETTINGS option? Will it remain when I access it through the recovery options just prior to booting?


I'm thinking that if i did a clean install then I would also do a reformat to the drive where I want to install the OS (eg. drive C) is that achievable?


the existing drives right now are:


100MB system reserve
drive C - System Drive (200+ GB)
drive D - Recovery (almost 20GB)
drive E - Personal Drive (more than 100GB)


I'm somewhat confused with this part in the clean install process, please shed some light guys:



what is this 100MB system reserve?

is it neccessary to delete all partitions?

is this 100MB system reserve really necessary?

does this 100MB partition contain the files needed for me to access the recovery for the RESTORE TO FACTORY SETTINGS backup?

 

[FuturDreamz]

the 100 MB partition tells your computer how to start windows. If you delete all partitions in the Windows installer, the installer will automatically create a new partition as needed.

 

[gregrocker]

Everything you need is here to Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7 including special Note for HP Owners.

Factory Recovery should retain its F11 Hotlink after Clean Reinstall to C, so it may be worth keeping if you want a more stable method for Recovery than the disks - which I would make anyway to have as a secondary backup. HP Recover Windows 7 Operating System Using HP Recovery - HP Customer Care (United States - English)

Of course the modern way to backup is to save a Win7 backup image externally so you have your customized Install available to reimage to HD or its replacement in 20 minutes. Backup Complete Computer - Create an Image Backup

So if you want to rely on a Win7 backup image and perhaps the Recovery Disks as a backup then you could delete all partitions during reinstall to utilize all of your HD. Some like to create a data partition linked to Win7 via Library - Include a Folder - Windows 7 Forums. This keeps your OS/Programs partition smaller for imaging purposes so that if you reimage your data is waiting and current on its own partition.

 

[seavixen32]

If you go for the Windows Anytime Upgrade you can leave the partition structure as it is.

The system reserve partition contains the boot files and if you delete it it you would have to carry out a startup repair after making the C drive active.

Drive D contains the image for a factory restore and if you carry out a clean install you will be unable to restore to factory state unless you've created the recovery discs first.

If you're going for a clean install, create a set of recovery discs first, which gives you a method of getting back to the factory state should you want to.

 

[Zyrandiel]

How about if I just copy the Existing Backup from drive D to an external HDD? Can HP still access it after a clean install?

 

[Zyrandiel]

How about this: What if we do a complete factory reset using the image backup from drive d, and then create a new Image Backup of the restored system using Macrium Reflect and put it on an external HDD.

then do the clean install. how about that?

 

[karlsnooks]

Once again:
Read the link provided by TGSoldier so that you learn the differences between the versions, and, for your general info, despite the advice given to you re versions, we nearly all use Win 7 Ultimate. You must decide which version is adequate for your needs.

Forget all of the imaging etc tricks which will make you an unhappy camper. Simply make a clean install following the procedure given in the link provided to you by Greg Rocker.

 

[Zyrandiel]

okay karl. thanks

 

[Reezy]

I dont know if this applies to the conversation. .. but I recently got my samsung laptop repaired after the hard drive broke and so I had to get a new one... but the os was home basic and I wanted to find out the specifics of how to install windows 7 professional with the home basic on it already.
Thank you in advance

 

[theog]

I dont know if this applies to the conversation. .. but I recently got my samsung laptop repaired after the hard drive broke and so I had to get a new one... but the os was home basic and I wanted to find out the specifics of how to install windows 7 professional with the home basic on it already.
Thank you in advance

No install files needed.
Only the Upgrade key is need.
Anytime upgrade only adds-on the Programs & Features from version to version.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/95744-windows-anytime-upgrade-how.html