Question about Ultimate

dooglo · 29 Dec 2009

After using the site search engine and reading the results, I think I've come to a conclusion but I'm still not too sure. I would like some clarification though.

If I was to purchase W7 Ulitmate Upgrade, and perform a clean install over top of XP Pro totally erasing the HD to start clean, I would be ok. Right?

Now, if I was to purchase W7 Ultimate Upgrade System Builders OEM, and do the same, I'd be ok, as long as I don't change any major hardware. Correct?

Thanks,

D.

Jonathan_King · 29 Dec 2009

Hello,

Yes to both. Don't worry about the hardware part, though. At worst you may have to reactivate.

Hope this helps,
~Jonathan

gregrocker · 29 Dec 2009

Once you install a Builder's OEM copy of Win7, then it becomes locked to the hardware and is unable to migrate as a normal retail copy can.

Some have reported exceptions being made by MS, but it clearly goes against the EULA which MS rarely does, so it cannot be counted on.

Whether using the OEM, or Win7 Upgrade version which can migrate in the future if desired, you would want to boot the DVD to do the cleanest possible install: Custom choice with Drive options to delete, Create New Partition(s) as you wish, then format and install Win7 to the first partition.

The DVD will scan the HD's at bootup, see the XP and allow use of the Upgrade key.

dooglo · 29 Dec 2009

Hey, thanks a bunch. I kinda thought so.

D.

Night Hawk · 29 Dec 2009

That's easy enough to answer. For an upgrade disk intended to null out a previous version you will likely need the XP Pro disk onhand when going to activate any installation. For the OEM disk that's a full install disk but licensed to one machine only according to the EULA.

As far as hardware changes you may have to see Windows reactivated or installed fresh all over once Windows is on. That depends on what type of hardware changes are made. A swap out of a video card or sound card or other addon device shouldn't effect that while swapping your OS drive or main board will.

With the full retail version of any edition you can install onto a new drive on the same machine at any time since that will still be seen on the same machine. PC die on you? Upgrade but dumping the present build? With the full retail product you can proceed onto the next macnine when the time comes there. The licensing is different for each.

gregrocker · 29 Dec 2009

Night Hawk said:

For an upgrade disk intended to null out a previous version you will likely need the XP Pro disk onhand when going to activate any installation.

Do we have any solid information yet how an Upgrade might "null out a previous version" or anyone who has been asked for qualifying key, which stopped with Vista?

Since many millions are using Dual Boots with the previous version, it would appear MS so far is using the honor system on this as they did by not requiring previous XP/Vista to be installed when 7Up version was installed.

Some speculation on Technet is that in the future reactivations of 7Up might require giving a MS phone agent the XP/Vista qualifying key, however no one has reported this yet that I've seen.

And of course if you save a Win7 backup image, you never have to reinstall again anyway.

Night Hawk · 29 Dec 2009

I've already posted this one on a few threads direct from MS!

Regardless of what any hack says, a Windows 7 Upgrade is an Upgrade. What you need to know.

First, the feedback, excitement, etc. we’ve been seeing since the launch of Windows 7 last week has been phenomenal! Thank you to all of you for providing your feedback to us to let us know how your Windows 7 experience is going.
Unfortunately, it looks like it is time to have this conversation again though. Over the past several days there have been various posts, etc. across a variety of social media engines stating that some “hack” shows that a Windows 7 Upgrade disc can perform a “clean” installation of Windows 7 on a blank drive from a technical perspective. Of course, from the posts I saw, they often forgot to mention a very basic, yet very important piece of information… “Technically possible” does not always mean legal. Let me explain what I mean:
Here are some very basic facts:

When you purchase software, you are purchasing the rights to run the software according to the terms of the End User License Agreement (EULA) that comes with that software.
When you install that software, you are agreeing to the terms included in the EULA you purchased.
- a. For instance, in the Windows 7 EULA it states, “By using the software, you accept these terms. If you do not accept them, do not use the software. Instead, return it to the retailer for a refund or credit.”
When you purchase an Upgrade license, the included EULA states that you must already own a qualifying full license to upgrade from in order to use the Upgrade license, hence the term “Upgrade.”
- a. For instance, in the Windows 7 EULA it states, “To use upgrade software, you must first be licensed for the software that is eligible for the upgrade.”

You can read through the rest of that at Microsoft SMB Community Blog : Regardless of what any hack says, a Windows 7 Upgrade is an Upgrade. What you need to know.

gregrocker · 29 Dec 2009

Nothing I've read here daily since Win7 release has encouraged anyone to use Upgrade version without a qualifying XP/Vista to back it up.

The point of the blog post quoted is that just because you can clean install without XP/Vista being on the computer, doesn't mean you don't need XP/Vista on hand to back it up.

But you can indeed do it, MS itself handed out the reg workaround to avoid having to reinstall XP/Vista. Otherwise millions of beta testers would have been bothered to reinstall XP/Vista after they had helped MS make Win7 the best ever.

The question was if anyone has reported yet that XP/Vista is deactivated after Win7 installed, or had MS ask for their qualifying XP/Vista key?

dooglo · 29 Dec 2009

gregrocker said:

And of course if you save a Win7 backup image, you never have to reinstall again anyway.

Is there a utility program with Win7 for doing this, or do I need to purchase seperately?

Jonathan_King · 29 Dec 2009

There is a utility called Backup that is built-in to Windows 7.