A few questions before "upgrading" to 7

[andrethaiss]

Hello everyone, I am really glad to join these wonderful forums as i hope to be a new Windows 7 user. But i have a few questions that i need to get cleared up on before i do anything stupid. I am real good with computer hardware but when it comes to installing an OS, i just blank out, so here are some questions i would like to get answered. BTW: i already have my Win 7 hp upgrade disk. And i do have windows vista on my current HDD, but i want 7 ON MY NEW HARD HARD DRIVE.

1. I read you can do a clean install with an upgrade disk, how should i do it if i want to install it in a new hard drive? Through the BIOS like you would with a normal OS on a blank HDD?

2. If i do a full install with the upgrade disk, will i have any activation problems or any other problems?

3. Do i get to choose what version 32bot or 64bit i want to install, or is it already chosen in the upgrade disc?

Thank You!

 

[stormy13]

andrethaiss, welcome to the Seven Forums.

Too answer your questions,

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

2. Shouldn't be.

3. No the disk will be either 32 0r 64 bit, not both. Assuming you got both disks, you need to decide which to use before you begin.

 

[DocBrown]

You might want to read this thread for some ideas, also

http://www.sevenforums.com/installa...-use-help-installation-issues.html#post300660

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Hello andrethaiss, welcome to Seven Forums!



You may want to consider a BIOS managed dual boot for a while to get used to Windows 7, then the older OS can be over-written when you choose, have a look at this info below for some ideas.

This method does not interlock the OSs like a Windows managed dual boot does.

   Information

The easiest way to do away with boot issues between separate Operating Systems (OS) is to use the BIOS one time boot menu to select which OS to boot at system startup, each motherboard has an individual hot-key to tap during system start-up to access this menu.

If you have 2 separate Hard Disk Drives (HDD) and have one OS installed to one HDD and you want to install another OS to the second HDD, disconnect the HDD with the first OS installed on it and leave only the HDD you want to install the second OS to connected.

Just be sure not to change where the original HDD SATA cable was connected, it has to be re-connected to the exact same port to avoid boot issues.

Install the second OS to the connected HDD and when complete and the system is booting good, power down and reconnect the first HDD with the first OS on it.

This way the OSs will boot independently of each other and there will be no boot conflicts between the 2 separate OSs to have to sort later.

Then set the BIOS to boot the HDD / OS you want as default and if you want to start the other (new) OS you use the BIOS one-time boot menu to select that HDD / OS to start when the PC is started.

• Asus - F8
• HP/Compaq - Esc
• Sony - F2
• Acer – F12
• Gateway - F10
• eMachnes - F10
• Toshiba - F12
• Dell - F12
• IBM/Lenovo - the blue Thinkvantage button

 

[andrethaiss]

Wow thanks for the quick replies to everyone!
So just to be 100% sure, the upgrade windows package (I have not opened yet as it is a present) comes with both 32 and 64 bit discs, or just one? (Sorry, just to be really sure)
Thank you all so much

 

[Ageeb]

Wow thanks for the quick replies to everyone!
So just to be 100% sure, the upgrade windows package (I have not opened yet as it is a present) comes with both 32 and 64 bit discs, or just one? (Sorry, just to be really sure)
Thank you all so much

Yes, all retail upgrade editions include both 32 and 64 bit discs.

 

[andrethaiss]

Wow thanks for the quick replies to everyone!
So just to be 100% sure, the upgrade windows package (I have not opened yet as it is a present) comes with both 32 and 64 bit discs, or just one? (Sorry, just to be really sure)
Thank you all so much

Yes, all retail upgrade editions include both 32 and 64 bit discs.

Thanks buddy! Ill make sure to go to 64BIT.

Wow, what a nice forum with so much help!