Can you reinstall an anytime upgrade with no disk?

[mike6623]

I just upgraded from premium to pro in 7. The 7 came with the computer, but not on a disk, bought the key online, messed something up and would like to reinstall the anytime upgrade.
How would I do this? Can I assume I cannot upgrade to pro from pro right? So how would I do this?
Thanks

 

[mike6623]

More info, I did an anytime upgrade to get to professional. I want to go back to premium(I have the disk) then re-do the NYTimes upgrade. It's gives me no option! Only says "upgrade or custom"

 

[seavixen32]

Welcome to Windows Seven Forums.

As far as I'm aware, you can't clean install from the Windows Anytime Upgrade product key unfortunately.

Looks like you'll have to reinstall Home Premium, and then redo your anytime upgrade.

As a matter of interest, can you remember what you did to mess things up?

 

[mike6623]

That's what I'm trying to do, reinstall premium then do the upgrade again, but it doesn't let me just install premium,, the options are upgrade, or custom

 

[seavixen32]

Make sure you've backed up anything important to you and use this tutorial to carry out a clean install of Windows.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1649-clean-install-windows-7-a.html

Choose the Custom option for a clean install.

Do you have a Windows DVD? If not you'll need to use your computer's recovery partition or recovery discs.

If you don't have any of the above you can use your computer's product key to carry out a COA install.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/174907-clean-install-factory-coa-activation-key.html

 

[jimbo45]

Hi there
I don't think there's a "Downgrade".

You'll have to re-install Home premium again FROM NEW (or scratch) as per Seavixen's advice.

Now if you had a backup image of Home premium that would work.

ALWAYS backup your system before doing these type of upgrades --then it's only around 20 Mins for a restore and you can then install the anytime upgrade again.

Note however I think MS will set a limit on to the nr of activations but as you are activating on the same machine it will be fine.

Actually another good reason for keeping OS and data on separate partitions is that on an OS restore you don't lose or delete your data.


Cheers
jimbo

 

[mike6623]

Is a back up necessary or just good practice? I mean, will a clean install wipe my pc?

 

[seavixen32]

A backup of personal data is always good practice and essential if you are doing a clean install, as a clean install will wipe your hard drive first.

You will also need discs for any software you installed from disc and backups of any software you have downloaded, as they will all need to be installed again after you have reinstalled Windows.

 

[mike6623]

Okay, so my only option is a clean install of premium?

 

[mike6623]

I unchecked "enable transparency" now that option is gone and themes are greyed out. I restarted all stopped services and ran the aero trouble shooter, nothing. My pc looks like xp. That is ny problem. The enable transparency box us completely gone. I didn't delete it uninstall anything. Everyhing works fine, but

 

[gregrocker]

Can you choose an Aero theme by rightclicking a blank area of desktop to Personalize?

Run SFC -SCANNOW

What do you mean you restarted all stopped Services? Most are not meant to be running until called.

If necessary next run a Pro Repair Install.

The modern way to manage this is to save a Premium Win7 backup image before Anytime, then a Pro image once it is set up and running perfectly. These preserve activation and give you maximum flexibility.

 

[mike6623]

Can you choose an Aero theme by rightclicking a blank area of desktop to Personalize?

Run SFC -SCANNOW

What do you mean you restarted all stopped Services? Most are not meant to be running until called.

If necessary next run a Pro Repair Install.

The modern way to manage this is to save a Premium Win7 backup image before Anytime, then a Pro image once it is set up and running perfectly. These preserve activation and give you maximum flexibility.

I did the scan now, no integrity issues. It says I can only do the repair installed if I have the installation disk of the OS I am currently running. I have a home premium replacement disk, but I am running Professional from an anytime upgrade key

 

[gregrocker]

Win7 Professinoal x64 English Official ISO Download

 

[mike6623]

Win7 Professinoal x64 English Official ISO Download

Thanks! Question, if I had messed up settings and whatnot and services (didn't delete or uninstall anything) would installing again start over or would the settings carry over?

 

[gregrocker]

Nothing is carried over in a clean reinstall. Clean Reinstall steps

Enough settings are carried over in a Repair Install that it can be a corruption path even at the same time it can fix many issues.

 

[theog]

For HP/Compaq, You can Order HP Recovery Disks from here:
Compaq Mini CQ10-500 PC series -  HP Notebook PCs - Order Recovery Discs for Windows 7, Vista, or XP - c00810334 - HP Business Support Center

   Information

We always assume you have made your Recovery Disks using the OEM manufacturer's Recovery Media Creator app the first day you had your new PC.
& made the Startup Repair CD.
startup repair disc-create
​

Did you make the OEM manufacturer's Recovery Disks?