Clean Install with a Upgrade Windows 7 Version

How to Do a Clean Install with an Upgrade Windows 7 Version​

   Information

This will show you how to do a Clean Install using a retail Upgrade Windows 7 installation disc.

   Warning

Remember that you need to legally own a valid qualifying previous version of Windows to use a Upgrade Windows 7, and to stop using (or uninstall) the qualifying OS while you have the upgrade installed. Microsoft only made doing a clean install from a upgrade Windows 7 possible to make it more convenient so you do not have to reinstall both the old Windows version (ex: Vista) and upgrade to Windows 7 everytime you needed or wanted to reinstall.

If you do not legally own a valid qualifying previous version of Windows, then you are violating the terms of Microsoft's Windows 7 End User License Agreement and could get your product key number invalidated by Microsoft. Plus, it is considered illegal.

For more about this, please see: Microsoft SMB Community Blog : Regardless of what any hack says, a Windows 7 Upgrade is an Upgrade. What you need to know.

OPTION ONE

A Normal Clean Install

1. Do a clean install at boot without checking the Automatically activate Windows when I'm online box during the installation process.

2. When the installation is finished, then manually activate Windows 7 with your product key number.

3. If your Windows should fail to activate, then pick up at step 2 in OPTION THREE below.

OPTION TWO

Through a Custom Install

   Note

This option will let you do a clean install of Windows 7 without formating the current Windows installation to have your current Windows installation backed up to the Windows.old folder during the installation of your retail upgrade Windows 7. This way you can copy any files back that you want from the C:\Windows.old folder (previous installation) back into your new installation afterwards.

1. Do a custom install at boot or from within your current Windows installation without checking the Automatically activate Windows when I'm online box during the installation process.

2. When the installation is finished, then manually activate Windows 7 with your product key number.

3. Copy any files that you want back from the C:\Windows.old folder into where you want it in you new installation.

4. You can now delete the Windows.old folder using Disk Cleanup to have a clean install now.

OPTION THREE

Clean Install with a Registry Workaround for Error Code 0xc004f061

   Note

If you get a activation error code 0xc004f061 while doing OPTION ONE or OPTION TWO above, then you will need to use this option instead

1. Do a clean install of your upgrade Windows 7 at boot without checking the Automatically activate Windows when I'm online box during the installation process.
NOTE: If you already did this from OPTION ONE above and got a activation error, then skip this step and just proceed to step 2 below instead. There's no need to reinstall again.

2. Click on the Download button below to download the .bat file below, and save it to your desktop.
Activate_Windows_Upgrade_after_Clean_Install.bat


Download


3. Right click on the downloaded .bat file, and click on Run as administrator.

4. If prompted, click/tap on Run and Yes (UAC).
NOTE: If you like, you can stop getting the Run prompt by unblocking the downloaded .bat file.

5. You will now notice a command prompt quickly open and close while applying the changes to your registry.

6. Click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)

7. Restart the computer.

8. When the computer is finished restarting, then manually activate Windows 7 with your product key number.

OPTION FOUR

Double Installing Windows 7

   Note

This option is the same that was used to do a clean install of an upgrade copy of Windows 7. It's more work, but if the options above did not work for you, then this should since this is the most reliable option.

1. Do a clean install of your upgrade Windows 7 at boot without checking the Automatically activate Windows when I'm online box during the installation process, and do not activate Windows 7. When finished with the clean install, do not or install any Windows Updates, drivers, or programs yet.

2. When finished with the clean install, start at step 4 at this link to do an in-place "upgrade" install with your upgrade Windows 7 installation disk from within the just now finished clean install of Windows 7.

3. When the in-place upgrade installation is completely finished, then manually activate Windows 7 with your product key number. You can now also install any Windows Updates drivers, and programs you like.
That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Do a Upgrade Installation with Windows 7
• How to Do a Clean Installation with Windows 7
• How to Do a Custom Installation of Windows 7
• How to Create a Windows 7 Installation USB Key
• http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/30470-make-bootable-iso-student-d-l.html
• How to Partition the Hard Drive in a Windows 7 Install
• How to Install Windows 7 on Computer with Less than 512MB RAM
• How to Install Windows 7 Using "Unified Extensible Firmware Interface" (UEFI)

 

[Brink]

Hello Lorien,

No, that only applies and is enforced if a normal in-place upgrade install is done instead.

 

[Lorien]

Thanks, Brink! I appreciate the quick and clear response - and so will the OP!

 

[Brink]

You're welcome.

 

[paulwterry]

Too Afraid For Last Year Plus...Pulled Trigger Today

Thanks for clearing up tons of conflicting information listed anywhere and everywhere on the Internet. I've backed up all my files and transferred them to another computer. I have easy access to all my software and drivers that will need to be installed and updated. I've completed reformatting the hard drive and installation of 7 and am working on the Windows Updates now. I've not activated yet, but the Key was accepted in step 13 with no problem. My laptop was one of the last Vistas to roll out the door, so I got a great deal on a flying machine. Since it was at the end of the run for Vista before the release of 7, I was sent the Vista to 7 upgrade disk along with the upgrade assistant DVD. When I received the upgrade after the release of 7 I did the install of 7 over Vista. I was not pleased doing it at the time, but figured I didn't want to shoot myself in the foot and piss anyone off at big brother. So, every since October/November 2009 I've been using 7 installed over Vista. I only had to deal with Vista for a month or so before the upgrade. I hated knowing all the Vista trash was floating around on my machine. Everything has been running great with 7 over Vista, but I've been dying to do an honest to goodness clean install. I've been too afraid to give it a go...until today. Thanks for giving me the courage to make a run at a fresh machine. I'm just about finished with all the windows updates. Wish me luck as I try an activate. I'll post back with an update. Brink, you rock!

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome Paul. Good luck.

 

[paulwterry]

Wow Brink, your response was quick. I'm done with all the updates and driver type stuff...I think. Just finished resetting the WIE and am going to do one last check for updates and driver issues. My WIE was only 3.4 (Gaming Graphics) with a 4.1 as the next lowest for Graphics. Just cheap graphics and display software and hardware stuff I guess??? Any suggestions? I'm sure I can tweak it later after the install goes through. Then, for the big activation moment. Anything I should keep in mind before I try an activate online? Should I install all my third party software before I activate or what until it's activated? Thanks so much for your dedication and help! This forum is the best thing on the web for 7 users. Like I said back in August when I first found the site and became a member, this is a wonderful resource. Wish I had known about this as soon as I got the 7 upgrade disk!

 

[Brink]

I can't think of anything. You should be able to activate as outlined in the tutorial whether you install anything else first or not.

 

[paulwterry]

I had no problems activating. Now what's killing me is getting all my settings back the way the were. Thanks again for a wonderful resource!

 

[Brink]

Yeah, that's always a pain in the . I'm happy to hear everything went well.

 

[Dave76]

I know it's too late now, but next time you can use Windows Easy Transfer.

This great tutorial will explain how it's done.

Windows Easy Transfer - Transfer To & From Computers - This tutorial will show you how to transfer your user files and settings from one computer to another using the Windows Easy Transfer tool.

 

[jwei]

Hey Brink! Just wondering if you can confirm this:


I currently have an old system (Q6600, p5q, etc.) in which I bought a windows 7 student upgrade and installed cleanly using one of the guides.

Now I'm building a HTPC (completely diff specs besides the HDD, amd ii x2, 785g), I can use my old key and install on the new machine right?

I'm keeping the HDD, which I figure I'll just redo the whole PC, install the HDD in and boot up and see how it goes? Some people report it goes through fine, in which case I can just redo a clean install from there?

Thanks in advance

 

[Brink]

Hello Jwei, and welcome to Seven Forums.

For reference, your thread on this: http://www.sevenforums.com/windows-...lp-confused-will-work-new-system-old-key.html

Yes, you will be able to do a clean install with a upgrade Windows 7 using this tutorial. Since you had the product key activated on another computer, you will have to make sure that it is uninstalled from any other computer before installing it on the new computer, then you may need to do a phone activation if it will not activate normally online.

 

[jwei]

Hello Jwei, and welcome to Seven Forums.

For reference, your thread on this: http://www.sevenforums.com/windows-...lp-confused-will-work-new-system-old-key.html

Yes, you will be able to do a clean install with a upgrade Windows 7 using this tutorial. Since you had the product key activated on another computer, you will have to make sure that it is uninstalled from any other computer before installing it on the new computer, then you may need to do a phone activation if it will not activate normally online.

Cool thanks! Even if I'm using the same HDD, I still need to uninstall?

 

[Brink]

If you're installing it on the same partition or HDD that the old OS is installed on, then you will be deleting that partition or HDD anyway during the new installation.

 

[jwei]

If you're installing it on the same partition or HDD that the old OS is installed on, then you will be deleting that partition or HDD anyway during the new installation.

Excellent! Thank you again for the quick responses and help! Greatly appreciated

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome.

 

[robjmack]

Thanks

Thanks Shawn,

You saved me a lot of time and grief. This fix was a snap!

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome Rob, and welcome to Seven Forums.

 

[TKNorris]

Shawn, If I use option 1 and a new hard drive and Win 7 Pro Upgrade package, can I first make the new, blank HD primary (reroute the cable that presently goes to the HD with Win XP Pro to the new, blank HD that I want for Win 7 Pro), then do the Option 1 Install to the new Win 7 Pro HD and then plug the old Win XP Pro HD cable into the system on another cable (hopefully all the Win XP Pro boot information still on that old HD won't cause me trouble?) Until I have Win 7 Pro installed on the new Win 7 PRO HD and am able install all of my programs and then copy the data files from the old Win XP Pro HD to the new Win 7 Pro HD. Then reformat the old Win XP Pro HD for use as a document backup HD?
Thanks, Tom

 

[Brink]

Hello Tom, and welcome to Seven Forums.

You could make it easier by unplugging the XP drive, then make the new HDD the boot drive and do Option 1 to install Windows 7 Upgrade on the new HDD. Afterwards, you could plug in the old XP HDD and copy over the data files from within Windows 7.

Hope this helps,
Shawn