Doing a Clean Install with a Upgrade Windows 7 Version

[SilverGator]

Am I correct that the difference is with method A you are just wiping the partition while with method B you are wiping the entire drive and starting everything from 0000000.

Would that matter to me, though? I think Vista set me up in two partitions - one main one and one that was a "back-up." I don't really need that back-up.

 

[Brink]

This is the last time I will ask (for clarification purposes) because I don't want to annoy anyone that feels this has been asked/answered on here. But there is one thing I do not understand.

[This is w/ the retail upgrade 64 bit Windows 7 DVD preordered.]

Whether I (a) boot from DVD, custom install w/ format or (b) reformat hard drive then boot from DVD - do I get the SAME result? That result being a hard drive that is (1) sparkling clean, (2) reformatted and (3) with only Windows 7 on it.

Please let me know if I do get the same result and, if not, what is different.

THANK YOU ALL!!!


On a side note, I ordered this from Best Buy the DAY it came out. They are telling me I may not get it until the 29th. My delivery time was 22nd-29th. Absurd.

Am I correct that the difference is with method A you are just wiping the partition while with method B you are wiping the entire drive and starting everything from 0000000.

Would that matter to me, though? I think Vista set me up in two partitions - one main one and one that was a "back-up." I don't really need that back-up.

Hello SilverGator,

You can read the full details on each below on what they do.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/20146-custom-install-windows-7-a.html

and

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

 

[gregrocker]

I think djjaeger82 has really stated it best. If you're using the upgrade disc (and key), you CAN repartition and reformat the drive, but you must do it from within the Windows 7 installer, and the drive must have Windows of some form (XP, Vista, 7) on it beforehand. If the drive is brand new, or you have wiped it via PartitionMagic or some other means BEFORE running the Win7 installer, the upgrade media and key will not activate (unless you install Windows 7 over the top a second time).



-HM

People are reporting across all web forums that they clean installed from boot to formatted and new HDD's with the Upgrade media with activation. Therefore no previous OS was present.

 

[zigzag3143]

This is the last time I will ask (for clarification purposes) because I don't want to annoy anyone that feels this has been asked/answered on here. But there is one thing I do not understand.

[This is w/ the retail upgrade 64 bit Windows 7 DVD preordered.]

Whether I (a) boot from DVD, custom install w/ format or (b) reformat hard drive then boot from DVD - do I get the SAME result? That result being a hard drive that is (1) sparkling clean, (2) reformatted and (3) with only Windows 7 on it.

Please let me know if I do get the same result and, if not, what is different.

THANK YOU ALL!!!

Yes. from a), b), you get 1), 2), and 3.


On a side note, I ordered this from Best Buy the DAY it came out. They are telling me I may not get it until the 29th. My delivery time was 22nd-29th. Absurd.

Yes. from a), b), you get 1), 2), and 3.

 

[wutzup]

Ok final post for the night. Both the 32-bit and 64-bit Windows 7 Home Premium Upgrade with a clean install DID NOT accept my upgrade product key when I rebuilt my RAID array first (aka removed all partition prior to booting off the windows7 DVDs). This tells us that to do a clean install you have to have some previous version of windows already installed on your PC somewhere (perhaps any drive or any partition). The fact that you can erase these partitions and install to the drive's bare unallocated space once in setup must mean that some flag is triggered during the initial loading of setup that detects the windows version somewhere. One key item to note: It seems like this works even with an unactivated copy of windows 7 installed on a partition.

Summary of what I tested tonight using my MS Store pre-ordered Windows 7 Home Premium Upgrade version downloaded today:

1.) Installing Win7 64-bit Upgrade as a Clean install on a completely blank hard drive prior to install -> Does not accept upgrade product key during setup and will not activate after installation completes

2.) Installing Win7 32-bit Upgrade as a Clean install, but having the 64-bit unactivated Win7 on the HD from #1 above prior to setup starting (Clean install meant I deleted all existing partitions during setup and installed to non-allocated space) -> WORKS AND DOES ACCEPT PRODUCT KEY DURING SETUP

3.) Installing Win7 64-bit Upgrade as a Clean install, but having the 32-bit unactivated Win7 on the HD from #2 above prior to setup starting (Clean install meant I deleted all existing partitions during setup and installed to non-allocated space) -> WORKS AND DOES ACCEPT PRODUCT KEY DURING SETUP

4.) Removing partitions from #3 above and Installing Win7 32-bit Upgrade as a Clean install on a completely blank hard drive prior to install -> Does not accept upgrade product key during setup and will not activate after installation completes

5.) Removed all partitions and verified #1 again -> DOES NOT WORK

Bottom Line:

A.) If you have a previous windows installation on a drive somewhere in your system and you want to do a clean install from your upgrade disc you should have no problem, as long as that partition is still intact during setup. You can even delete this partition during setup and create a blank hard drive to install to and do a completely clean 1 time installation. This will work with your Windows 7 Home Premium 32/64 Upgrade DVD and upgrade key.

B.) If you have a COMPLETELY BLANK HARD DRIVE prior to install (no previous partitions at all with windows on them), your Windows 7 Home Premium 32/64 Upgrade DVD and upgrade key WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED during setup, and also will not activate later once in windows after installation completes (ex: you leave the product key blank during setup so that setup can complete)

--> The workaround to situation B is to just run the Windows 7 clean installation a second time. The first time you just simply leave the product key empty so that setup can complete. Once in windows after the first install, don't bother trying to activate. Then just reinstall again booting from the upgrade DVD media again. I know this is completely lame and is essentially a 2x installation, but at least you can still do a true Clean Install (no need to try an in-place upgrade from win7 to win7 sillyness), and this time it will accept your upgrade key.

Hope that wasn't too confusing!! Feel free to ask questions if anything's not clear!

-Dan

UPDATE: Just wanted to update that online activation went thru just fine a few min ago for me following scenario B above where I did the 2nd clean install with my upgrade key after the first install without the upgrade key, screenshot attached =)

Formatted my hard drive
Booted up using a DVD that I created from the Windows 7 Pro Upgrade for Students that I purchased online from Digital River for $29.99 + tax
I followed the instructions in “Section B” from djjaeger82
During the second installation, my Upgrade Product Key was accepted.
Although I did not ACTIVATE yet, I am sure the activation will not be a problem. djjaeger82is SPOT ON with his post.
Thank you very much.
Looking forward to seeing the “Registry and Command Prompt” solution referred to by cvor and RPmtl.
Good luck to all.

 

[SilverGator]

Two questions that also apply to BRINK.

Whether I (a) boot from DVD, custom install w/ format or (b) reformat hard drive then boot from DVD - do I get the SAME result? That result being a hard drive that is (1) sparkling clean, (2) reformatted and (3) with only Windows 7 on it.

Yes. from a), b), you get 1), 2), and 3.

Clean Install Windows 7
This is the one I am going to use.

"Sometimes you may have a problem with installing Windows 7 with more than 2 GB of RAM installed. If you have this problem, then you should install Windows 7 with a maximum of 2GB of RAM installed and add the rest of the RAM after Windows 7 is fully installed. You may need to flash your motherboard BIOS with the latest version to support more this."
I have a laptop so this is not an option. Why would there be a problem? I have 4 GB of RAM installed.

My current installation of Windows Vista 32 bit is, I think, in two partitions (I think that is what it is called) because it came installed directly from DELL. It has the main drive (C) as well as what I think is a back-up that is very small in size. Will formatting with the Clean Install option get rid of both of these "partitions?" Is there a way I can do that? If not, what do I do with that other partition once I format the main partition? Just use it for my own back-up?

You guys have been the BEST!

 

[Zidane24]

Two questions that also apply to BRINK.

Whether I (a) boot from DVD, custom install w/ format or (b) reformat hard drive then boot from DVD - do I get the SAME result? That result being a hard drive that is (1) sparkling clean, (2) reformatted and (3) with only Windows 7 on it.

Yes. from a), b), you get 1), 2), and 3.

Clean Install Windows 7
This is the one I am going to use.

"Sometimes you may have a problem with installing Windows 7 with more than 2 GB of RAM installed. If you have this problem, then you should install Windows 7 with a maximum of 2GB of RAM installed and add the rest of the RAM after Windows 7 is fully installed. You may need to flash your motherboard BIOS with the latest version to support more this."
I have a laptop so this is not an option. Why would there be a problem? I have 4 GB of RAM installed.

My current installation of Windows Vista 32 bit is, I think, in two partitions (I think that is what it is called) because it came installed directly from DELL. It has the main drive (C) as well as what I think is a back-up that is very small in size. Will formatting with the Clean Install option get rid of both of these "partitions?" Is there a way I can do that? If not, what do I do with that other partition once I format the main partition? Just use it for my own back-up?

You guys have been the BEST!

I'll jump in here for Shawn...

I have a laptop so this is not an option. Why would there be a problem? I have 4 GB of RAM installed.
This really applies to Desktops more than Laptops in my experience

Will formatting with the Clean Install option get rid of both of these "partitions?" Is there a way I can do that? If not, what do I do with that other partition once I format the main partition? Just use it for my own back-up?
When you run Windows Setup and get to the partitioner part just choose each partition and click delete (if this is what you desire). After that you, in essence, formatted the drive. Just continue by double clicking the un-allocated space

 

[panthers89fan90]

....

I would just like to thank everybody for their help in getting my windows 7 to work. Especially the guy that made osc zip file and the address and all that. Going from 32bit to 64 bit was a pain, but not it is great. I love it and am glad I got the 64 bit pro windows 7. Thanks again people!

Here is a problem I ran into and how I addressed it. Ok, well once you are in the cmd prompt and it gives you an error like boot sector whatever there may be something wrong with your syntax, files, or something else that error. All I did was instead of copy and paste the osc address into the command prompt, you have to manually type it in. I repeat DO NOT copy and paste it, it will NOT work most of the time and you will get an error. So after you manually type in the osc address into the command prompt it will then work and it start making your .iso file.

 

[gregrocker]

Paul Thurrot has just put up a workaround for clean installing to a new drive:

http://community.winsupersite.com/b...-windows-7-with-upgrade-media-the-answer.aspx

This may be the registry fix MS tech support is giving several to allow them to proceed with Upgrade clean install, which they confirm is allowed.

 

[Zidane24]

Paul Thurrot has just put up a workaround for clean installing to a new drive:

http://community.winsupersite.com/b...-windows-7-with-upgrade-media-the-answer.aspx

This may be the registry fix MS tech support is giving several to allow them to proceed with Upgrade clean install, which they confirm is allowed.

I called MS and *pretended* to have your guys' issues. I can confirm that this was the process the rep took me through.

...Sorry MS for decieving you but I needed to validate whether our fixes actually work...don't worry they didn't give me a free 7 or anything

 

[SilverGator]

Will formatting with the Clean Install option get rid of both of these "partitions?" Is there a way I can do that? If not, what do I do with that other partition once I format the main partition? Just use it for my own back-up?
When you run Windows Setup and get to the partitioner part just choose each partition and click delete (if this is what you desire). After that you, in essence, formatted the drive. Just continue by double clicking the un-allocated space

I guess I need to do it in order to understand it, but I was under the impression that...

When you get to that screen, you can choose one drive, format it, and then it will install Windows 7 on it. Are you saying I can delete the second partition before I do any of this? Then when it goes back to the screen, it will combine both into one, I would format that, and then it would all work?

Do you guys utilize partitions? If so, why? Should I just keep this tiny partition, wipe it clean and utilize it for something else?

Thanks again for the advice.

 

[wutzup]

Paul Thurrot has just put up a workaround for clean installing to a new drive:

http://community.winsupersite.com/b...-windows-7-with-upgrade-media-the-answer.aspx

This may be the registry fix MS tech support is giving several to allow them to proceed with Upgrade clean install, which they confirm is allowed.

Thank you GREGROCKER, the link that you provided to Paul Thurrott’s Supersite Blog was very helpful.
I followed the instructions and I can confirm that this WORKAROUND works perfectly because my Window 7 Pro Student Upgrade version from Digital River has been ACTIVATED.

This one time installation is better than the two times installations.

Thank you.
Good luck to all.

 

[gregrocker]

Paul Thurrot has just put up a workaround for clean installing to a new drive:

http://community.winsupersite.com/b...-windows-7-with-upgrade-media-the-answer.aspx

This may be the registry fix MS tech support is giving several to allow them to proceed with Upgrade clean install, which they confirm is allowed.

Thank you GREGROCKER, the link that you provided to Paul Thurrott’s Supersite Blog was very helpful.
I followed the instructions and I can confirm that this WORKAROUND works perfectly because my Window 7 Pro Student Upgrade version from Digital River has been ACTIVATED.

This one time installation is better than the two times installations.

Thank you.
Good luck to all.

Even better, you'll never have to reinstall either if you now make a backup image stored externally (and updated as you please).

Win7 Imaging Backup is state of the art imaging now brought to the masses. 15 minutes to create an image of your HDD, and 15 minutes to reimage it flawlessly, making reinstalls a thing of the past!

 

[gregrocker]

Will formatting with the Clean Install option get rid of both of these "partitions?" Is there a way I can do that? If not, what do I do with that other partition once I format the main partition? Just use it for my own back-up?
When you run Windows Setup and get to the partitioner part just choose each partition and click delete (if this is what you desire). After that you, in essence, formatted the drive. Just continue by double clicking the un-allocated space

I guess I need to do it in order to understand it, but I was under the impression that...

When you get to that screen, you can choose one drive, format it, and then it will install Windows 7 on it. Are you saying I can delete the second partition before I do any of this? Then when it goes back to the screen, it will combine both into one, I would format that, and then it would all work?

Do you guys utilize partitions? If so, why? Should I just keep this tiny partition, wipe it clean and utilize it for something else?

Thanks again for the advice.

Yes, using Advanced Tools on the Custom install from boot, you can delete any or all partitions, which will combine their unallocated space, then Create one or more new partitions as you please, which you format and then install to the first partition since it is faster and contains the boot sector.

On a dual boot, as long as you install Win7 last, you can put it in any partition separate from the other OS and it will configure the boot menu for you.

Be sure to back up any data on a deleted partition first.

Normally I delete them all and format one big partition, which can later be shrunk and partitioned using WIn7's excellent Disk Management utility.

 

[Teerex]

Even better, you'll never have to reinstall either if you now make a backup image stored externally (and updated as you please).

Win7 Imaging Backup is state of the art imaging now brought to the masses. 15 minutes to create an image of your HDD, and 15 minutes to reimage it flawlessly, making reinstalls a thing of the past!

This is what I've been telling some people around here where I live. Microsoft is bringing full image backup to the masses. Now that will be the killer feature of Windows 7, I wonder how noone seems to get that.

 

[gregrocker]

Even better, you'll never have to reinstall either if you now make a backup image stored externally (and updated as you please).

Win7 Imaging Backup is state of the art imaging now brought to the masses. 15 minutes to create an image of your HDD, and 15 minutes to reimage it flawlessly, making reinstalls a thing of the past!

This is what I've been telling some people around here where I live. Microsoft is bringing full image backup to the masses. Now that will be the killer feature of Windows 7, I wonder how noone seems to get that.

It's new and therefore:devil2:scary! Plus close to Halloween!


They will prob get it when they have to spend two days reinstalling XP and 7 again, when they could have reimaged in 15 minutes.

 

[neely615]

Here is a petition to Digital River which I hope to get more signers on
Digital River Should Provide New Windows 7 Installer Petition

 

[msongs]

is there a tutorial that goes like this....?

buy win7 64bit home premium upgrade at store.
buy new hard drive at store.
remove old hard drive and install new one.
insert win7 64 bit upgrade dvd.
install full version off of upgrade DVD (tells how)

no getting confused with old HD or partitions or previous OS.

hmmmm.

thanks

 

[Zidane24]

buy win7 64bit home premium upgrade at store.
buy new hard drive at store.
remove old hard drive and install new one.
insert win7 64 bit upgrade dvd.
install full version off of upgrade DVD (tells how)

no getting confused with old HD or partitions or previous OS.

hmmmm.

thanks

Do all that you said to do +....

1) Don't insert the product key on install
2) Make the registry change Paul Thurrott documented
3)Re-Arm the install (yes...I said Re-Arm)
4)Input your key and activate

Of course this needs alot more info but this is the general process. THIS WAS ALSO VERIFIED OVER THE PHONE FROM MS WHEN I CALLED THEM TODAY

 

[RPmtl]

Paul Thurrot has just put up a workaround for clean installing to a new drive:

http://community.winsupersite.com/b...-windows-7-with-upgrade-media-the-answer.aspx

This may be the registry fix MS tech support is giving several to allow them to proceed with Upgrade clean install, which they confirm is allowed.

Yes... That's EXACTLY what MS had me do.

R