For everyone concerned about buying the upgrade disk

[Liberty]

What is the phone #? Where did you get it from on Microsoft.com? Is it a Microsoft Store sales phone #?

I called Microsoft a few minutes ago, and they said ...

EDIT- I called back, ...

 

[DJG]

Doesn't the double-install method mean anybody can do an upgrade without a previous qualifying version? Or did I miss anything?

 

[SIW2]

Yes, that is exactly what it means.

Not really the spirit of the thing though, is it?

 

[SIW2]

In theory, the only difference between upgrade and Retail is you either need to show the installer another windows dvd- or do the double install.

If you have Retail version of Vista already - presumably after doing the upgrade , the Retail status remains.

You should be able to move it to another machine if needed.

Since the upgrade does not appear to check the current product key - the same will apply to current oem installs.

Again , this might not be the spirit of the thing - but MS are fully aware of it and have decided to do it that way.

I guess they decided people buying a stand alone o/s are enthusisats and will buy Win 8 in 3yrs anyway - they are not concerned if a mobo needs to be replaced, or a major machine upgrade is done.

 

[Shine]

Why would anyone bother ordering the full version if just double installing the upgrade does the same thing for less money?

I have a windows XP home OEM disk and was considering upgrading to Windows 7 Pro but it doesn't sound like this was a allowable upgrade path.

I would hate to order the Windows 7 upgrade only to find out MS puts a stop to the double install method because they feel its getting abused by people who haven't previously paid for the disk.

 

[DJG]

I'm in the reverse sitch - I have 2 XP Pro x64 installs and want to turn them to Win 7 Home Premium. I guess I can do that with the double install. Hell, after how many leaked build installs, what's a couple more for the real thang ...

 

[masterB]

I'm in the reverse sitch - I have 2 XP Pro x64 installs and want to turn them to Win 7 Home Premium. I guess I can do that with the double install. Hell, after how many leaked build installs, what's a couple more for the real thang ...

You got that right!

 

[grouchpunk08]

What is the phone #? Where did you get it from on Microsoft.com? Is it a Microsoft Store sales phone #?

Yeah go to microsoft.com and then click the link that says contact us. Its in there

 

[grouchpunk08]

Do an in-place upgrade from within the existing OS (i.e. upgrade over the top), or the preferred option of booting the upgrade media, using the upgrade key, it sees the existing vista partition and lets you carry on, you format the partition and clean install into it.

If you subsequently want to reinstall clean again, now your existing windows 7 partition will count when you do a disc boot with the upgrade key, format, clean install.

If you replace the laptop drive with a new blank one, you can install 7 twice to do a clean install with upgrade media.

Exactly right

 

[grouchpunk08]

I'm in the same situation, except I downloaded (readily available if you know where to look) Vista installation media as I felt the need to have an installation disk handy in order to be able to do repair installs and startup repairs.

Anyway, at the very least, the dual install W7 method (clean install W7 w/o key, then do an upgrade install from w/i the newly installed but unactivated w7 w/ a valid W7 key) should work for people who don't have Vista installation media, as was already explained in several recent threads. If that turns out to be true then I don't see this upgrade process as being a problem or sucking, in any respect.

I, for one, would gladly suffer the inconvenience of having to install W7 twice in a row (an extra hour or so of time) to save the amount of money one can save by purchasing a discounted upgrade version instead of the full version and appreciate MS making this money saving method of obtaining a legal copy of W7 available.

Even without the original vista DVD, as long as you still have your vista partition installed, you can do an in place upgrade from within vista using the upgrade 7 dvd and choose clean install. It will see you have vista installed, and never ask you for the Vista DVD, as it will have already confirmed you are eligible for upgrade key activation

 

[harpua]

Even without the original vista DVD, as long as you still have your vista partition installed, you can do an in place upgrade from within vista using the upgrade 7 dvd and choose clean install. It will see you have vista installed, and never ask you for the Vista DVD, as it will have already confirmed you are eligible for upgrade key activation

My understanding (which might be wrong) is that is correct unless the upgrade path to 7 from the particular installed version of Vista happens to not be supported. For example, Vista Business to 7 Home Premium (which makes no sense since V. Bus is more expensive than the supported alternative anyway). So in that case, don't know whether it would even ask for Vista installation media and I think the double install method might still be required.

 

[grouchpunk08]

Yeah if your trying an unsupported upgrade path then yeah the double install of 7 would be the technique to use

 

[harpua]

I just am praying that that method, in fact, will still work when the RTM is released.

 

[grouchpunk08]

I just am praying that that method, in fact, will still work when the RTM is released.

Well being that MS put that method in there purposefully, as others and mods have said in other threads, I fully believe it will still be a working method

 

[K3VL4R]

This all upgrade thing sucks...I don't have the previous OS dvd...I didn't received one, I only had a recovery partition on my laptop. Any word on how the upgrade works on Notebooks that came with OEM Windows Vista and no DVD?

Most OEMs just buy bulk licenses instead of a bunch of OEM disks. That is why you did not get the disk with your computer. As I see it though if you have a Vista sticker on your computer containing a valid key then you are legally entitled to have in your posession the install media as well. Then you can save some time and use the single install method with a format and the Vista disk.

 

[harpua]

I certainly intend to try that first.

 

[grouchpunk08]

Most OEMs just buy bulk licenses instead of a bunch of OEM disks. That is why you did not get the disk with your computer. As I see it though if you have a Vista sticker on your computer containing a valid key then you are legally entitled to have in your posession the install media as well. Then you can save some time and use the single install method with a format and the Vista disk.

I've heard that if you didnt recieve an install disk, you can call your PC manufacturer and request one, and they kinda hafta send you one. Even if they didn't, you can run the upgrade 7 disk inside of vista, and make it format before it installs 7 after it confirms upgrade eligibility

 

[DJG]

Most OEMs just buy bulk licenses instead of a bunch of OEM disks. That is why you did not get the disk with your computer. As I see it though if you have a Vista sticker on your computer containing a valid key then you are legally entitled to have in your posession the install media as well. Then you can save some time and use the single install method with a format and the Vista disk.

Lenovo seems to work that way. They do include a utility to create the installation CDs / DVD and it only allows you to do so once. I used it to create my XP Pro install disc, which ended up being a bunch of CDs then I realized I could have created it as one DVD. When I tried to do that I got the brush off "Sorry, only one to a customer!"

 

[K3VL4R]

Lenovo seems to work that way. They do include a utility to create the installation CDs / DVD and it only allows you to do so once. I used it to create my XP Pro install disc, which ended up being a bunch of CDs then I realized I could have created it as one DVD. When I tried to do that I got the brush off "Sorry, only one to a customer!"

Yeah that does suck. But like it was posted above, contact Lenovo and tell them that they are responsible for providing an authentic installation disk. Google some stuff to use as ammo if you think they will give you a hard time but I don't think you will if you explain to them you are an OS enthusiast and that the bunch of cd's you got lying around are a real hassle.

But as far as Win 7 goes you cannot upgrade from XP anyway, so you might as well get your hands on a Vista disk as you do not need a Vista key only the disk to perform the clean install from the upgrade disk.

 

[grouchpunk08]

Yeah that does suck. But like it was posted above, contact Lenovo and tell them that they are responsible for providing an authentic installation disk. Google some stuff to use as ammo if you think they will give you a hard time but I don't think you will if you explain to them you are an OS enthusiast and that the bunch of cd's you got lying around are a real hassle.

But as far as Win 7 goes you cannot upgrade from XP anyway, so you might as well get your hands on a Vista disk as you do not need a Vista key only the disk to perform the clean install from the upgrade disk.

I'm pretty sure that microsoft stating no upgrade path from xp to 7 means that they cant do non-clean install upgrade. Substituting an XP disk for a vista disk during the 7 install process would work, and choosing upgrade from inside XP and choosing clean install would work.