Full or upgrade??

[MoodyBlue]

Hi, I'm new.

And I wanted to ask, I'm planning on upgrading to windows 7 wednesday and my current laptop already have XP installed as the default operating system. So when I upgrade to windows 7, will I need to purchase the full version or just the upgrade version?

 

[Ztruker]

Upgrade from XP is supported, but you will need to do a Custom (Clean with format) install.

 

[MoodyBlue]

Thanks for answering

 

[richc46]

The best way to do the upgrade is


. When you reactivate, do not give your number and uncheck the box asking for an automatic activation. Once activated, use the compter, install your programs, enjoy for up to 30 days. When you are certain and everything is to your liking, activate then. You will activate with a touch tone phone, if initially it does not work. If there are further problems, you will be elevated to a person, who will validate your number and you will be all set. Now the most important part, follow Tews inst and make that system image. Put is on a separate hard drive and update once a month or so. Now regaradeless of any problems you may have; you will not have to validate or install your programs again. You can just use the image to reinstall. Go and enjoy

 

[Wishmaster]

just hunt down all the drivers you can from the PCs manufacterer for Win7 (32 or 64bit) and burn them to a disc just to be safe.


Chipset/LAN/Video etc ..

Dont forget to save any important things you want to keep to a disc as well


Then just grab the Win7 upgrade, delete all from the HD, do a clean install (following richc46's instructions) and enjoy

 

[MoodyBlue]

I also have another question, my laptop is a Toshiba and when I purchased it, I recieved a system recovery CD with it, can that still be used if I need to or won't it no longer work and will I need a different system recovery CD?

 

[MattRainier]

It depends...if you bought the computer fairly recently (1-2 years), then your recovery CD may very well be for Windows Vista - I know a friend of mine had that happen.

 

[richc46]

When you are up and running make a system image. There is an option to also make a boot disc. That is all you will need. Before you start you can use the free paragon software to make a back up. You will be ok. You do not need the DVD that came with the computer.

Many here use Paragon and its free.


http://www.paragon-software.com/home/db-express/

 

[gregrocker]

You can use those Vista factory recovery disks if you ever decide to sell the PC and keep your Win7 retail copy for another machine.

Since you have the recov disks, you can delete the Recov partition if it is there. Boot from the Win7 DVD, select Custom install, use Drive Options to delete all, create new partition(s) as you wish, then format before installing Win7 to first partition after 100mb boot partition it will offer.

The installer is mostly driver-complete, more will arrive via Windows Updates. Any drivers then missing in Device Manager can be found if you back up now your Vista windows/system32/drivers folder to browse to later from the the device missing it's driver in Device Manager.