Going from XP to Windows 7

[wsplawn]

I just want to make sure I have this right. This is my understanding:

You cannot purchase a Windows 7 Upgrade CD, and use it to do a fresh install of Windows 7. You will not be able to activate Windows 7 under these conditions. Going from Windows XP to Windows 7 requires a full version of Windows 7.

Is this correct?

 

[Brink]

Hello wsplawn,

You can do a clean install with a Upgrade Windows 7, but not if all you have is Windows XP and not Vista, then you will need to do a Custom Install with a upgrade or full version of Windows 7 to be meet the EULA agreement and be legal. Be sure to backup anything that you do not want to lose instead.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1818-upgrade-install-windows-7-a.html

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[gregrocker]

You can use an UPgrade disk to do a Custom install XP to Windows 7.

You just have to do a Custom install either from boot or the XP desktop.

It will scan the HDD and see the prior OS, then allow you to give your key and activate.

 

[wsplawn]

Well, I don't mean to complain but it appears even Microsft technicians are not clear on this. I spoke with a tech support person yesterday and was told it will install but you will not be able to activate it. I asked the question (politely), what good will that do?

I asked because I couldn't figure out how Win 7 was going to figure out whether I was elegible or not. In the past it was very simple, if you were doing a fresh install, which I am, the OS would pause and ask you to put in your original CD. After asking this question several different times, and getting several differnt answers, it's still not clear (at least to me) how Win 7 upgrade actually handles it.

I upgraded to Win 7 last week. My first try, I used an upgrade version of Win 7, but eventually forgot that and did the install from a full version. I'm going from XP to Win 7. I booted off the disk and told it to do a custom install. It told me it was moving XP to a directory on my hard drive called XP old but that I wouldn't be able to use it. What is that supposed to mean? One of the reasons I want to do a clean install is to free up disk space and I have no need for XP on a new Win 7 machine (it seems to me) especailly if I can't use it.

Microsoft does so many things in a clear and lucid way, I wonder why this hasn't been made eaiser to understand. I did not mis-understand my (out of the country) MS person yesterday. I asked the question several different ways and was told XP did not qualify for the upgrade, it would install but not activate.

Now Greg is saying just the opposite. I thank Greg for responding but how do you know what is authoritative? Even though my install (full version) is up and running, I ask the question because I may have to help others in the future and I need to be able to give them correct information on costs.

Thank you again for responding.

 

[Brink]

wsplawn,

You can read more about it in the link below, but you can do a clean install from a retail Upgrade Windows 7 copy. It's just that you must have Vista installed if you wanted to do a in-place upgrade instead of a clean install. When you have XP installed, you cannot do a in-place upgrade, but can do a Custom install to have all of your XP into the OLD folder so you can copy your user files that you want back afterwards. Technically, you can still do a clean install after formating XP though.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/31402-clean-install-upgrade-windows-7-version.html

 

[gregrocker]

Well, I don't mean to complain but it appears even Microsft technicians are not clear on this. I spoke with a tech support person yesterday and was told it will install but you will not be able to activate it. I asked the question (politely), what good will that do?

I asked because I couldn't figure out how Win 7 was going to figure out whether I was elegible or not. In the past it was very simple, if you were doing a fresh install, which I am, the OS would pause and ask you to put in your original CD. After asking this question several different times, and getting several differnt answers, it's still not clear (at least to me) how Win 7 upgrade actually handles it.

I upgraded to Win 7 last week. My first try, I used an upgrade version of Win 7, but eventually forgot that and did the install from a full version. I'm going from XP to Win 7. I booted off the disk and told it to do a custom install. It told me it was moving XP to a directory on my hard drive called XP old but that I wouldn't be able to use it. What is that supposed to mean? One of the reasons I want to do a clean install is to free up disk space and I have no need for XP on a new Win 7 machine (it seems to me) especailly if I can't use it.

Microsoft does so many things in a clear and lucid way, I wonder why this hasn't been made eaiser to understand. I did not mis-understand my (out of the country) MS person yesterday. I asked the question several different ways and was told XP did not qualify for the upgrade, it would install but not activate.

Now Greg is saying just the opposite. I thank Greg for responding but how do you know what is authoritative? Even though my install (full version) is up and running, I ask the question because I may have to help others in the future and I need to be able to give them correct information on costs.

Thank you again for responding.

When you run the Win7 Custom install from the desktop, it overwrites XP placing ALL files from XP into windows.old folder. After you redistribute the files you want, you can delete it and it is as if it was never there.

If you don't want the windows.old folder at all, then boot from the Win7 installer and do a custom install, which will also allow you to Delete existing partition(s), Create New one(s) and Format - something that can only be done by booting the installer.

XP definitely qualifies for using an Upgrade disk but cannot be done as an "in-place Upgrade," you must choose Custom - that is the distinction the MS person was making. Here is the MS tutorial on how to do it: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd446674(WS.10).aspx

 

[Lykele]

Well, for what it's worth here is what I did yesterday.

I had Window XP on drive C:\ and a blank secondary drive D:\. I used the Windows 7 Home Premium. My goal was to leave XP exactly as it is and a clean install on D:\ with Windows 7.

Before booting from the DVD I physically unplugged the Windows XP drive. Cable and power. I selected Custom install on the blank drive. Not once did Windows 7 ask for my Windows XP original CD and, of course, it couldn't see it on the disconnected drive. It installed fine. Surprised the hell out of me!

However, I did run into a problem when I put in my Product Key. It said it was invalid. So I called Microsoft. Little did I realize that if I left the Product Key entry field blank, it continued on with the setup. Of course, I still had to activate.

Microsoft walked me through the steps of correcting the activation. And now everything is fine.

When Microsoft walked me through the steps they sounded kinda familiar. What the steps were is method #2 at this site. Change registry, do the slmgr step, then changed the product id with the same number that was not accepted before.

http://www.winsupersite.com/win7/clean_install_upgrade_media.asp

Not sure if this information will help anyone, but thought I'd pass it along as a way of saying thanks to the information I got off this forum.

Jim

 

[gregrocker]

MS upgrade installer hasn't asked for qualifying OS key since XP release.

It rejected your key because as you say it couldnt see an OS when the Installer was scanning the drives right after bootup. If you had left your XP drive connected, it would have seen it on the other drive and allowed your key, however you would also have a dual boot.

You have the best situation now, Jim, since you can select with Bios shortcut key to boot into XP when you want to go there, for as long as you want XP around. Many who did dual boot are already wanting to back out, and it is not always easy.

 

[Lykele]

And a reason for my success, gregrocker, is the information you provided me in another post. I appreciate your help.

Jim

 

[wsplawn]

In the case where Windows 7 leaves a copy of your xp on the your boot drive, is it possible to get around that? Or, after installing Win 7 can you delete all the XP stuff without any ramifications?

What I want is a clean install of Win 7, using an Upgrade CD, without any extra space being taken up on my drive by old XP stuff.

 

[gregrocker]

In the case where Windows 7 leaves a copy of your xp on the your boot drive, is it possible to get around that? Or, after installing Win 7 can you delete all the XP stuff without any ramifications?

What I want is a clean install of Win 7, using an Upgrade CD, without any extra space being taken up on my drive by old XP stuff.

Then get the cleanest possible install, by booting from the Win7 Upgrade installer, choosing Custom then Advanced tools: Delete your XP partition and any others you don't want, create new one(s), then format and install.

The Upgrade installer will scan your disk when it first boots up and see the XP to allow you to insert your key and later activate when you get online at Computer>Properties activation link.

 

[wsplawn]

>The Upgrade installer will scan your disk when it first boots up and see the XP to >allow you to insert your key and later activate when you get online at >Computer>Properties activation link.

Greg,

Are you saying that Windows 7 gets it in its brain that you have XP on your machine, the very first time you boot from the upgrade CD, and retains this information in it's brain, even though you've deleted the XP partition?

What happens if there is a problem with the install and you've deleted your XP and you have to do it again?

 

[gregrocker]

Not exactly. My point is that if you have XP on the hard drive, then you don't necessarily have to start the clean install from XP, but can get a cleaner install by booting from the Upgrade installer so that you can delete and format your XP. If you do this, then the installer has the ability to see the XP when it scans the HDD at first boot up. It then passes a flag that allows you to insert your product key and later activate, even it you delete and format the XP during this process.

If you already have a wiped hard drive, then you need to do a workaround that allow you to install the Upgrade on a clean HDD: http://www.winsupersite.com/win7/clean_install_upgrade_media.asp This is perfectly legal as long as you have a qualifying XP or Vista OS which is then no longer usable. Just keep the qualifying key with your Upgrade key in case the question should ever arise during reinstallation and reactivation..

However reinstalls will never again be necessary if you create a Backup Image stored externally, using Win7 Backup & REstore center. By just booting from the INstaller and choosing Repair my Computer>Recover from an Image you can reimage your HDD (or a replacement) in 15 minutes flawlessly.