Installation questions - student discount download

[stryker1138]

To start, I've been browsing this forum for a good while now, and it's been extremely informative. However, on the eve of the big event, I have a few concerns.

I am currently running Windows Vista Home Premium 32 bit. I purchased Windows 7 Professional 64 bit through the student discount program. I've backed up all the files I want to keep and was planning to do a clean installation tomorrow. However, what seemed like a clear-cut plan has been confused by what I've been reading in some other topics on this forum. I know upgrading from 32 bit to 64 bit or from Home Premium to Professional requires a clean installation, but now I'm not so sure how to go about that. With the product I purchased (I only paid for the download, not the backup disc), how exactly would I complete the upgrade?

My ultimate goal is to completely wipe the hard drive and start anew with a fresh installation of 64 bit Windows 7 Professional. I don't want to set up any partitions at this time. I have the original Vista installation disc, a few blank DVDs (4.5 GB and dual layer), and an 80 GB iPod for backing up files. Can I simply burn the 7 iso to a DVD and to a clean install directly from that, as I originally thought? If so, are there any downsides to installing over Vista? Or will I have to reformat the hard drive with the Vista disc, reinstall 64-bit Vista, then upgrade to 7 on top of that?

 

[myzr7]

Welcome to SevenForums stryker,
You can do the download to your vista. Then burn the iso file to a dvd 4.5 gb is fine. Then do a upgrade install follow the tutorial.you will be able to select a custom install once you get started with the upgrade. Ipod for backing up is fine. you can access the tutorials on this to follow along to make sure you do it right. The link I will give you will tell you what you need to know. Remember you can do a clean custom install with a upgrade disk. Look for upgrade install and go with the xp instructions. Also a tut for burning your iso. Good luck to you
http://www.sevenforums.com/installa...ck-reference-list-installing-windows-7-a.html