License question for a Win7 clean install on a WinXP system

[desertdad]

I'm not sure if this is the right forum for this question and I apologize if it is not. Please feel free to transfer it to a more appropriate one.
I'm planning on doing a clean install of Win7 on a Dell Inspiron 530 running WinXP and I have a license question. The Service Tag says xxxx and Dell tells me it is a WinXP system. I have the Product Key and Product ID but no restore disks. The label on the system unit says it is a Windows VISTA Ultimate OEMAct from DELL. The label is still readable (system is 2009 vintage) so I have a VISTA Product Key. The Service Tag and Express Service Code from the label matches the Dell WinXP records. I have a Dell reinstall disk for VISTA. Do I have to purchase a retail Win7 package to do a clean install? I think I can use the Product Key for VISTA from the label for the clean install of Win7. Is that true? I don't think the Vista system has ever been installed or activated. All of the Dell paperwork and online info say the system is a WinXP system. I have run the MS app to confirm the system will run Win7.

 

[Brink]

Hello desertdad, and welcome to Seven Forums.

You could purchase and use either an upgrade or full retail/OEM version of Windows 7 if you like, but you will have to use the product key that came with the purchased Windows 7 instead. A Vista or XP key will not activate Windows 7.

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

OR

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

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[SandeepP]

I'm not sure if this is the right forum for this question and I apologize if it is not. Please feel free to transfer it to a more appropriate one.
I'm planning on doing a clean install of Win7 on a Dell Inspiron 530 running WinXP and I have a license question. The Service Tag says xxxx and Dell tells me it is a WinXP system. I have the Product Key and Product ID but no restore disks. The label on the system unit says it is a Windows VISTA Ultimate OEMAct from DELL. The label is still readable (system is 2009 vintage) so I have a VISTA Product Key. The Service Tag and Express Service Code from the label matches the Dell WinXP records. I have a Dell reinstall disk for VISTA. Do I have to purchase a retail Win7 package to do a clean install? I think I can use the Product Key for VISTA from the label for the clean install of Win7. Is that true? I don't think the Vista system has ever been installed or activated. All of the Dell paperwork and online info say the system is a WinXP system. I have run the MS app to confirm the system will run Win7.

Hi desertdad,

Welcome to Seven forums.

Please send me your service tag on a private message so I can check what operating system was ship with. It might be possible you received a system with XP installed and we provided free upgrade to Vista as there were alot of customer who got free upgrade from us.

And no matter if you have a product key for XP or Vista, if you are planning to upgrade to Windows 7 then you need to purchase the upgrade.

Hope this helps. If you have any further queries, please feel free to contact us.

 

[strollin]

The fact that you have a valid Vista license entitles you to use the upgrade version (generally costs less). Just follow Brink's tutorial that he linked to above to use the upgrade media to do a clean install of Win 7.