New homebuilt PC, W7 transfering issues

[ozba]

About a year ago, I installed W7 Ultimate on my current PC with a 32bit Student Upgrade disk. It had XP before that. Now Im building a new PC with new parts, except for HDD which I'm going to keep. The question is, how to transfer the OS to my new PC? I was told when I got the disk that it has 3 installs. It however only has one serial code on the back.

So, if its possible, what's the best method? Also what about my HDD, should I make a backup and format it? I'd rathet start with a 'clean' hard drive, I already got all the importantnthings safe.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Do you mean Product Key rather than serial code? Should be 25 characters in groups of 5, like xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxxx-xxxxx.

I'd assume the same Product Key would work for the additional installs. I'm not familiar with the details of those 3-packs, but if it states it's good for 3 PCs, I don't see why you should have a problem. If you had a single OEM license, you would have to buy another since you are changing motherboards.

If you want to "start with a clean hard drive", just backup your personal data and then boot from the install disc. When you come to the partitioning screen, look for "drive options, advanced". Take that choice and then delete all partitions at the next screen. Windows will then delete existing partitions and reformat the drive.

You don't have to reformat the drive separately beforehand. Just let the installer do it after you delete the existing partitions.

You're not really "transferring" anything other than your data. You're just doing a new installation.

 

[ozba]

Do you mean Product Key rather than serial code? Should be 25 characters in groups of 5, like xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxxx-xxxxx.

I'd assume the same Product Key would work for the additional installs. I'm not familiar with the details of those 3-packs, but if it states it's good for 3 PCs, I don't see why you should have a problem. If you had a single OEM license, you would have to buy another since you are changing motherboards.

If you want to "start with a clean hard drive", just backup your personal data and then boot from the install disc. When you come to the partitioning screen, look for "drive options, advanced". Take that choice and then delete all partitions at the next screen. Windows will then delete existing partitions and reformat the drive.

You don't have to reformat the drive separately beforehand. Just let the installer do it after you delete the existing partitions.

You're not really "transferring" anything other than your data. You're just doing a new installation.

Thanks for your reply.

Since its an upgrade disk, it says pre-existing OS license required. Does the w7 installation for my old motherboard qualify as a pre-existing OS license?

If it helps, the disk basicly looks like this.

 

[Sir George]

Do you mean Product Key rather than serial code? Should be 25 characters in groups of 5, like xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxxx-xxxxx.

I'd assume the same Product Key would work for the additional installs. I'm not familiar with the details of those 3-packs, but if it states it's good for 3 PCs, I don't see why you should have a problem. If you had a single OEM license, you would have to buy another since you are changing motherboards.

If you want to "start with a clean hard drive", just backup your personal data and then boot from the install disc. When you come to the partitioning screen, look for "drive options, advanced". Take that choice and then delete all partitions at the next screen. Windows will then delete existing partitions and reformat the drive.

You don't have to reformat the drive separately beforehand. Just let the installer do it after you delete the existing partitions.

You're not really "transferring" anything other than your data. You're just doing a new installation.

Thanks for your reply.

Since its an upgrade disk, it says pre-existing OS license required. Does the w7 installation for my old motherboard qualify as a pre-existing OS license?

If it helps, the disk basicly looks like this.

To answer your question, " Does the w7 installation for my old motherboard qualify as a pre-existing OS license?", no.

See the following link for a fresh install with upgrade disks

http://www.tomschaefer.org/web/wordpress/?p=782

HTH

 

[ignatzatsonic]

I'm not familiar with that exact type of disk.

Do you or don't you see a 25 character Product Key as in my first post? Is that what you blocked out on that left hand pic?

"Upgrade" disks typically require you to own a qualifying OS as that message you got states. For a retail customer, that would mean effectively "do you own a legit Vista or XP license". I suspect you are qualified on PC 2 if you were qualified on PC 1, but there may be some weird nuance on those student 3-packs of which I'm unaware.

 

[ozba]

I'm not familiar with that exact type of disk.

Do you or don't you see a 25 character Product Key as in my first post? Is that what you blocked out on that left hand pic?

"Upgrade" disks typically require you to own a qualifying OS as that message you got states. For a retail customer, that would mean effectively "do you own a legit Vista or XP license". I suspect you are qualified on PC 2 if you were qualified on PC 1, but there may be some weird nuance on those student 3-packs of which I'm unaware.

Oh, sorry for not answering your question, yeah, I ment the product key and that's not my picture. And I was qualified with my current PC since it had XP installed, it allowed me to do a clean install.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

I'm not familiar with that exact type of disk.

Do you or don't you see a 25 character Product Key as in my first post? Is that what you blocked out on that left hand pic?

"Upgrade" disks typically require you to own a qualifying OS as that message you got states. For a retail customer, that would mean effectively "do you own a legit Vista or XP license". I suspect you are qualified on PC 2 if you were qualified on PC 1, but there may be some weird nuance on those student 3-packs of which I'm unaware.

Oh, sorry for not answering your question, yeah, I ment the product key and that's not my picture. And I was qualified with my current PC since it had XP installed, it allowed me to do a clean install.

I have done similar upgrades----changing most hardware, keeping a piece or two. I had to reactivate, but it was painless. And I have only 1 retail license, not a 3 pack.

The possible fly in your ointment: that 3 pack you have is considered similarly to OEM rather than retail. That might force you to use one of your remaining 2 licenses, rather than the first one.

A "retail" license entitles you to install on unlimited PCs---but only one at a time. OEM licenses are restricted to one motherboard.

Your student 3 pack may have some oddball requirements. I would think the worst case would be that you have to use one of your remaining licenses, but hopefully you can get an authoritative answer from someone else.

 

[ozba]

Right, is there anything I should do to prepare my HDD before the reformat/w7 install?

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Right, is there anything I should do to prepare my HDD before the reformat/w7 install?

Not really.

I assume you intend to do a clean install. Just back up your data to some other drive and make sure that you have only one hard drive connected when you begin the install.

Look for "drive options/advanced" when you get to the screen asking about where you want to install Windows. Delete all partitions at the next screen.

You should end up with a small System Reserved partition and a large C covering the rest of the drive.

You don't have to format the drive--Windows does it automatically after you delete the partitions.

 

[gregrocker]

There is no Student 3 pack. Instead of repeating rumors your heard about only getting three installs, why not ask us here where these questions actually get answered instead of rumors spread?

The Student Upgrade version requires you have a qualifying XP or Vista which either came preinstalled on the machine or a retail copy which can also migrate to the machine of your choice. Otherwise you can move it wherever you want and reinstall as often as you want.

If there is no qualifying OS on the HD during install, the installer will not see an OS and refuse the product key during install. The solution is to leave the Product Key blank and then after install do one of the workarounds given in this tutorial which governs your edition of Win7: Clean Install with a Upgrade Windows 7 Version. Easiest is the registry edit; set a Restore Point first.