Unable to follow install tutorial

[slide]

I built a new system and installed XP 32 initially not having bought an OEM OS with the new components. Later I added Win 7 7100 64 bit as a dual boot. Liking Win 7, I removed the dual boot hard disk and installed a new hard disk of 1 TB. The old hard disk will be used as an external backup drive later on.

I installed Win 7 7100 64 bit clean onto the fresh new hard drive (now the only one in the computer). I added programs, etc and have been using that for a few months with perfect satisfaction.

I recently bought a commercial OEM version of Win 7 Ultimate to upgrade my 7100 'demo' Win 7 to a full version. My plan is to upgrade my 7100 to my new product code. That's all I want to do but I can't seem to

I read the tutorials on this site about upgrading or repairing only. I can't get Setup to Upgrade. I get an error message saying I can't upgrade from XP directly that I need to run Custom setup.

What? There never has been any XP on this hard drive. The only OS has been Win 7 7100 64. I definitely do NOT wish to go through installing all my programs AGAIN with the hassles of activation. Last time I did this I had a fight with both MSFT Office and Adobe about activation. I do not wish to have this same fight / long telephone holds to re-activate again.

Is there some way to force an Upgrade or just poke my OEM product key into my current running version of 7100? Given the number of 7100's out there, I"m pretty surprised that there doesn't seem to be a way for me to move from 7100 to OEM commercial in one quick and easy step.

 

[torrentg]

It doesn't seem so by your post, but was the new Win 7 drive ever connected to the system at the same time as the original dual boot drive?

Try from elevated command prompt:

sfc /scannow

When it finishes, then attempt upgrade.

 

[slide]

Thanks. I'll try that. The new Win 7 drive never has existed in the same system as the dual boot drive. Can you please elaborate on what is an elevated command prompt? Thanks.

I'm assuming I must boot to console session to run sfc.

**********************************

OK. I did the sfc and it ran w/o errors. Setup now claims it cannot upgrade this pre-release version of Win 7. So setup is now properly identifying the OS, but in the end, it's still no joy for me.

What bothers me is that I played entirely by the rules. I d/l and eval'd Win 7. I then bought at retail, the OEM version I was entitled to as a system builder. Yet I'm being gigged by MSFT to redo the entire setup for my machine. Re-installing programs, even if system restore woks (which I'm not entirely counting upon) is a full day of tedium.

Had I known that I'd be treated to THREE setups of Win 7:

1. Initial dual boot
2. 'Final' single boot all Win 7 system on fresh hard disk
3. Custom setup demanded due to #2 not being upgradable

I doubt I'd have started down the Win 7 path. This just stinks.

Can anyone here suggest a method whereby I can upgrade my 7100 to OEM? Both are Ultimate. Thanks.

 

[torrentg]

Elevated means run it as administrator. If you running already as do 999 of 1000 users, don't worry about it. Just open the command prompt and let it do its thing with that command.

If you are not admin, right click on the shortcut and choose "run as administrator"

 

[slide]

Thx, Torrentg. Per my edited post, I did run it and now have encountered a slightly different problem. Can you please re read my edited post and if you have a suggestion make it? Thanks.

 

[DocBrown]

Welcome to SevenForums slide

Do you have a 4gb USB Flash drive? Is your computer able to be set in Bios to Boot from a USB drive ?

There is a way to upgrade from RC7100 to OEM 7600 Ultimate, but it involves several changes. Plus there is always the possibility of upgrading somethings that may not work, therefore most prefer a clean install of the current OEM 7600.

Have you looked at Windows Easy Transfer yet ?

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/11470-windows-easy-transfer-transfer-computers.html?ltr=W

" Doc "

1500 posts

 

[torrentg]

Yes, as Doc says. There is a way. Users were doing it all the time and it was frequently discussed on the forum.

Doc: Congrats on the 1500!

 

[slide]

Thx, doc. My issue isn't settings but programs. Frex, I have both CS 4 32 and 64 from Adobe installed. I prefer not to hassle reinstalling them again plus the plethora of plugins I've bought over the years. I can say ditto MSFT Office as well as gosh knows how many other programs.

I can easily make a system image using my installed 7100 and then restore after the OEM Win 7 7600 is installed which will return me everything except the installed programs. Am I right on that?

Re-installing programs is tedious and time consuming. Re-installing programs from MSFT and Adobe among others is a screaming nightmare due to the activation demand. as last time I had to VOICE phone both to activate. The online activation failed due to my multiple Win 7 eval installs which were problematic due to one thing or another.

If either MSFT or Adobe or the others are peeking in, I'm not a dope. I have access to various pirate sites where I can just d/l and install cracked versions of your apps. I do not. Yet you guys kick me around as if I were some sort of arch pirate instead of a guy who's spend thousands on your software.

All I want here is to xfer my legitimate OEM product code to my current installed version of Win 7 which I legitimately d/l from MFST on MSFT's invitation. Now I feel like a sucker for bothering.

 

[MacGyvr]

Slide, I can tell you that you'll never be trouble free even if you manage to do the upgrade. The ONLY sane choice is a clean install of the OS and reinstall your programs. You'll spend hours trying to do the upgrade and then you'll have nothing but problems. Bite the bullet and get started on it now.

 

[torrentg]

Slide, I can tell you that you'll never be trouble free even if you manage to do the upgrade. The ONLY sane choice is a clean install of the OS and reinstall your programs. You'll spend hours trying to do the upgrade and then you'll have nothing but problems. Bite the bullet and get started on it now.

I normally keep quiet when I disagree on things, and also do not mind at all when I'm corrected when wrong. However, this is untrue.

Since last year, I have upgraded approximately 20 times between two machines during beta testing phase. There has been not one issue to speak of and in fact, both machines are still running from upgrade installs. My experience has been that it couldn't be any more perfect. We do have to consider that I'm an experienced user though, which helps to avoid errors.

I have always recommended upgrade for users that really want to keep settings/software.

 

[Snufffed]

The UPGRADE METHOD WORKS very well. I for one tested every version or Win7 (7000) all the way to (7600-RTM) as upgrade..
I even upgraded the Pro version release to Ultimate. (Not recommended for noobies). There were several options Beta Testers could use that are not RECOMMENDED for the average user.

The Upgrade method averaged 2h30m on most upgrades...
It is possible... If {Slide} wants to UPGRADE then I suggest he continue with the UPGRADE method.

torrentg I do understand your reasoning.
+1 for you.

 

[DocBrown]

Slide, I can tell you that you'll never be trouble free even if you manage to do the upgrade. The ONLY sane choice is a clean install of the OS and reinstall your programs. You'll spend hours trying to do the upgrade and then you'll have nothing but problems. Bite the bullet and get started on it now.

I normally keep quiet when I disagree on things, and also do not mind at all when I'm corrected when wrong. However, this is untrue.

Since last year, I have upgraded approximately 20 times between two machines during beta testing phase. There has been not one issue to speak of and in fact, both machines are still running from upgrade installs. My experience has been that it couldn't be any more perfect. We do have to consider that I'm an experienced user though, which helps to avoid errors.

I have always recommended upgrade for users that really want to keep settings/software.

I have to agree with torrentg, also

On this particular machine I am on right now has had numerous versions of Win7 Ultimate from the very early beta stages. I have had to do only one clean install when upgrading versions. I forgot which one, but I used the Windows Easy Transfer of 149gb of Progs, Pics, Docs, etc, to an external 1tb HD. Even with that the WET worked so well I did not have to re-install any programs or activate anything.

So experienced Geeks can do it

Search for the cversion.ini modicafication. It works, if things are done properly


" Doc "

 

[Dave76]

I also have to agree with torrentg, Snuffy and DocBrown,

Having used the upgrade several times, it's convenient and if anyone wants to use this method there is nothing wrong with installing an OS that way.
If they have a corrupt file or issue with the preceding OS it may or may not follow them to the new OS. This is their choice and they are the one that will be using the re-installed or new OS.
I would say the vast majority will have no issues with an upgrade installation.

If you are strongly in favor of the Clean/Custom install method you are definitely within your rights to suggest it. In my opinion, too many are too forceful (not intending this for the post in this thread, only generally) in their recommendation, explain your position and let the computer user make the choice.

Having said that, I tend to do more clean installs now, keeping my program installation files on an eSATA external HD makes installing them fast and much easier. Tools like Windows Easy Transfer also speed up this process considerably.

 

[slide]

Slide, I can tell you that you'll never be trouble free even if you manage to do the upgrade. The ONLY sane choice is a clean install of the OS and reinstall your programs. You'll spend hours trying to do the upgrade and then you'll have nothing but problems. Bite the bullet and get started on it now.

I hear you but am not understanding you. My 7100 is trouble free. I was told by MSFT that this is the RTM or gold version of the OS. Thus the thing I bought should be identical in all respects to my currently installed version. Is that correct or did MSFT pull a fast one on me when I decided to try Win 7?

I will promise you 100% that if I had been told that I'd need to install Win 7 7100 several times clean to get a good stable OS on the final drive I wished to have it on and then, after a few months, again install the OS clean, I'd have not d/l 7100 or bothered with all the installs before.

So rather than dwell on politics, can you please explain to me what are the differences between 7100 and the commercial DVD I just bought at retail? If there are differences, then why was 7100 called RTM?

 

[torrentg]

7100 is earlier beta RC, meaning Release Candidate.
7600 is RTM, meaning Release To Manufacturer.

There are little to no differences seen by user. Updates with drivers and stuff are main difference. Both are superb.

If you want to upgrade, do so.
If you want clean install, do so.
If you want to keep 7100 until expire, do so.

I think this post makes it as simple to understand as it can get.

 

[slide]

Thanks all. I got a pm from someone listing the details of the upgrade process. So that's solved more or less. Due to me moving from 7100 to 7600 Ultimate both times, the process is a bit more complex. So now I have a choice of poisons.

There is a customer experience issue left. I'm hardly the only person who d/l 7100. MSFT pushed this very hard in the spring and summer. Given the time it takes to run a clean install, I find it amazing that the company chose to kick its 'early experience' customers by demanding this much of their time and trouble.

Some have said that today MSFT has grown to be the IBM that it (more or less) displaced. I have worked with IBM and MSFT over the years. IBM may be the high priced leader, but it treated its customers well. As they say, nobody ever got fired for choosing IBM. I wish MSFT had that commitment to its customers.

 

[torrentg]

They do. That's why they made it slightly harder to upgrade in your position. It does avoid errors from noobs for the most part. If you can do the edit, then 1 step above noob. Win-win for everyone.

 

[DocBrown]

slide,

You are getting sound advice from Four (4) well experienced SevenForums Gurus

that have all accomplished a lot of installs & upgrades. The choice is yours :huh:

We just can't come to your place and do it for you, all we can do is guide you with

the best of our combined knowledge

" Doc "

 

[slide]

They do. That's why they made it slightly harder to upgrade in your position. It does avoid errors from noobs for the most part. If you can do the edit, then 1 step above noob. Win-win for everyone.

I can't agree. They made it impossible to upgrade using MSFT's resources. This board contains information to upgrade but that information isn't available from any MSFT sources.

When I got the error message I also got a link to microsoft.com. The page there explicitly said there is NO upgrade possible. It didn't say it's available for those who are one step above an idiot or anything similar.

Explain to me where the win part of your win-win is for those who don't happen to stumble onto this Board?

 

[slide]

slide,

You are getting sound advice from Four (4) well experienced SevenForums Gurus

that have all accomplished a lot of installs & upgrades. The choice is yours :huh:

We just can't come to your place and do it for you, all we can do is guide you with

the best of our combined knowledge

" Doc "

I have no complaints about the advice given me here or in the pm. My concern isn't with this Board but in MSFT's cavalier attitude toward those who bought into the Win 7 preview come on and then decided to buy the product.

I'm ok following the upgrade steps however most are not. They are not capable due to feeling queasy about taking steps outside the mfg's instructions or, for the huge majority, not finding a place like this Board with the information contained herein.

In the end, I don't have a quibble with this Board or the advice given me. Just the opposite. I'm[ grateful to this board and those who've contributed to this thread.

I do have a huge quibble that this information isn't avaiable at the MSFT site.