Solved upgrade dvd installing 32-bit win7 instead of 64-bit

[julvar]

I have a lenovo laptop that originally came with 64-bit Vista.
I got the win7 home premium upgrade in the mail. and I chose the 'upgrade' option (as opposed to the 'clean' install)
so, until a few hours ago, I had win7 home premium 64-bit on my laptop. I had issues with my video and when i talked to lenovo support a few months ago, they told me to do a clean install.
I had some time on my hands today, so I decided to do a clean install. I had the product key but I lost the ugrade dvd that lenovo had sent me.

so, I used a win7 pro x64 dvd that I had from work. I figured as long as i have my own product key, it shouldn't really matter. It installed fine... but unfortunately, it wouldn't take my product key. said something like 'does not match product sku'. i tried it both during the install as well as after the install.

so then, I used a win7 home premium upgrade dvd that i got with my parent's toshiba laptop (same kind of deal - vista 64-bit to win7 home premium 64-bit). the dvd label said 'This disc contains 32-bit and 64-bit software'
During the install, it never asked me if i wanted 32-bit or 64-bit.
but after the install, I realized that it had installed the 32-bit win7 home premium!
I went thru the whole thing again.. and it installed the 32 bit version again!

how do i get it to install the 64 bit version?
or does anyone have any other kind of solution to my problem?

thanks!

 

[Bill2]

1) Your home premium key didnt work with the pro disk because product keys are SKU (edition) specific.

2) Pre-manufactured dvds are either 32 bit or 64 bit but never both. The toshiba disk you used was likely a 32 bit disk, hence your install is 32 bit.

You need to either call Lenovo and get them to send you a 64 bit disk (for a small price) or borrow from a friend or look around on the internet for a clean iso. Best course would be to call Lenovo. However, if you still have that 64 bit work dvd, you can make a universal disk out of it that'll unlock all editions including home premium, then use your own key to activate.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/85813-windows-7-universal-installation-disc-create.html

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

 

[julvar]

thanks for your response. I think i figured out what caused this whole mess.
the 64-bit work dvd was labeled wrong... it was actually 32 bit!
and once i had a 32-bit version on the laptop, the upgrade dvd kept automatically upgrading to a 32bit version.

i am going to download a 64 bit win7 iso file (god knows how long that is gonna take!)
do you by any chance have a link to a fast bandwidth 64-bit iso?

 

[Bill2]

do you by any chance have a link to a fast bandwidth 64-bit iso?

Afraid not.

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Hello julvar, welcome to Seven Forums!


The forum rules don't allow for the posting of download links.

I would suggest that after you have copied out or made back-ups of the data you need to save to external media you use Step One of this tutorial at the link below to do a wipe (secure erase) to the entire Hard Disk Drive, running this then using the outline in Step Two #2 to create and format a single 100GB partition using diskpart will get you a clean all and a chkdsk /r for the best possible space to install Windows 7 to.

Be sure to post back with any further questions you may have and to keep us informed.

   Information

After you have made backups of everything you care to save and you want to do a real wipe "clean all" to the Hard Disk Drive (HDD) have a look at this tutorial at the link below, it over-writes everything, all the old Windows code including all the old Windows drivers, giving you the best possible space to install Windows 7 to; it goes hand-in-hand with a clean install.

SSD / HDD : Optimize for Windows Reinstallation

How to Do a Clean Installation with Windows 7

Do a Clean Install with a Upgrade Windows 7 Version

​

 

[gregrocker]

Unlock the 64 bit DVD you have by extracting the ISO using ImgBurn, running the ei.cfg removal tool, then burning an all-versions DVD using ImgBurn at 4x speed. This is what Bill2 suggested awhile back.

Then install your licensed version with Product Key.

Ei.cfg Removal Utility Lets You Use Any Product Key With Your Windows 7 Disc

 

[julvar]

thank you

thank you everyone!
I got the right iso and was able to activate it just fine... phew!

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Hello again.



Good to see you got it running and thanks for the update.