Solved Vista 32 to 7 64bit (bootsect good) error: incompatability

[litogeorge]

G'Day!

Redownloaded Vista 32bit original OS (on Parallels) - with original key. Worked like a charm.

Want to upgrade Vista to 7 Pro using a purchase I made online (pre MS online store) through Microsoft's Digital River link (email links from MS).

Download that, including Win7 installer, but that kept telling me: "the specified path is invalid". I redownloaded several times trying each new download, to no avail. Contacted MS who provided me with a fresh 64 bit download link. No go.

Then tried to use Win USB/DVD creator. Although I battled with the bootsect issue, I finally resolved that successfully and burned everything sucessfully to the USB. Great.

But, when I try to upgrade Vista to 7 Pro now, it tells me that "the version of this file is not compatible with the version of Windows you are running. Check your computers system information to see whether you need an X86 (32 bit) or or X64 (64 bit) version of the program, and the contact the software publisher."

I am running Parallels on a 2011 Mac, with 64bit architecture. Hoping for a quick resolve (thank goodness for SSD's - this could have taken days)

Tx, George

 

[derekimo]

Welcome to the forum,

If you are trying to do an upgrade install you cannot upgrade from 32 bit to 64 bit, you have to do a clean install.

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

 

[litogeorge]

This is super fantastic awesome news. Thank you derekimo - I'll provide feedback on the flipside.

Irony: Microsoft email support (over a period of 16 months constantly saying there's no way of doing that - just buy a new install....got some choice words for them now!)

 

[gregrocker]

Be sure to boot the installer to Custom Clean Install Windows 7 deleting all partitions using Drive Options depicted in Step 7. Then create your desired partitions to format, or just click Next and the installer will do it for you creating a small boot partition.

Other tips here to get a perfect install are the same as Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7

 

[litogeorge]

Done!

Thanks guys for super help.

Frustrating is the disconnect between "public" lines of help and the "official" line of help. Had more joy here in 30minutes than I've ever had at MS.

Appreciated - go well.

G

 

[derekimo]

We aim to please.

Did you get it resolved?

 

[litogeorge]

I did Derekimo - which is great.

However, I have another question that doesnt relate to bootsect at all:

My computer time is absolutely wacked out. I live in MST, and when I select MST as a time base, it is always one hour (or two if I deselect DST as an option).

In order to get the right time, I had to select EST to display the time correctly (which should be two hours of out of sync).

Any insight there? My computer base time is correct (the host of Parallels), as is the date, so I am unsure whats going on.

 

[derekimo]

Just searching around seems like it is a fairly common problem, I don't know if you've tried this yet,

KB Parallels: Time zone is not recognized automatically in Windows 7

 

[litogeorge]

Truthfully, I thought it was a Windows issue, so I didn't check Parallels knowledge base.

After doing all their suggestions (and more), none work.

Every time I reboot, restart the VM, the time reverts to one hour behind the proper time. Every time I select "sync with internet time", it corrects to what is proper for MST.

Reboot - restart - and it resets.

I'm contacting Parallels now to see if there's a workaround. Will update here.

Tx, G

 

[derekimo]

OK, let us know how it goes.

You'll notice quite a few with the same issue here,

Windows 7 Time Sync Problem

 

[litogeorge]

Thanks Derekimo for your continued awesome support.

I didn't read that link to the multiple threads, but I did contact Parallels support.

Turns out the fix was installing Parallels Tools.

Without that, there was no fix, but with it - there was simply a return to standard options "sync with OSX" and it automatically corrected the rest.

I am much obliged for your interest in this thread, and I'll keep a copy of it for my records in case there is a "next time".

Much appreciated, George

 

[derekimo]

You're very welcome George.

Thanks for reporting back what fixed it.

 

[litogeorge]

*thumbs up mate