Understanding the basics of Windows 7 upgrade

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Tags: Microsoft, Windows 7 Upgrade FAQs

If you’re one of those, who are looking to upgrade Windows 7 then you must go read these common FAQs.

If I purchase a retail upgrade version, what’s in the box?

You’ll get two DVDs, one 32-bit, one 64-bit. You get a single activation key, which you can use to install either version. If you go for  the Family Pack, you also recieve those two DVDs and a single activation key, which can be used to activate three PCs in your household.

Is the upgrade DVD bootable?
Yes. In fact, as far as we can tell it is completely identical to the full version.

So, what’s the difference between the full and upgrade editions?
It’s all about the serial key. When you enter the serial key, the setup program checks to see whether you installed the product on a clean system that didn’t previously have any editions of Windows installed. If the answer is yes, it stops you from entering that key.

I heard that installation of my upgrade will fail if the previous Windows wasn’t activated. Is that true?
Not as far as we can tell, although our testing has necessarily been limited so far. We  installed Windows XP SP3 without a product key and then used a custom install of Windows 7 Home Premium over it. Everything worked.

What happens if I try to perform an install without a activation key, then add the activation key from my upgrade package later?
Your installation will be fail. Here’s the error message you would see: The following failure occurred while trying to use the product key: code: 0xC004F061

Does the double-install trick made famous in Windows Vista still work?
As far as we can tell, yes. The short version goes like this: Boot from the upgrade media and perform an installation without entering a product key. Then use the same media to upgrade your fresh new installation.

What about 32-bit to 64-bit upgrades?
You can’t run the 64-bit installer from an existing 32-bit Windows installation or vice-versa. Here’s how you have to do it instead. Start your computer using the 64-bit installation media. When asked, choose the Custom installation option:

You’ll see a warning meassge that your current installation of Windows will be swift to Windows.old. That’s OK. Carry on with the installation, entering your product key when asked. Because a previous Windows installation was on your system drive and is now located in Windows.old, you should be able to activate.

So, does this mean I can install an upgrade version on a new computer I’m building?

As par  technical point of view, yes. But from the licensing point of view, no. The discounted price for an upgrade applies because you already paid for a license on the system you’re upgrading. If you are building a new system you need a full license from a retail or OEM.

Call +8774667165 or visit http://windows7.iyogi.net/migration/.