I am completely confused....

I know there are million threads about this ( I started my own about an hour ago), but I see conflicting information about this everywhere.

I am still unclear whether a clean install can be done from the menu of an UPGRADE CD.

I asked this question in another thread, and someone responded that I need to make changes to the registry.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=428304

According to the web page below, there IS the option to do a clean install with the UPGRADE CD by selecting "Custom" from the menu.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1649-clean-install-windows-7-a.html


Is what this guy doing technically not a clean install?

If it is a clean install, why are there instructions on the internet like the person gave in my thread on how to change the registry for a clean install with an UPGRADE CD?

 

Part 2 of my question"

Is there a difference between wiping the hard drive and installing Windows 7 and selecting the "Advanced" option from the menu?


http://www.sevenforums.com/attachments/tutorials/2439d1231630451-clean-install-windows-7-step6.jpg

 

The "clean install" the upgrade disc supports is not "clean" in the sense you may think, ie. "format the hard drive, install Windows."

The clean install supported by the upgrade literally takes the old OS, ie.

c:\windows
c:\program files
c:\program files (x86)
c:\users
other associated Windows files

And throws them in c:\windows.old

It then does a full install of the new OS.

The hard drive is ** NOT** formatted.

That's it.

 

The upgrade version allows you to format, install said OS. I've done it so have others on this forum and it works 100% of the time. The only problem you'll run into is activating it via the internet because MS will come back with this edition requires you to install it over an existing OS.

One registry edit and a slmgr/rearm command, reboot and you'll be able to activate it just like the full edition.

 

Bottom line:

Would I would get better performance by wiping the hard drive with Secure Erase and then installing Windows 7 as opposed to using the Custom menu option?

 

yes but its still a step above and "upgrade"

I have always thought of "upgrade" like you have to use your old xp or vista dvd to do a complete install or reformat then use the 7 upgrade disk

but what is confusing so many is the flexibility microsoft has provided with Upgrade disks

#1. Upgrade overtop of Vista or XP
#2. Full install no reformat old files are sent to a folder called .old
#3. Clean install, no OS reformat partition. wipes everything.

all of this can be done using"Upgrade" disks

 

Then why does that menu option even exist if it can't be done?

(I knew I should have waited a few months and bought a computer with Windows 7 intalled already.)

 

It's not a menu option it's right clicking on My Computer and then properties. That's where you activate it. Why look a gift horse in the mouth? You're saving $100 for a couple of keyboard entries which 100% validates your upgrade edition.

 

I had Vista32 and bought the Win7 Upgrade DVD. Booted with the Win764bit dvd since it won't install from Vista32 environment. Went to custom (advanced) then formatted that drive under options. Then hit next and it started installing.

Entered serial number during install. Once Win7 loaded I activated right away over the internet by right-click 'my computer/properties'.

Activated fine.

When if first scans your partition with the boot disc it must verify you have vista etc. and then allows you to format and install like I did. I dunno lol but it works and I didn't have to do a reg entry.

 

You didn't need to do the registry edit because you already had a prior version of Windows on your HD.

If you were installing to a virgin HD without an OS it would not have activated without the registry edit. Or you could have installed the Upgrade over itself (two installs) and it would have also activated.

 

I guess I got lucky then or something

I Formatted and clean installed windows 7 and activated it from the RC with the upgrade disc. Everything is fine with windows but I'm having other problems with drivers...