Upgrading from Vista to Win7 and Office 07 to 2010 questions

I'm currently using Vista Home Premium 32 bit and Microsoft Office Enterprise 2007 (campus agreement liscense with UIUC, it is permament personal use too). I have quite a few questions actually. I'm using a Dell Studio 1535 and will continue to use it for at least another year, although I really want to buy myself a new Sager laptop, I need to save myself the money for now since I am finally returning to U of I (pending my acceptance for reinstatement).

Cites (student software store at U of I) offers Windows 7 Professional Upgrade for $65 and Ultimate Upgrade for $75 and Microsoft Office Professional Plus for $65. I'm thinking of purchasing Office 2010 since it has everything I use while getting rid of suites I don't use like Groove and adding suites I could use like SharePoint (since that integrates with my Windows Phone 7). If I were to buy this, then a year later buy a new laptop, can I install the Office software onto that new computer?

Next questions regards the OS. I definitely want to get Win7 64bit and finally take full advantage of my CPU and RAM.
-Which version should I go for? I know that Pro/Enterprise will be supported till 2020 while HP/Ultimate will be supported till 2015, they both have XP mode, I'm not sure though with networks and file encryption.
-Can I even upgrade VistaHP32 to W7Pro64 or W7Ult64? I understand I'd have to do a clean install for 32 to 64 which is fine to me.
-How do I install? I've done clean reinstalls of Vista multiple times by just booting to the disc, formatting the HDD, and installing. Do I do that the same way with an upgrade liscense?
-If I replace my HDD to a new faster/larger drive, do I need to install Vista first?
-If I ever want to clean reinstall an upgrade liscense can I just boot to disc and format the HDD like I did with Vista?
-lastly, if I buy a new computer (like the Sager I want) my OS options are none or the 3 consumer Win7 options. If I choose Win7 HP, can I use the upgrade liscense on it to get pro or ult on it? Or if I choose none, can I use my Vista disc from my Dell to install Vista on it, then upgrade?


I appreciate all the help and sorry for asking so many questions. Just want to make sure I understand everything.
Links to the software I'm talking about:
https://webstore.illinois.edu/Shop/product.aspx?zpid=747
https://webstore.illinois.edu/Shop/product.aspx?zpid=815
https://webstore.illinois.edu/Shop/product.aspx?zpid=818

 

Installing the software on one machine than putting it on a new computer later is probably not going to work and at least illegal under the Microsoft licensing. Microsoft has a tool. (Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor) This will let you know if 7 will work on your machine. You can also query, can my computer run a 64bit os. It is your chip set which determines this. What version do you need. You can go to Windows 7 versions Wikipedia and see the different features.
I recently ran a trial of Windows 7 ultimate on my laptop. I downloaded everything I needed from the post, LEGAL Windows 7 Download Links (Just like Vista before!!!). You can put any version of 7 on your computer by following there directions and links. You might try this to see how things work out prior to purchase. I purchased a copy of 7 pro system builders this weekend and installed it last night. A clean install is very easy. You asked if you could put your software on a new hard drive on your existing computer. I believe this is possible. There was a post on this recently in this forum. You can also query the subject. So make like a student and read ,research ,come to a conclusion and act upon it.

 

To my understanding, you are allowed to install Windows on a new machine so long as it's "deactivated", or whatever, on the old machine. Saying that it cannot be done is equivalent to saying that you cannot reinstall Windows on an existing machine if it's been installed there once. You bought a license for ONE copy. That copy goes where you go. Granted, you may need to call MSFT for activation help, but it shouldn't be a problem. The same goes for Office.

Since you plan on going from 32bit to 64bit, you cannot upgrade directly from Vista to Win7, hence the requirement for a clean install. When you get a new HDD, you just need to install from the Win7 ISO that you'll have downloaded and activate it that way. Again, if issues, call MSFT.

You'll be installing Win7 the same way that you've clean installed Vista. Install from disc and enter license code when prompted to activate.

When you buy a new computer, it generally comes with an OEM Windows 7 license. So, let's say that you own a license for Pro or Ultimate. Why would you buy another license from Sager? It's possible that you can ask them for a refund for the part of your purchase price that was for the Win7 HP license. You then just clean install from your disc like you did before. Again, calling MSFT if issues arise during activating the OS.

I hope this helps.

 

These answers don't really help me, only confuse me more. If you could elaborate more. Such as "When you get a new HDD, you just need to install from the Win7 ISO that you'll have downloaded and activate it that way". I don't know what that means. Do I need to install Vista first or not?

As for the upgrade, I've used the Upgrade tool before. I just don't know if Vista HP can upgrade to W7 Pro or W7 Ult. I thought I read somehwere that to upgrade to pro you need to have pro. I'm just asking for reassurance.

I've looked up the difference between versions of Win7 on wikipedia already, I just don't know what the features are.

 

I'm sorry, I'm just very confused.

My only options are Pro or Ult. I don't understand why I'd have to download it. I listed the store where I have to purchase the OS. It is on a DVD.

 

My bad, if you are going to buy a physical copy, then that's all you need.

Replace "download and burn" with "wait for it to arrive in the mail".

 

Some lite reading:
Upgrading To Windows 7: Upgrading From Windows Vista To Windows 7:
Upgrading to Windows 7: Upgrading from Windows Vista to Windows 7
Difference between the editions:
Windows 7 Product Editions: A Comparison
More answers to your questions to find on that site: Paul Thurrott's SuperSite for Windows