wait...a...second..I better not of messed up...

Ok, so I had vista 64bit sp2 installed......

Today I upgraded to the w7 RC.....

Tomorrow I want to pre order the w7 premium for 49.99....

Will I be able to do this? Because I heard that if you are not upgrading from vista then it costs more.....and I JUST installed the RC......Do I HAVE to have vista installed? (if I do can I system restore to before I installed the RC? or do I have to do a whole clean install?)

Or can I still get windows 7 for 49.99 if I preorder the 64bit premium tomorrow?

 

You need to have a genuine copy of Vista or XP for the upgrade pack to work.

 

.........I have vista premium that came with the computer....but it's not installed
I have the RC now. Im probably going to use the RC till the real version comes out.

So Can (well i have to i guess) I do this:
1) use the RC till the real version comes out
2) Tomorrow pre-order windows 7 premium
3) Before the upgrade is released, wipe my computer and restore to factory settings with the recovery disks(instalss vista....)
4) Upgrade from vista to the real w7?

wow. I wouldn't have downloaded the freakin RC if I knew I needed to do all this.

 

Yes, you do that.

 

OK i'll do that

I need to do a clean install soon anyways( I do one every few months anyway usually because vista messes up but i haven't had any problems lately...I'll pretend i have a problem)

 

I don't remember, but I think it's possible to uninstall the RC (if you did an upgrade) and then just install the official Windows 7 upgrade.

 

You can't uninstall the RC. You must format/ delete the existing partition or create a new partition to install the final Windows 7.

 

so is it mean do i have to install Vista first be4 using the upgrade windows 7 disc to do a clean install? Btw is it possible to do a clean install with a upgrade disc? and wat if im running the RC of Windows 7 now, and when i get the final windows 7, wat do i have to do?

 

with some luck, the clean-install-upgrade trick will still work. that is, install win7 without a key, and then do an "upgrade" by installing it over itself again.

this at least worked in vista and was the preferred version to install vista with an upgrade cd. that way, you get a full clean os.

 

oh i get it now, so you have to have Vista install first be4 doing an upgrade, and u cant use an upgrade disc to install on a computer that has no OS rite?

 

you can run the installation, but it won't accept the upgrade key.

so you install win7 but don't use the upgrade key. then install win7 again and use the upgrade key. it finds the non-keyed win7 install on your hdd and will happily upgrade.


at least, that worked back in vista days with the vista upgrade disks.

 

how do you do that? install without the key then use the key? dont they ask you to put the key in whenever u install it? is there a option to skip ?

 

You do NOT need to have Vista installed to use the Windows 7 Upgrade once its released, however you do have to have a legitimate XP or Vista CD. You can install Windows 7 Clean install (format/repartition HD) and it will prompt you to put in your XP/Vista CD to verify you have a legitimate copy before continuing to install.

 

it sound like i can use the Win7 upgrade disc on many different computer as long as i have a legitimate Vista or XP CD ... right?

 

But the product key will only work in one computer.

 

so what does this mean for the people with laptops that did not come with XP/Vista CD (only a recovery Disc)?

 

A standard upgrade should work (no clean install without the media though). If you installed Windows 7 RC1 and replaced Vista, you'll have to restore Vista before doing the upgrade.

It wouldn't hurt for you to talk to Dell, HP, or whoever made your laptop, for the official answer.

 

Are you sure about that? Any links?

The reason I ask is because there are a lot of conflicting info on this floating around. Most seem to be pointing towards the ability to do either a clean install or an in-place upgrade install (From Vista; from XP you can only do a clean install) but the whole process has to be initiated from within an activated XP/Vista install.

It's beyond me as to why MSFT doesn't come out and lay all this conjecture to rest. Especially since they have a time limit on the Upgrade promo and it would greatly benefit consumers if they knew exactly how the process would work.

 

You need to be running genuine Vista/ XP to use the upgrade media.
From MS FAQ,
"How do I know if I am eligible for this offer?
To be eligible for the offer, you need to be running a genuine copy of the Windows XP or Windows Vista operating systems."
Link : http://www.microsoft.com/windows/buy/offers/pre-order-faq.aspx

 

no it will clean install. this has already been stated in a few places as well as a few calls to a freind at ms. it can be done the same way as vista. install no key then reinstall with key. it will work

 

Just click "continue" and it then asks you about which version you want to install, and if you're sure you want to install without key.

 

so is it mean, i need to do a upgrade first ( if vista is my installed in my computer) without key then CLEAN INSTALL later with key? or is it clean install 2 time but one without key and second time with key? What about if im running Win7 RC?

 

Since you're running the RC, you'll need to backup your files, wipe the partition, and clean install Win7. Perhaps someone will find a workaround but why risk it?

People think it will work like Vista where you clean-install Win7 without the key, then do an upgrade-install on top of the fresh clean-install but this time enter the upgrade key.

We'll know for sure on Oct 22nd -- IMHO anything before then, unless explicitly documented from Microsoft, is essentially speculation.

 

Paul Thurrott asked Microsoft about it, and was told that the process works exactly the same for Windows 7 as it does for Vista.

 

I don't think Microsoft will allow people to just buy the upgrade license and do this "double-reinstallation" trick just so to avoid the cost of a full license... it doesn't make sense.

 

was the same way for vista. worked just fine.. i know a ton of people who bought only the upgrade and installed it that way

 

clean install without key, so you have a fresh and clean win7. then do an upgrade with your key.

 

Yeah, it'll work the same way as Vista but I have to agree with dbam that it's at least weird that MSFT is keeping this loophole open. For one thing, you don't need a prior version of Windows at all to use the Upgrade which goes against their own EULA, and second, this will cannibalize sales of the more lucrative full retail versions. Not that I'm complaining but it's just strange of them to do.

 

this loophole may be open for support cases, reinstallations on failed hdd's, or corrupt setups, all simple and easy doable that way.

and the upgrade is not only from an old os to a new os, but from basic to home premium, to business, to enterprice, to ultimate.

but it's fun that it allows to update from a nonactivated system maybe it would be complicated to build a check in, and not worth the hazzle?

at least here in europe, the update is just the same cost as the full version, so the only difference is what is printed on disk.