[DONE] Advice about W7

Kerry · **Posted:** Sat 10/31/09 03:46 am

I have Vista Ultimate and want to reformat my hard drive and install W7. I'm thinking the Family Pack would be smart so I can install a copy of W7 on our standby PC.

I see different prices on Amazon and Microsoft's web site and I'm confused. One deal offers W7 for PCs without an OS.

I've read that there is a way to do a clean install with a W7 Upgrade, on the other hand I'm tempted to buy a Full W7 so I don't have to mess around with the confusing install tricks.

I've given up the idea of trying to use my cherished antique Microsoft Office Keyboard (RT9450) because apparently there is no W7 driver for it.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,

Kerry

Robear Dyer · **Posted:** Sat 10/31/09 09:03 am

Just for you, Kerry :wink:

=> viewtopic.php?f=84&t=42568

Robear Dyer · **Posted:** Sat 10/31/09 10:35 am

Windows 7 Home Premium Family Pack License FAQ
http://social.answers.microsoft.com/For ... 89a49c8505

Kerry · **Posted:** Sat 10/31/09 01:46 pm

Thanks so much Robear.

I was hoping I could format the HDD and do a clean install of W7 Family Pack Upgrade but apparently not except that after reformatting I would have to install XP Pro full, upgrade to my Vista Ultimate Upgrade and then upgrade to W7 Family Upgrade.

I thought read somewhere that there is a complicated install of a W7 upgrade that can be done on a new HDD.

Kerry

Robear Dyer · **Posted:** Sat 10/31/09 03:31 pm

That is correct:

Quote:

The Family Pack is an upgrade version only. This means that you need to be running Windows XP or Windows Vista on the PCs that you want to install it on.

Source: http://social.answers.microsoft.com/For ... 89a49c8505

Doddie · **Posted:** Sat 10/31/09 04:08 pm

I'm confused... Eric Ligman appears to indicate that it is not necessary to be "running" the previous OS, merely that you "own" a qualifying license...

Quote:

When you purchase an Upgrade license, the included EULA states that you must already own a qualifying full license to upgrade from in order to use the Upgrade license, hence the term “Upgrade.”
a. For instance, in the Windows 7 EULA it states, “To use upgrade software, you must first be licensed for the software that is eligible for the upgrade.”...

... Now there are many, many, many, many of you out there that already own Windows licenses that qualify for the Windows 7 Upgrade, so this is a non-issue for you. (I am talking about people who own a FULL license for a previous version of Windows for their computers already, as shown in the first picture example above.) For you, since you have the previous version FULL Windows license and qualify for the Windows 7 Upgrade, you have the rights to do a “clean” install...

Source: http://blogs.msdn.com/mssmallbiz/archiv ... -know.aspx

Perhaps things will become clearer on Monday when he will cover many of the questions put to him in the blog entry above...
http://blogs.msdn.com/mssmallbiz/archiv ... onday.aspx

[Edited by Doddie to expand quote.]

Manny Carvalho · **Posted:** Sat 10/31/09 09:38 pm

It is a little confusing. Both Vista and XP are qualifying so that you can buy the upgrade version of Win 7. However, there's no "upgrade" path for XP per se. You have to to a clean install with XP whereas with Vista it's "replaced" with Win 7.

Doddie · **Posted:** Mon 11/2/09 12:09 pm

Eric Ligman has updated his blog... i have to take my hat off to him for the time and effort he's obviously putting into it... it's no wonder he likes the weekends to himself!

Quote:

More Answers from Windows 7 Upgrade Install Hack post
As stated in my, “Answers from Windows 7 Upgrade Install Hack post coming on Monday,” post, here is a collection of many questions I have posted answers to from my, “Regardless of what any hack says, a Windows 7 Upgrade is an Upgrade. What you need to know,” post. Please note, this list will continue to grow as I continue to add more posts over the next several days to address more of the questions I have received and continue to receive, so be sure to check back to see what else you may have missed!

Here you go:
Identity of the Windows 7 Upgrade “Hack” revealed and more!
Are Beta, RC, and RTM codes full product licenses to upgrade to Windows 7 from?
No, OEM Microsoft Windows licenses cannot be transferred to another PC
What versions of Windows qualify for the Windows 7 Retail Box upgrade?
More coming…

Source: http://blogs.msdn.com/mssmallbiz/archiv ... -post.aspx
Or
The blog homepage: http://blogs.msdn.com/mssmallbiz
______________________________________________________

In an attempt to bring this back on topic... i.e. Kerry wrote...

Quote:

I was hoping I could format the HDD and do a clean install of W7 Family Pack Upgrade but apparently not except that after reformatting I would have to install XP Pro full, upgrade to my Vista Ultimate Upgrade and then upgrade to W7 Family Upgrade.

As Eric Ligman has reiterated in http://blogs.msdn.com/mssmallbiz/archiv ... -more.aspx

Quote:

I flat out stated that if you own the right licenses, you can do the clean install...

I can therefore see no reason why Kerry cannot do a clean install of the W7 Family Pack Upgrade, as long as she keeps the XP Pro Full disc (license).
_______________________________________________________

Moving back off-topic again, i must admit i was somewhat surprised by this scenario in: http://blogs.msdn.com/mssmallbiz/archiv ... grade.aspx

Quote:

Now, a follow-up question that I did receive to this question from some readers of my Blog was, “You mention you have to have the FULL Windows license for either Windows XP or Windows Vista to qualify for the Windows 7 Retail Box upgrade; however, on my computer, I had Windows 2000 Professional and then upgraded it to Windows XP Professional through the Retail Box upgrade back then. Since my Windows XP license is the upgrade and not the full Windows XP license, do I still qualify?”

Let’s take a look at this scenario:
As you may have seen in several of my previous posts:

<snip graphics>

So in your scenario, you had a full Windows 2000 Professional license for your computer, then you added the Windows XP Professional Upgrade license to it. This would put you in the first example above, meaning you have a license to run Windows XP Professional on your computer. So if you now wish to add the Windows 7 Retail Box upgrade to that computer, you computer is licensed to run Windows XP Professional (because of the Windows 2000 Professional full license + the Windows XP Professional Upgrade), so you would qualify for the Windows 7 Retail Box upgrade for that computer.

What a can of worms! :roll:

[Edited by Doddie to fix broken/wrong links]

Robear Dyer · **Posted:** Mon 11/2/09 12:29 pm

Ligman wrote:

...So in your scenario, you had a full Windows 2000 Professional license for your computer, then you added the Windows XP Professional Upgrade license to it. This would put you in the first example above, meaning you have a license to run Windows XP Professional on your computer. So if you now wish to add the Windows 7 Retail Box upgrade to that computer, you computer is licensed to run Windows XP Professional (because of the Windows 2000 Professional full license + the Windows XP Professional Upgrade), so you would qualify for the Windows 7 Retail Box upgrade for that computer.

Shall I mention that if this user ever needed to reinstall Windows, he'd have to reinstall Win2000, then upgrade to WinXP, and then upgrade to Win7. :oshit:

Ligman's prolix prose is almost impenetrable. I'm not even sure he knows what he's talking about. :scramble:

His syntax leaves a lot to be desired, too:

Quote:

Are Beta, RC, and RTM codes full product licenses to upgrade to Windows 7 from? [emphasis mine]

Ouch! Does he also say, "Where are you at?"

His English teacher must be rolling in her grave...

PS @Ligman: Have you considered switching to decaf? :roll:

Doddie · **Posted:** Mon 11/2/09 12:45 pm

Leaving all that aside, and no offence intended to anyone, are you saying that his overall licensing advice is wrong... i.e. Using the "hack" to perform a clean install should never be performed even if the pre-requisit discs (licences) are owned ?

Robear Dyer · **Posted:** Mon 11/2/09 01:20 pm

We've wandered too far OT here, Doddy (and I'm partly to blame). Let's call it quits, please.

Just about everything anyone wanting to move to Win7 might need to know will be found in the Moving to Win7 - Useful References & Resources and the Moving to Win7 - FAQ stickies.

Thanks.

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[DONE] Advice about W7

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