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Clean install with Windows 7 Upgrade media? What about x64 upgrades?

Jun. 25, 2009 Paul Thurrott | Paul Thurrott's Supersite for Windows

I've gotten a ton of questions about the Windows 7 retail pricing stuff, as expected. But the number one question, by far, is an oldie but goodie:

"Can I use a Windows 7 Upgrade version to perform a clean install of the OS?"

This is becoming particularly antsy for people because they want to take advantage of the time-limited Windows 7 presale, which starts tomorrow.

So, what the heck, I asked.

The answer, I'm told, is ... Yes. You can perform a clean install of Windows 7 with the Upgrade media, as you could with Windows Vista.

The second most common questions regards "upgrading" from Windows Vista or XP (32-bit) to a 64-bit version of Windows 7. (You cannot do an in-place upgrade between 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows.)

Yes, it's possible. The key is to purchase the Windows 7 Upgrade version electronically (preferably through the presale and directly from Microsoft). If you do so, you're given the choice to download the x64 bits. So if you qualify for a Windows 7 upgrade--i.e. you own Windows XP or Vista--you can buy the Windows 7 Upgrade version of your choice, download the x64 version, burn it to disc, and do a clean install. (Per the previous question.)

Hope this helps.

Discuss this Article 42

mikegalos@msn.com
on Jun 25, 2009
Paul, Blogging from the train or is the trip from NYC to Boston that quick these days?
hamiltonstallings
on Jun 25, 2009
What about if you didn't have a version of Windows installed before you tried to install it? Will the old trick work: Install the OS but don't enter the key, then when your in the Window desktop, reboot to the DVD and install again but enter the key this time.
lotsamystuff
on Jun 25, 2009
"Blogging from the train or is the trip from NYC to Boston that quick these days?" Or Argentina, perhaps? Do you always follow Paul this closely, "mikegalos"? It seems borderline obsessive.
Ocean
on Jun 25, 2009
Can I upgrade from XP or only from Window Vista? I assume a 'clean install' means it checks to see if the prior OS exists, then it blows it away?
ggolcher
on Jun 25, 2009
"lotsamystuff", if you're going to be condescending and put people's handles in quotes, then at least put the correct handle... he's "mikegalos@msn.com" to you... or just mike or mikegalos for those that are not an.al about things
Ocean
on Jun 25, 2009
Found the answer to my question: >>Windows XP users need to know that regardless of which edition they currently have installed (Windows XP Home, Windows XP Professional, or Windows XP Media Center Edition) and regardless of which edition of Windows 7 they are moving to (Home Premium, Professional , or Ultimate), they will need to perform a clean install, whether they buy the upgrade or full version. The hassle of backing up applications and user data will fall on the user; a clean install will not back up anything. Using Windows Easy Transfer, users can copy their important files and settings to an external USB stick, external hard drive, or DVD, and then move the data back after the installation. The installer will verify that XP is genuine and Windows 7 will have to be installed on the same partition as the XP installation. The good news is that Microsoft is allowing XP users to buy the cheaper upgrade version if they want to (Microsoft typically lets owners of the two previous releases of Windows to do this, in this case XP and Vista). << http://arstechnica.com/microsoft/news/2009/06/windows-7-pricing-announce...
Ocean
on Jun 25, 2009
If you're not reading it already, the Engineering Windows 7 blog is excellent. http://blogs.msdn.com/e7/default.aspx
mikegalos@msn.com
on Jun 25, 2009
lotsa Actually, I happened to see Paul's status change "Heading home from NYC" show up in my "What's new with your network" section of my home.live.com homepage and was suprised to see a blog post from him only a couple of hours later.
adamb1000
on Jun 25, 2009
I feel this is the perfect time I think to say the EU is pretty clueless. Neowin reports that EU users cant upgrade at all to windows 7.
johnbaxter
on Jun 25, 2009
Paul, for 64-bit from 32-bit, why "preferably through the presale and directly from Microsoft" Preferably through the presale is obvious ($$$). Why preferably from Microsoft? Will the process somehow be easier than when buying from Amazon or BestBuy? All may be revealed when the purchase sites go live.
JayZJay
on Jun 25, 2009
I have a question. If one chose to download the 64-bit version, but had the 32-bit version and decided to install it (or vice versa), does the Product Key work? I have only used 32-bit XP and Vista, but am looking at switching to 64-bit with 7 and I wasn't sure if the Product Keys are tied to the bit type you are using. Obviously, they are tied to the version (Home Premium, Professional, etc).
rlcronin
on Jun 25, 2009
So, just to confirm, to perform a clean install with upgrade media, the prior version must be installed on the PC to begin with. You can't start with a totally empty drive and just insert your XP or Vista CD/DVD to validate your eligibility for the upgrade (as you could with the XP upgrade from Win9x)?
DRWAM
on Jun 25, 2009
Actually ggolcher, at Starfleet, we call him Ambassador Galos of Orion.
lotsamystuff
on Jun 25, 2009
"we call him Ambassador Galos of Orion" I thought he was the Special Envoy to Uranus. (Not yours, "DRWAM", but maybe for "Waethorn").
mikegalos@msn.com
on Jun 25, 2009
lotsa I see you're as classy as you usually are.
DRWAM
on Jun 25, 2009
I would like to keep my anus uninhabited :)
Thunderbuck
on Jun 25, 2009
Why, exactly, does ANYBODY want to perform an "in-place" upgrade? -32- to 64-bit won't work PERIOD (nor should it, given the disastrous app/driver compatibility issues it would introduce). -XP to Win7 won't work PERIOD. What I don't understand is why Windows Easy Transfer isn't being promoted more as a workaround. It moves everything but apps beautifully (if slowly), and it results in a fresh install with all of a user's "stuff". It also works very nicely in the above two scenarios (I know, I've done both).
jtdennis
on Jun 25, 2009
@rlcronin, that's the way of doing it in Vista. Win7 is likely to allow it through the same method.
Saucy
on Jun 25, 2009
IMHO, Microsoft is doing the right thing making XP users do a clean install - LOL. If upgrading is widspread, a lot of viruses, spyware and malware will see their last days. Smart move Microsoft.
kudvat
on Jun 25, 2009
Most of these questions deal with purchasing an upgrade. What if you are getting an upgrade as part of a computer purchase? If the machine I am buying comes with 32 bit Vista Home Premium, for instance, can you get the upgrade media for Windows 7 64 bit? Or are you stuck with the 32 bit upgrade, and still have to purchase the 64 bit version if you want it?
realtestman
on Jun 25, 2009
kudvat, it's exactly the same situation as it is with Vista and XP. When you're paying for a PC, you're paying for a specific version of Windows as part of the price. So if you get a 64-bit version, you have only paid for a 64-bit version of Windows (and the same with 32-bit), which will be less than a retail copy. If you want both 32-bit and 64-bit (as you get with retail), you will have to contact your OEM and try to get that added to your order, although of course you'll pay more. If you have 32-bit and want only 64-bit (or vice versa), then you'll have to buy an OEM copy from places that are selling OEM copies (although OEM copies are generally actually intended for OEMs, there are places that will sell it to the general public for the price it's sold to OEMs, which is less than the retail box).
Unexploded
on Jun 25, 2009
Can anyone confirm you'll be able to keep your existing install of XP *and* install the upgrade version of Windows 7 to a different partition? I wouldn't mind saving a few bucks by getting the discounted upgrade vs oem, but don't want to find out it'll only install on the same partition as XP, or that it deactivates your old XP license. They've done weirder things in the past. Thanks.
Jimmy422
on Jun 25, 2009
When you say it's possible to do a clean install, does that mean we can literally do it to an empty partition or we have to do the hack of installing vista then 7. I don't want to do that because the upgrade option always seems to make your system really screwy.
hamiltonstallings
on Jun 25, 2009
I'm not sure if this will work with Windows 7, but, with Win Vista you could install the upgrade version on a completely clean partition. I just did it the other day. The trick is you have to install it without entering the key, then once its done, reboot from the DVD drive and install again, this time entering a key (total of 2 installs). It works and validates. I think Paul even wrote about it somewhere. I couldn't imagine why anyone would still want to use XP. After using Vista for so long XP feels (and is) so outdated.
DRWAM
on Jun 25, 2009
Paul reported that a while back ago [clean install of Vista update to another patition].
subzerohitman721
on Jun 25, 2009
I wonder if MIcrosoft is going to do any special sale for those who participated in the Beta and RC testing? I doubt it, but I would hope they would consider it.
daveinla
on Jun 25, 2009
in short, you'd be a fool if you buy anything more than an upgrade version and later on do a clean insall !
Sigmund51
on Jun 25, 2009
If this question has been answered, I didnt understand it:-) I currently have Vista Ultimate 64 and Windows 7 64 RC on separate physical drives, in a dual boot configuration. Would I be able to buy the Home 64 bit upgrade (1st choice) or the Professional upgrade version, and keep this same configuration?Sorry... I'm a bit confused.
CompactDstrxion
on Jun 25, 2009
So I'll have to wipe out the RC and install Vista just so I can clean install 7? Boooo
Backup77
on Jun 25, 2009
Giving legitimate users the option of performing a clean install using the Windows upgrade media should be a given seeing how much money we spend purchasing Microsoft software. Paul did a very good write up on performing clean install with upgrade media after Vista was released.
shark47
on Jun 25, 2009
From the Ars article Ocean linked to: "Windows Vista users can follow multiple upgrade paths to Windows 7. As was the case when upgrading from XP to Vista, you will only need to perform a clean install if you are going to a version that is lower on the food chain. For example, if you are going from Windows Vista Ultimate to Windows 7 Home Premium, you would do a clean install. " Works for me! Any news about the Windows Live Wave 4? I thought it would be released around the same time as Windows 7. By the way, has anyone else felt that IE8 performance in Windows 7 was way better than on Vista or XP? IE8 is fast on my Windows 7 machine.
ChickCNC
on Jun 25, 2009
Amazon is excepting orders now but says nothing about 64bit. Does anyone know if Microsoft will offer an upgrade from the Professional version to Ultimate and what the charge will be?
Backup77
on Jun 25, 2009
shark I concur, IE8 does seem to run faster on Windows 7 than on my Vista machine in usage fo far.
ChickCNC
on Jun 25, 2009
OkThe Microsoft Store, Office Depot and Amazon are all excepting orders now but none of them mention 64 bit. Has anyone found a way to order the professional version in 64 bit?
whiplash55
on Jun 25, 2009
Thanks Paul you read my mind on this one, the next question: I'm building a new i7 machine I was going to use a Ultimate 64 bit Vista copy I have had, I guess as long as I don't use the Vista copy elsewhere I'm Kosher to get the upgrade version of Professional?
crankenstein
on Jun 26, 2009
That sounds like a better deal... I thought you could ONLY upgrade, if you can do a clean install then I probably will take advantage of the special offer.
DRWAM
on Jun 26, 2009
Do it crank, you'll regret not tanking advantage of the price [but investigate the 64 bit thingy]. Just tell your significant other that a doctor told you that you needed it ;)
shark47
on Jun 26, 2009
@avro (on the other thread, but who cares?) "@ Shark Microsoft doesn't make hardware. What on earth is MSDNAA? - sounds like something DRWAM should be treating." Microsoft does make hardware actualy, just not PC hardware. And I was merely pointing out that I can argue that Windows is free if I used examples like yours. PC makers usually have more deals than Apple does. I remember a lot of people rushing to buy the Dell 700m laptop a few years ago when it was offered at 50% off MSRP. MSDNAA, I think stands for Microsoft Developers Network Academic Alliance.
Jimmy422
on Jun 26, 2009
According to the Microsoft store, XP and Vista users can install windows 7 with a clean install, and then just reinstall all their programs without installing 7 twice. Cool.
sinclaj1
on Jun 26, 2009
Does the upgrade media from places like Amazon.com contain both 32-bit and 64-bit on the same DVD?
sinclaj1
on Jun 26, 2009
Just called the MS Store (1-877-MY-MS-STORE) ... that's a long one ... They say the packages ship with both the 32-bit and 64-bit DVD's included.
Waethorn
on Jun 26, 2009
"I thought he was the Special Envoy to Uranus. (Not yours, "DRWAM", but maybe for "Waethorn")." Classy, losta. You gonna start throwing little tantrums and calling people "dipsh_t" again?

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