Windows 7 Upgrade Fresh Install - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

sa226 · 05-30-2011, 05:51 PM

Apologies if this has been answered elsewhere. I did a search and found bits and pieces of info but not quite what I was looking for.

Basically a couple years ago I bought a Sony Laptop with Vista on it but it came with a free Windows 7 upgrade.

Fast forward a couple years and the thing seems to be really bogging down. I would just like to do a clean install. I'm sure there are optimizers and speedizers and driverizers out there that can help, but it is more of a secondary system that doesn't really have much on it, so starting from scratch isn't really that big a deal.

Basically my question is can I do a clean install with what I have? On initial purchase I didn't get any Vista discs. What I do have is the upgrade media and a separate Windows 7 OEM disc that I used on my main system.

I don't imagine I can use my Vista Key on a Windows 7 install.

I'm not looking to do anything shady or illegal, I just thought it would be much easier to do a fresh install with media and keys that I am already entitled to, but I haven't found that to be the case.

Thanks

photon · 05-30-2011, 05:59 PM

Just install the Windows 7 but don't put in a key and it should allow you to install it in trial mode.

Then install Windows 7 again overtop the existing install and put in the key and it should let you upgrade from the trial.

I've done it a few times.

Mazrim · 05-30-2011, 08:20 PM

I was able to use the upgrade to do a full install to 7 from XP. When you go to install, select Custom and choose Full Install. As long as Vista is there, it will upgrade on top of it.

sa226 · 05-30-2011, 09:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by photon

Just install the Windows 7 but don't put in a key and it should allow you to install it in trial mode.

Then install Windows 7 again overtop the existing install and put in the key and it should let you upgrade from the trial.

I've done it a few times.

I have heard of this "double install method."

Just so I am clear. I use the upgrade media to do a fresh (custom) install, and leave the key blank, and then do an "Upgrade" on top and still use the same Upgrade Key?

I understand the method, but what media and what key to use when is when it gets muddy for me.

zamler · 05-30-2011, 10:21 PM

Have not done it in awhile, but this should still work.

photon · 05-30-2011, 10:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sa226

I have heard of this "double install method."

Just so I am clear. I use the upgrade media to do a fresh (custom) install, and leave the key blank, and then do an "Upgrade" on top and still use the same Upgrade Key?

I understand the method, but what media and what key to use when is when it gets muddy for me.

Yup, I think that's how it went. Same media, no key the first time and your upgrade key the second time.

zamler · 05-30-2011, 10:47 PM

You can skip the 2nd install by making one registry change, then doing a re-arm from an elevated prompt. You then enter your key and you're done (shown in video).

This should still work but I can't say for sure.

sa226 · 05-30-2011, 11:06 PM

Ok thanks fellers.

Last question.

Does it matter that I have already used the Upgrade?

What I mean is that I already upgraded to Win7 from vista, and have been using Win7 from quite awhile. Can I still use the same upgrade key in this instance?

So when I try to activate it on that second install it isn't going to say "Sorry key already in use"?

Sorry probably noob type questions...I'm just not all that up on Windows licensing.

photon · 05-31-2011, 07:31 AM

If it's on the same hardware then it shouldn't have any problem activating.

If it's on different hardware it may tell you to phone in to Microsoft to have the activation done, I had to do this once, and I just said I had built a new computer (which I had), and they gave me the activation code no problem.

They aren't too aggressive about it, but if you had a whole bunch of activations in a short time on lots of different hardware, they're going to ask you questions.

Vulcan · 05-31-2011, 09:34 AM

The only thing is you can't use the same key on two computers at the same time.

I've never had to do a double install of Windows 7 upgrade when doing a clean install over Vista or XP. Windows 7 upgrade will recognize the older installation. The old installation will still be on your hard drive so just erase it when you are finished. The only time you have to do the double install is when it's a new install on a fresh hard drive. I've even installed Windows 7 upgrade on a new hard drive (C) while Vista was installed on an second hard drive (D) so I had dual boot.