10-23-2009, 10:23 AM
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#1
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Franchise Player
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Calgary
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Windows 7 Upgrade Question
Got a question for the masses, can I buy the Windows 7 Upgrade if my laptop came with Vista pre-installed from Dell?
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10-23-2009, 10:57 AM
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#2
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The new goggles also do nothing.
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Calgary
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You can buy the Upgrade version and save some $$:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/win...derations.aspx
Quote:
Do I buy an Upgrade or Full license of Windows 7?
- All editions of Windows XP and Windows Vista qualify you to upgrade. So, if you're running either on your PC today, buy a package labeled "Upgrade".
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The Following User Says Thank You to photon For This Useful Post:
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10-23-2009, 11:03 AM
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#3
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Franchise Player
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Calgary
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Quote:
Originally Posted by photon
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A thank you photon. I can't wait to rid myself of Vista....
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10-23-2009, 11:09 AM
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#4
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Franchise Player
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Calgary
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Just remember, its not known yet whether you just need the Vista license key, or Vista installed and then do an install over it.
Also, FYI backup all your data before you upgrade.
__________________
MYK - Supports Arizona to democtratically pass laws for the state of Arizona
Rudy was the only hope in 08
2011 Election: Cons 40% - Nanos 38% Ekos 34%
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10-23-2009, 11:56 AM
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#5
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Powerplay Quarterback
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Medicine Hat
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So, just to clarify...
If I purchased an OEM version of Windows XP SP1 or SP2 (I forget which) for my PC build 3 years back, I could theoretically use an "upgrade" version of Windows 7 to make the jump.
NOTE: I probably won't actually do this, as I have read articles stating that older computers (especially those "designed for XP") will not meet the recommended system requirements for 7, and as such, will run too slow to make worthwhile.
EDIT: Also, I know about the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor app [link], which I'll probably run later today for a better idea of my PC's suitability for an OS upgrade.
__________________
Last edited by OBCT; 10-23-2009 at 11:59 AM.
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10-23-2009, 12:06 PM
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#6
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Franchise Player
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: in your blind spot.
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Ars Technica has an article to links with the Windows 7 compatibility tests.
http://arstechnica.com/microsoft/new...compatible.ars
I had read that Windows 7 was actually much more reasonable on its hardware requirements. Microsoft knows that Vista was crap for Netbooks so has taken pains to make sure they can install Windows 7.
__________________
"The problem with any ideology is that it gives the answer before you look at the evidence."
—Bill Clinton
"The greatest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance--it is the illusion of knowledge."
—Daniel J. Boorstin, historian, former Librarian of Congress
"But the Senator, while insisting he was not intoxicated, could not explain his nudity"
—WKRP in Cincinatti
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10-23-2009, 12:41 PM
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#7
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First Line Centre
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Airdrie, Alberta
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Quote:
Originally Posted by OBCT
So, just to clarify...
If I purchased an OEM version of Windows XP SP1 or SP2 (I forget which) for my PC build 3 years back, I could theoretically use an "upgrade" version of Windows 7 to make the jump.
NOTE: I probably won't actually do this, as I have read articles stating that older computers (especially those "designed for XP") will not meet the recommended system requirements for 7, and as such, will run too slow to make worthwhile.
EDIT: Also, I know about the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor app [link], which I'll probably run later today for a better idea of my PC's suitability for an OS upgrade. |
Also know that you can't install the upgrade over XP it needs to be a clean install
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10-23-2009, 01:36 PM
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#8
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The new goggles also do nothing.
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Calgary
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mykalberta
Just remember, its not known yet whether you just need the Vista license key, or Vista installed and then do an install over it.
Also, FYI backup all your data before you upgrade.
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Or the the old upgrade the trail version trick might still work too.
When I installed Vista, I wanted a clean install even though I had the Upgrade version. So I put in the upgrade DVD and booted it, and then didn't enter a product key, so it just installed a trial version of Vista.
Then I installed Vista again and this time put in the upgrade product key, and it installed the upgrade over top the trial Windows. Voila, upgrade without having an old version of Windows installed. 
Hopefully works on Windows 7 as well.
Quote:
Originally Posted by OBCT
So, just to clarify...
If I purchased an OEM version of Windows XP SP1 or SP2 (I forget which) for my PC build 3 years back, I could theoretically use an "upgrade" version of Windows 7 to make the jump.
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Yes, in fact my two Windows XP that I'm upgrading from are actually "Not for Resale" versions of XP, the ones you get from MS for $20 if you work for them or an official reseller.
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10-23-2009, 02:15 PM
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#9
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Franchise Player
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: in your blind spot.
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You can upgrade and do a fresh install. No need to install the older OS first.
http://arstechnica.com/microsoft/new...ed-to-know.ars
__________________
"The problem with any ideology is that it gives the answer before you look at the evidence."
—Bill Clinton
"The greatest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance--it is the illusion of knowledge."
—Daniel J. Boorstin, historian, former Librarian of Congress
"But the Senator, while insisting he was not intoxicated, could not explain his nudity"
—WKRP in Cincinatti
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10-23-2009, 02:19 PM
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#10
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Franchise Player
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Calgary
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Wow, all of this technical talk confuses the HELL out of me.
Is it possible for me to re-format my hard drive then install Windows 7 using the upgrade disc?
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10-23-2009, 02:20 PM
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#11
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#1 Goaltender
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: SW calgary
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Yes.
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The Following User Says Thank You to silentsim For This Useful Post:
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10-23-2009, 02:35 PM
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#12
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Powerplay Quarterback
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Medicine Hat
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Thanks guys.
Looking at the system requirements provided in the article linked by Bobblehead (in his first post), my system should actually benefit from Windows 7. This is surprising to me. Very cool! I don't mind doing a clean install - it's probably overdue, anyways.
I'm thinking about sharing a Windows 7 Home Premium Upgrade Family Pack (3-User) with my parents, who are both running Vista. $150 ain't bad for that I don't think.
Looking forward to seeing just how much of an improvement 7 is.
__________________
Last edited by OBCT; 10-23-2009 at 06:21 PM.
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10-23-2009, 02:45 PM
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#13
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Franchise Player
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Calgary
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Quote:
Originally Posted by OBCT
So, just to clarify...
If I purchased an OEM version of Windows XP SP1 or SP2 (I forget which) for my PC build 3 years back, I could theoretically use an "upgrade" version of Windows 7 to make the jump.
NOTE: I probably won't actually do this, as I have read articles stating that older computers (especially those "designed for XP") will not meet the recommended system requirements for 7, and as such, will run too slow to make worthwhile.
EDIT: Also, I know about the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor app [link], which I'll probably run later today for a better idea of my PC's suitability for an OS upgrade. |
You can upgrade XP, however its a wipe and reinstall, where for Vista its supposed to be an upgrade where theoretically most of your data and settings will stay the same. No one should do the upgrade, the complete wipe and reinstall is HIGHLY RECOMENDED.
__________________
MYK - Supports Arizona to democtratically pass laws for the state of Arizona
Rudy was the only hope in 08
2011 Election: Cons 40% - Nanos 38% Ekos 34%
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10-23-2009, 02:51 PM
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#14
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Franchise Player
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Calgary
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The Following User Says Thank You to Komskies For This Useful Post:
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10-23-2009, 03:20 PM
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#15
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First Line Centre
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Airdrie, Alberta
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mykalberta
You can upgrade XP, however its a wipe and reinstall, where for Vista its supposed to be an upgrade where theoretically most of your data and settings will stay the same. No one should do the upgrade, the complete wipe and reinstall is HIGHLY RECOMENDED.
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Although I fully agree with the above statement I will point out that my brother installed over Vista during Beta and is still running it and has had no problems
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10-23-2009, 04:14 PM
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#16
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Franchise Player
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Calgary
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Thank you to all!
As you can see I'm quite the dumbass when it comes to these kinds of things.
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10-23-2009, 04:18 PM
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#17
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GOAT!
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Komskies
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Don't Universities all have MSDN subs for their students? Or is it only for Computer Science students?
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10-23-2009, 05:47 PM
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#18
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#1 Goaltender
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: SW calgary
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the MSDN program no longer has 7, it did before but not anymore 
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10-23-2009, 06:14 PM
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#19
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#1 Goaltender
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I have a couple questions.
I have a HP laptop that is ~1 year old. It is running Vista.
When i bought the computer the HD was partitioned, and one partition is 11.5 gigs and is simply "Recovery"
If I plan on doing a fresh install of 7, can I delete the second partition and move those gigs to the other partition, and thus have one large HD?
I always hear that doing a fresh install is the best route to take, why?
What are the major benefits of going to 64bit, and how do I figure out if I'm eligible to upgrade to such?
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10-23-2009, 07:59 PM
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#20
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#1 Goaltender
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mykalberta
You can upgrade XP, however its a wipe and reinstall, where for Vista its supposed to be an upgrade where theoretically most of your data and settings will stay the same. No one should do the upgrade, the complete wipe and reinstall is HIGHLY RECOMENDED.
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The upgrade from Vista is pretty good, I just ran through it. Download and use the upgrade advisor first, it'll flag any drivers you should uninstall prior to the upgrade. In my case, it wanted some of the nvidia chipset stuff uninstalled..I then grabbed the latest drivers for 7 from the nvidia website post-upgrade.
Keep in mind its not a huge upgrade - in many regards, its a smaller upgrade from Vista to 7 than say, XP to Vista or Leopard to Snow Leopard on the Mac (which is a 32 to 64 bit upgrade...). Vista drivers are by and large compatible with 7..
__________________
-Scott
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