Upgrade or full version?

I want to upgrade to Win 7. If I buy the upgrade version and my hard drive
or mobo fails at a later time, will i be able to do a clean install with out
any hassles?

"jim" <> wrote in message
news:...
> I want to upgrade to Win 7. If I buy the upgrade version and my hard drive
> or mobo fails at a later time, will i be able to do a clean install with
> out any hassles?

If the motherboard fails and you replace it, then yes.
Not so sure about a bare replacement HDD unless you are able to revert to
the old OS first.
My recommendation is always to buy a full version if you can afford it...

It is possible to clean install an upgrade edition of Windows 7:

At the enter your product key page, do a keyless installation (do not
enter a key).
At the desktop, click Start, type: Regedit and say Yes to the UAC prompt
Go to
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entVersion\Setup\OOBE\MediaBootInstall
and change its value to 0
At the desktop, click Start, type: cmd and at the command prompt type:
slmgr /rearm
Restart the PC and use the activate windows screen to enter the upgrade
product key.


On 25/11/2009 06:47, jim wrote:
> I want to upgrade to Win 7. If I buy the upgrade version and my hard
> drive or mobo fails at a later time, will i be able to do a clean
> install with out any hassles?

"Dominic Payer" <> wrote in message
news:...
> It is possible to clean install an upgrade edition of Windows 7:
>
> At the enter your product key page, do a keyless installation (do not
> enter a key).
> At the desktop, click Start, type: Regedit and say Yes to the UAC prompt
> Go to
> HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entVersion\Setup\OOBE\MediaBootInstall
> and change its value to 0
> At the desktop, click Start, type: cmd and at the command prompt type:
> slmgr /rearm
> Restart the PC and use the activate windows screen to enter the upgrade
> product key.
>


That's OK if there is an OS already existing on the HDD but will that work
on a bare HDD? AFAIK an Upgrade will only work if the process ascertains
that there is a previous version Product key existing on the HDD, in other
words that there is an OS already on the HDD...

>
> That's OK if there is an OS already existing on the HDD but will that work
> on a bare HDD? AFAIK an Upgrade will only work if the process ascertains
> that there is a previous version Product key existing on the HDD, in other
> words that there is an OS already on the HDD...

The Vista trick of installing on a bare drive, not filling in the Product
Key,
then installing again as an upgrade (but this time you do fill in the Key)
also works with Win 7.

Tom Lake

"Tom Lake" <> wrote in message
news:...
>
>>
>> That's OK if there is an OS already existing on the HDD but will that
>> work on a bare HDD? AFAIK an Upgrade will only work if the process
>> ascertains that there is a previous version Product key existing on the
>> HDD, in other words that there is an OS already on the HDD...
>
> The Vista trick of installing on a bare drive, not filling in the Product
> Key,
> then installing again as an upgrade (but this time you do fill in the Key)
> also works with Win 7.
>
> Tom Lake
>
>
>

I have to say I would rather fork out the one-time price for a full version
than have to install twice!

For Windows 7 you do not need to install twice.

Just insert no key, modify the MediaBootInstall registry key, run slmgr
/rearm at a command prompt then reboot and you can activate with the
upgrade key.


On 25/11/2009 09:29, Gordon wrote:
>
> "Tom Lake" <> wrote in message
> news:...
>>
>>>
>>> That's OK if there is an OS already existing on the HDD but will that
>>> work on a bare HDD? AFAIK an Upgrade will only work if the process
>>> ascertains that there is a previous version Product key existing on
>>> the HDD, in other words that there is an OS already on the HDD...
>>
>> The Vista trick of installing on a bare drive, not filling in the
>> Product Key,
>> then installing again as an upgrade (but this time you do fill in the
>> Key)
>> also works with Win 7.
>>
>> Tom Lake
>>
>>
>>
>
> I have to say I would rather fork out the one-time price for a full
> version than have to install twice!

On Wed, 25 Nov 2009 01:47:56 -0500, jim wrote:

> I want to upgrade to Win 7. If I buy the upgrade version and my hard
> drive or mobo fails at a later time, will i be able to do a clean
> install with out any hassles?

alt.windows7.general

http://tinyurl.com/yh2fggp


"ray" <> wrote in message
news:...
> On Wed, 25 Nov 2009 01:47:56 -0500, jim wrote:
>
>> I want to upgrade to Win 7. If I buy the upgrade version and my hard
>> drive or mobo fails at a later time, will i be able to do a clean
>> install with out any hassles?
>
> alt.windows7.general
>

"Tom Lake" <> wrote in message
news:...
>
>>
>> That's OK if there is an OS already existing on the HDD but will that
>> work on a bare HDD? AFAIK an Upgrade will only work if the process
>> ascertains that there is a previous version Product key existing on the
>> HDD, in other words that there is an OS already on the HDD...
>


> The Vista trick of installing on a bare drive, not filling in the Product
> Key,
> then installing again as an upgrade (but this time you do fill in the Key)
> also works with Win 7.

You can do a clean install with the upgrade version on a bare HDD without
installing twice :-)
<http://www.winsupersite.com/win7/clean_install_upgrade_media.asp>

>
> Tom Lake
>
>
>