Install/Upgrade questions

[Bettablue]

So, here is the question. I have a valid install of Windows 7 Professional
along with my activation code. I downloaded 7 from the MS web site. My
wife just bought a copy of Windows 7 Home premium upgrade. The package
included 2 disks, one for 32 bit and the other in 64 bit. My understanding
is that Microsoft wrote Windows 7 so that the code entered during install is
what determines what version of Windows 7 you would end up with. Now here
is the question. I usually do a clean install when things go really
bonkers. if I need to reinstall Windows 7 Professional 64 bit for some
reason, can I use the Windows 7 Home Premium upgrade disk to do a fresh
install without having to install XP or Vista first? I obviously don't want
to install anything more than I absolutely have to.

 

[Percival P. Cassidy]

So, here is the question. I have a valid install of Windows 7 Professional
along with my activation code. I downloaded 7 from the MS web site. My
wife just bought a copy of Windows 7 Home premium upgrade. The package
included 2 disks, one for 32 bit and the other in 64 bit. My understanding
is that Microsoft wrote Windows 7 so that the code entered during install is
what determines what version of Windows 7 you would end up with. Now here
is the question. I usually do a clean install when things go really
bonkers. if I need to reinstall Windows 7 Professional 64 bit for some
reason, can I use the Windows 7 Home Premium upgrade disk to do a fresh
install without having to install XP or Vista first? I obviously don't want
to install anything more than I absolutely have to.

If I understood correctly what I read somewhere a day or two ago, the
only difference between the various installation DVD versions is a small
text file (whose name unfortunately escapes me) that tells the installer
what version to install -- and if the file is missing, the installer
asks you what version you want to install. Now obviously the activation
code must match the version you install, but the activation code is not
entered until after the installation of whichever version.

So using your wife's Home Premium disc would give you Home Premium.
However (again, if I have understood correctly what I read), if you made
an ISO of that Home Premium disc, edited it to eliminate that little
file, then burned it back to a DVD, it would ask you which version you
want to install.

Perce

 

[R.T.F.M.]

The other option is to do an install with the Home Premium disc without entering a key and then do an Anytime Upgrade using your Pro key after-wards. I have done exactly this on several computers without any problems. The Anytime Upgrade does not really install anything on the computer - it's already there and the actions just makes more features available.

Just for the heck of it I did an Anytime Upgrade from Starter to Basic and then from Basic to Premium because I wanted see the evolution from one edition to another.