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Can I install Windows 7 with an upgrade cd?
- Thread starter AUSTOOO!
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That's what I thought.
So here's my second option. I have a legit version of XP I can install on it and then I can use the student upgrade option, right? My question is, I would like to go from the 32bit version of XP (I'm pretty sure it's 32bit. They didn't have 64bit XP, right?) to 64bit Windows 7 Home Premium. Looking at Microsofts website I cant tell if it's not possible, or if they're just telling me I'll use all my data unless I back it up. Anyone have a clear answer for me? Can I do it (would it just be as simple and putting in the DVD and following the upgrade directions?) or is it more trouble than it's worth and I should just go with the 32bit Windows 7.
So here's my second option. I have a legit version of XP I can install on it and then I can use the student upgrade option, right? My question is, I would like to go from the 32bit version of XP (I'm pretty sure it's 32bit. They didn't have 64bit XP, right?) to 64bit Windows 7 Home Premium. Looking at Microsofts website I cant tell if it's not possible, or if they're just telling me I'll use all my data unless I back it up. Anyone have a clear answer for me? Can I do it (would it just be as simple and putting in the DVD and following the upgrade directions?) or is it more trouble than it's worth and I should just go with the 32bit Windows 7.
There is a 64 bit version of XP, but you'd know if you had it, it says XP64 all over it -- I use it on my son's computer.
You shouldn't have to install XP then upgrade to 7. Just install 7 and when it asks for a key, don't enter one. Once it is installed it wants you to activate -- don't do it. Just put the disk in again and start over. This time when it asks for the key, enter it and it will see it as an upgrade.
You can't go from XP to 7 directly anyway. If you own XP and want to get to 7 you have to reformat the drive and start over. That is why they say you have to back up. Only upgrades from Vista are supported. This is why you can do the double install without a problem (Microsoft supports it).
You shouldn't have to install XP then upgrade to 7. Just install 7 and when it asks for a key, don't enter one. Once it is installed it wants you to activate -- don't do it. Just put the disk in again and start over. This time when it asks for the key, enter it and it will see it as an upgrade.
You can't go from XP to 7 directly anyway. If you own XP and want to get to 7 you have to reformat the drive and start over. That is why they say you have to back up. Only upgrades from Vista are supported. This is why you can do the double install without a problem (Microsoft supports it).
So if I get the $29 student upgrade in 64bit and I do the double install trick it should work no problem? I'll be installing it using Parallels, so there will be no previous version of Windows installed - will that be a problem?
Also, I have a Windows 7 Home Premium upgrade DVD I got with an HP PC I purchased over the summer. Can I use that (since the student upgrade is download only - it's $13 extra for the disks) and just enter the product key from the student upgrade I purchased?
Yes the upgrade should work no problem, I had no OS on my machine and used the upgrade disks. Remember the double install is a supported method by Microsoft, so it had better work. 
I too have the HP upgrade for my wife's machine, and after going through it I would say don't use it. It is a bit different and I don't think it has the drivers for everything, just the HP hardware. I would download the ISO and burn a DVD with it, that's the safest, and cheapest way to go.
I too have the HP upgrade for my wife's machine, and after going through it I would say don't use it. It is a bit different and I don't think it has the drivers for everything, just the HP hardware. I would download the ISO and burn a DVD with it, that's the safest, and cheapest way to go.
Yes the upgrade should work no problem, I had no OS on my machine and used the upgrade disks. Remember the double install is a supported method by Microsoft, so it had better work.
I too have the HP upgrade for my wife's machine, and after going through it I would say don't use it. It is a bit different and I don't think it has the drivers for everything, just the HP hardware. I would download the ISO and burn a DVD with it, that's the safest, and cheapest way to go.
How would I go about downloading the ISO? Is that the file that is downloaded through the $29 student upgrade download? I thought that I read somewhere that it wasn't an ISO download. I wonder if it would just be easier paying the extra $13 to get the DVDs. Or could I just copy whatever downloads for the upgrade to a USB drive and do it that way?
I don't know why this is so confusing. I guess that's what I get for trying to save a buck.
EDIT: I found a link to the official ISO, so I just burn that to a DVD and use that? Then just enter the Product Key that I get with the $29 student upgrade?
EDIT AGAIN: Looking around online it seems that in Parallels 4 you can install directly from the ISO file without having to put it on a DVD. Is this true for Parallels 5? So I can just download the ISO directly to my Mac and let Parallels do the work? That would be super easy!
And thank you all for helping me out. I'm new to the Mac world and this is the first time I've ever done anything like this with a Mac. I just want to make sure I don't screw it all up. Thanks!
Installing Windows & on Mac
I read over many of the post in this thread and tried this and it worked like a charm:
Using parallel, I installed windows 7, I uncheck the box above where you would put the Product Key number and it allowed me to install windows. After the installation was complete, I removed the windows 7 cd and reinserted it into the disk drive, I received the option to install windows 7, i selected that options, Upgrade was now one of my choices, i selected upgrade and at the conclusion of the install it asked for my Product Key number, which I inserted and I'm good to go. This was extremely simple.
Also I own a purchased copy of windows xp, windows vista, windows 7, and windows 8(don't like windows 8), so i am not performing any illegal operation. Happy Installing.
I read over many of the post in this thread and tried this and it worked like a charm:
Using parallel, I installed windows 7, I uncheck the box above where you would put the Product Key number and it allowed me to install windows. After the installation was complete, I removed the windows 7 cd and reinserted it into the disk drive, I received the option to install windows 7, i selected that options, Upgrade was now one of my choices, i selected upgrade and at the conclusion of the install it asked for my Product Key number, which I inserted and I'm good to go. This was extremely simple.
Also I own a purchased copy of windows xp, windows vista, windows 7, and windows 8(don't like windows 8), so i am not performing any illegal operation. Happy Installing.