Will a Windows 7 Upgrade disc be OK for bootcamp install?

[Icaras]

About to pre-order Windows 7 but I have a quick question: I previously own a full retail copy of Vista, so will a Windows 7 upgrade disc be fine? I know this is the procedure if you have a PC but I'm not quite so sure of the rules under boot camp on a Mac.

And does Microsoft have an easy way to authenticate a clean install of Windows 7 without already having Vista installed?

 

[wesrk]

I'm not sure but I think you must have a full copy of whatever OS you want to install, so you might have to do Vista and then within Vista upgrade to Win 7.

 

[Icaras]

I'm not sure but I think you must have a full copy of whatever OS you want to install, so you might have to do Vista and then within Vista upgrade to Win 7.

Uggh, I was hoping that wouldn't be the case. I wish I didn't have to install Windows TWICE.

 

[mslide]

I believe the way previous Windows upgrade discs worked was that you could do a clean install, however, it asked for you to insert your previous windows disc to verify it is a qualifying product.

Can anyone confirm that, and if so, can this work on a mac? Specifically, is it even possible to eject the disc, during the install process, to insert the disc for your previous version of windows?

 

[contitego]

I believe the way previous Windows upgrade discs worked was that you could do a clean install, however, it asked for you to insert your previous windows disc to verify it is a qualifying product.

Can anyone confirm that, and if so, can this work on a mac? Specifically, is it even possible to eject the disc, during the install process, to insert the disc for your previous version of windows?

I don't think you can eject the disc. the keyboard controls disc ejection.

You can install a vista upgrade as a fresh install. you install it without the cd key, then install vista again with the cd key. Delete the Windows.old directory and you are all set.

 

[The Flashing Fi]

I believe the way previous Windows upgrade discs worked was that you could do a clean install, however, it asked for you to insert your previous windows disc to verify it is a qualifying product.

This was done in Windows XP and before. Windows Vista and above do not use this method.

contitego's method is correct. You will end up installing twice, but you don't need a previous version of Windows or anything like that.

 

[Icaras]

This was done in Windows XP and before. Windows Vista and above do not use this method.

contitego's method is correct. You will end up installing twice, but you don't need a previous version of Windows or anything like that.

Alright well that's fine, as long as Vista no longer touches my system.

 

[dinaluvsApple]

im going to have to correct contitego and flashing's errors.

you can install windows 7 using the upgrade disc as long as you have a valid windows xp or vista cd key.

You DONT need to install both operating systems.

Windows 7 upgrade will ask for a valid xp or vista key and then continue with the installation.

 

[contitego]

im going to have to correct contitego and flashing's errors.

you can install windows 7 using the upgrade disc as long as you have a valid windows xp or vista cd key.

You DONT need to install both operating systems.

Windows 7 upgrade will ask for a valid xp or vista key and then continue with the installation.

How do you know this? My release client did not ask for a cd key. Vista which is basically W7, but more bloated did not ask for a cd key. The installer is essentially the same.

I am curious as to HOW you know this, considering it is in a release client.

 

[wesrk]

im going to have to correct contitego and flashing's errors.

you can install windows 7 using the upgrade disc as long as you have a valid windows xp or vista cd key.

You DONT need to install both operating systems.

Windows 7 upgrade will ask for a valid xp or vista key and then continue with the installation.

really? Then I might consider getting the 7 upgrade disk! Thanks

 

[justern]

Registry Hack?

Has anyone had any success with this registry hack?

Open regedit.exe with Start Menu Search and navigate to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/Software/Microsoft/Windows/CurrentVersion/Setup/OOBE/

Clean Install Windows 7 with Upgrade Media

Change MediaBootInstall from "1" to "0". (Double-click it and then enter 0 in the dialog that appears.)

Clean Install Windows 7 with Upgrade Media

Close RegEdit.

Open the Start Menu again and type cmd in Start Menu search to display a shortcut to the Command Line utility. Right-click this shortcut and choose "Run as administrator." Handle the UAC prompt.

In the command line window, type: slmgr /rearm

Then tap ENTER and wait for the "Command completed successfully" dialog.

Clean Install Windows 7 with Upgrade Media

Then, close the command line window and reboot. When Windows 7 reboots, run the Activate Windows utility, type in your product key and activate windows.

If it works, you're all set. You're done. Congratulations.

If this does not work, you can try two different things:

First, ensure there are no pending Windows Updates to install. In my experience, some of these can cause this method to fail. Install them and reboot PC. Re-run the command line (with administrative privileges) noted above, reboot again, and re-attempt the activation.

 

[rheb1026]

Has anyone had any success with this registry hack?

Open regedit.exe with Start Menu Search and navigate to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/Software/Microsoft/Windows/CurrentVersion/Setup/OOBE/

Clean Install Windows 7 with Upgrade Media

Change MediaBootInstall from "1" to "0". (Double-click it and then enter 0 in the dialog that appears.)

Clean Install Windows 7 with Upgrade Media

Close RegEdit.

Open the Start Menu again and type cmd in Start Menu search to display a shortcut to the Command Line utility. Right-click this shortcut and choose "Run as administrator." Handle the UAC prompt.

In the command line window, type: slmgr /rearm

Then tap ENTER and wait for the "Command completed successfully" dialog.

Clean Install Windows 7 with Upgrade Media

Then, close the command line window and reboot. When Windows 7 reboots, run the Activate Windows utility, type in your product key and activate windows.

If it works, you're all set. You're done. Congratulations.

If this does not work, you can try two different things:

First, ensure there are no pending Windows Updates to install. In my experience, some of these can cause this method to fail. Install them and reboot PC. Re-run the command line (with administrative privileges) noted above, reboot again, and re-attempt the activation.

I can confirm that this method does in fact work

 

[Quad5Ny]

What's with all the "Clean Install Windows 7 with Upgrade Media" steps? There should only be one and it should be the very first thing on the list, you don't need to reinstall again.

It should also be noted that you don't enter your product key in the user setup wizard, you enter it later (after the registry hack is done). - http://www.winsupersite.com/article/windows-7/clean-install-windows-7-with-upgrade-media, Method #2

P.S. There is no upgrade media (all Win7 media is the same), there are only Upgrade product keys.