Comments on: Clean-install Windows 7 from the upgrade disc http://www.askwoody.com/2009/clean-install-windows-7-from-the-upgrade-disc/ Woody Leonhard’s no-bull news, tips and help for Windows and Office Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:06:02 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 By: woody http://www.askwoody.com/2009/clean-install-windows-7-from-the-upgrade-disc/comment-page-1/#comment-5781 woody Fri, 17 Dec 2010 15:45:02 +0000 http://www.askwoody.com/?p=3275#comment-5781 @Merav - Can you boot from any CD? Take a look at http://pcsupport.about.com/od/tipstricks/ht/bootcddvd.htm @Merav -

Can you boot from any CD? Take a look at http://pcsupport.about.com/od/tipstricks/ht/bootcddvd.htm

]]> By: merav resistal http://www.askwoody.com/2009/clean-install-windows-7-from-the-upgrade-disc/comment-page-1/#comment-5754 merav resistal Thu, 16 Dec 2010 15:08:57 +0000 http://www.askwoody.com/?p=3275#comment-5754 Hi, Thank you for this post. I followed your instruction but it seem i can not boot from the upgrade cd. Can you advise me what to do ? Thank you in advance Merav Hi,

Thank you for this post. I followed your instruction but it seem i can not boot from the upgrade cd. Can you advise me what to do ?

Thank you in advance

Merav

]]> By: woody http://www.askwoody.com/2009/clean-install-windows-7-from-the-upgrade-disc/comment-page-1/#comment-1290 woody Sun, 15 Nov 2009 22:07:25 +0000 http://www.askwoody.com/?p=3275#comment-1290 Mark - It's basic, but it isn't easy! No reason to pay anyone anything. You can do it. It's all in the book. The important thing is to make sure you run Windows Easy Transfer before you install. It'll carry across all the settings. I believe in custom (clean) installs more than ever now that I've seen how the in-place upgrades have gone. As I wrote in last week's <a href="http://www.windowssecrets.com/2009/11/12/02-Clean-install-Windows-7-from-the-upgrade-disc" rel="nofollow">Windows Secrets</a>, "Sticking Win7 on top of an old copy of Windows is like building a new house on old landfill. You never know what's going to come to the surface, or where, or when. A very large percentage of the problems people are having with Windows 7 installations occur with in-place upgrades." Mark -

It’s basic, but it isn’t easy! No reason to pay anyone anything. You can do it. It’s all in the book. The important thing is to make sure you run Windows Easy Transfer before you install. It’ll carry across all the settings.

I believe in custom (clean) installs more than ever now that I’ve seen how the in-place upgrades have gone. As I wrote in last week’s Windows Secrets, “Sticking Win7 on top of an old copy of Windows is like building a new house on old landfill. You never know what’s going to come to the surface, or where, or when. A very large percentage of the problems people are having with Windows 7 installations occur with in-place upgrades.”

]]> By: Mark Cauffman http://www.askwoody.com/2009/clean-install-windows-7-from-the-upgrade-disc/comment-page-1/#comment-1289 Mark Cauffman Sun, 15 Nov 2009 14:58:00 +0000 http://www.askwoody.com/?p=3275#comment-1289 I have a Windows 7 upgrade disk and have a Vista Home Premium operating system with SP2 upgrades and am thinking of making a clean install as you have suggested. However I don't have enough experience to get myself out of trouble if I lost or fouled up anything. My questions are as follows: 1. You suggest making a complete backup. I can't with Home Premium is the backup I can make sufficient. I also don't know how to use the back up to get back the information if I lose it. Is the answer for recalling the backed up information in your Windows Vista 9 in 1 reference book, which I have? 2. Is there a place I can get a step by step procedure for the clean install and backup which I can erform? 3. I can just upgrade from the disc, does this have any disadvantages over the clean install? I use my computer only for personal stuff, don't use a lot of pictures, or any video or music. What is the difference between a upgrade and a clean install. Will the clean install give significant advantages over the upgrade? 4. I recognize that this is very basic to you. I would not feel slighted if you ignore these questions because I should probably pay someone to do the clean install if I want it done, but I enjoy doing these things myself. Thanks for any help you can give! Mark I have a Windows 7 upgrade disk and have a Vista Home Premium operating system with SP2 upgrades and am thinking of making a clean install as you have suggested. However I don’t have enough experience to get myself out of trouble if I lost or fouled up anything.

My questions are as follows:

1. You suggest making a complete backup. I can’t with Home Premium is the backup I can make sufficient. I also don’t know how to use the back up to get back the information if I lose it. Is the answer for recalling the backed up information in your Windows Vista 9 in 1 reference book, which I have?

2. Is there a place I can get a step by step procedure for the clean install and backup which I can erform?

3. I can just upgrade from the disc, does this have any disadvantages over the clean install? I use my computer only for personal stuff, don’t use a lot of pictures, or any video or music. What is the difference between a upgrade and a clean install. Will the clean install give significant advantages over the upgrade?

4. I recognize that this is very basic to you. I would not feel slighted if you ignore these questions because I should probably pay someone to do the clean install if I want it done, but I enjoy doing these things myself.

Thanks for any help you can give!

Mark

]]> By: woody http://www.askwoody.com/2009/clean-install-windows-7-from-the-upgrade-disc/comment-page-1/#comment-1284 woody Sat, 14 Nov 2009 12:46:47 +0000 http://www.askwoody.com/?p=3275#comment-1284 Patrick - Please do keep us posted. If it's a big hassle, don't bother - 64-bit isn't a do-or-die upgrade. But it's nice to have. (Oh, and all of the Win7 boxes include two DVDs - one 32-bit, and one 64-bit.)) Patrick -

Please do keep us posted. If it’s a big hassle, don’t bother – 64-bit isn’t a do-or-die upgrade. But it’s nice to have. (Oh, and all of the Win7 boxes include two DVDs – one 32-bit, and one 64-bit.))

]]> By: woody http://www.askwoody.com/2009/clean-install-windows-7-from-the-upgrade-disc/comment-page-1/#comment-1282 woody Sat, 14 Nov 2009 12:44:16 +0000 http://www.askwoody.com/?p=3275#comment-1282 David - Agreed on all counts. It's the Alohabob technology that MS bought and modified. David -

Agreed on all counts. It’s the Alohabob technology that MS bought and modified.

]]> By: Ron http://www.askwoody.com/2009/clean-install-windows-7-from-the-upgrade-disc/comment-page-1/#comment-1277 Ron Sat, 14 Nov 2009 03:14:48 +0000 http://www.askwoody.com/?p=3275#comment-1277 Hello Woody, I just read your article in Windows Secrets regarding the full install of Win 7 from an upgrade version disk. I'm confused about one point. You write that a pc built from scratch may not qualify for an upgrade. My question is: Why might that be the case if the operating system in that pc was an off the shelf full retail version? Thanks. Love your column by the way. Hello Woody, I just read your article in Windows Secrets regarding the full install of Win 7 from an upgrade version disk. I’m confused about one point. You write that a pc built from scratch may not qualify for an upgrade. My question is: Why might that be the case if the operating system in that pc was an off the shelf full retail version?
Thanks. Love your column by the way.

]]> By: David http://www.askwoody.com/2009/clean-install-windows-7-from-the-upgrade-disc/comment-page-1/#comment-1272 David Fri, 13 Nov 2009 20:21:37 +0000 http://www.askwoody.com/?p=3275#comment-1272 I've had smooth sailing with fresh installs instead of in place upgrades. Particularly, even though I back up data religiously before such things, I've not had a failure yet when using Windows Easy Transfer to transfer data and settings. Of course, reinstalling programs, etc., is necessary, but not a hassle, really. It's been really nice to hand a family member's computer back to them and have everything be familiar enough to them that they don't need a thing in the way of "training" on the new OS to get right back on that Word document they were working on before the upgrade or load their web browser and have their last session restore "automagically," for example. Heck, just giving folks their "old shoe comfy" desktop can help smooth the transition for average users. Using WET before and after a clean install seems to combine the best of both a clean install and in place upgrade (with the "have to reinstall apps" caveat noted). I've done it with XP and Vista computers, 32-bit and 64-bit. really nice. As far as I'm concerned, the "bad old days" of the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard are dead and buried. Microsoft has indeed made a clean install/upgrade a smooth, easy and virtually painless process. I’ve had smooth sailing with fresh installs instead of in place upgrades. Particularly, even though I back up data religiously before such things, I’ve not had a failure yet when using Windows Easy Transfer to transfer data and settings. Of course, reinstalling programs, etc., is necessary, but not a hassle, really. It’s been really nice to hand a family member’s computer back to them and have everything be familiar enough to them that they don’t need a thing in the way of “training” on the new OS to get right back on that Word document they were working on before the upgrade or load their web browser and have their last session restore “automagically,” for example. Heck, just giving folks their “old shoe comfy” desktop can help smooth the transition for average users.

Using WET before and after a clean install seems to combine the best of both a clean install and in place upgrade (with the “have to reinstall apps” caveat noted). I’ve done it with XP and Vista computers, 32-bit and 64-bit. really nice.

As far as I’m concerned, the “bad old days” of the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard are dead and buried. Microsoft has indeed made a clean install/upgrade a smooth, easy and virtually painless process.

]]> By: Patrick Rice http://www.askwoody.com/2009/clean-install-windows-7-from-the-upgrade-disc/comment-page-1/#comment-1269 Patrick Rice Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:53:17 +0000 http://www.askwoody.com/?p=3275#comment-1269 Ah Woody - thanks for that - some great info straight away, as I wasn't fully aware the situation with PC's/Laptops with Windows 7 pre-installed. I think I might do exactly that, ring the MS Activation people, and ask what they say - but leave it until the machine actually arrives first, so that I can give them any additional info they may require. The issue will then come down to one thing - is it legal, what I would wish to do. Certainly it sounds like there will be a whole raft of technical issues, but I can overcome any amount of these, IF it tuns out they say it's legal. As RETAIL Windows 7 comes in one single flavour of DVD, for both 32 and 64 bit versions, I don't really see why there *should* be any legal problem, in simply wanting my legitimate version of Windows 7 H.P 32 bit switched over to 64 bit. But the issue muddying all this, is that this is a pre-install OEM version, so different rules might apply. I'll be sure to post back what I find out come Tuesday though, so anyone else considering this has some more to go on. So thanks again Woody, for sure! Ah Woody – thanks for that – some great info straight away, as I wasn’t fully aware the situation with PC’s/Laptops with Windows 7 pre-installed.

I think I might do exactly that, ring the MS Activation people, and ask what they say – but leave it until the machine actually arrives first, so that I can give them any additional info they may require.

The issue will then come down to one thing – is it legal, what I would wish to do.

Certainly it sounds like there will be a whole raft of technical issues, but I can overcome any amount of these, IF it tuns out they say it’s legal.

As RETAIL Windows 7 comes in one single flavour of DVD, for both 32 and 64 bit versions, I don’t really see why there *should* be any legal problem, in simply wanting my legitimate version of Windows 7 H.P 32 bit switched over to 64 bit.

But the issue muddying all this, is that this is a pre-install OEM version, so different rules might apply.

I’ll be sure to post back what I find out come Tuesday though, so anyone else considering this has some more to go on.

So thanks again Woody, for sure!

]]> By: woody http://www.askwoody.com/2009/clean-install-windows-7-from-the-upgrade-disc/comment-page-1/#comment-1266 woody Fri, 13 Nov 2009 09:47:14 +0000 http://www.askwoody.com/?p=3275#comment-1266 Patrick - Helluva good question, and the answer is "I don't know." One big problem: PCs that come with Win7 pre-installed don't have activation keys, as such, so there's nothing to type into the installer. Your best bet is to follow the instructions I gave in the latest Windows Secrets Newsletter to call the MS activation people, and ask them. If they say it's OK, tell them you don't want to use the key in the box that you bought and ask specifically if it's OK to install without an activation key. (Remember that you can run Win7 up to 120 days without using an installation key.) When you get an answer, make sure you get the name of the person who gave you the answer. Keep me posted - woody (at) ask woody (dot) com Patrick -

Helluva good question, and the answer is “I don’t know.” One big problem: PCs that come with Win7 pre-installed don’t have activation keys, as such, so there’s nothing to type into the installer.

Your best bet is to follow the instructions I gave in the latest Windows Secrets Newsletter to call the MS activation people, and ask them. If they say it’s OK, tell them you don’t want to use the key in the box that you bought and ask specifically if it’s OK to install without an activation key. (Remember that you can run Win7 up to 120 days without using an installation key.) When you get an answer, make sure you get the name of the person who gave you the answer.

Keep me posted – woody (at) ask woody (dot) com

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