• Need to change Windows 7 version for Windows 10 upgrade

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    #501514

    I have a laptop that was set up using Windows 7 Enterprise, which I had from an old business.
    I want to be able to update this to Windows 10, but from everything I have read, Enterprise will not have a free Windows 10 upgrade.
    I have a product key for Windows 7 Ultimate that was not used previously. I really want to do a non-destructive upgrade so that i don’t have to reinstall everything on this system.
    Does anyone know if there is a way to do this? I attempted to use the process that Fred had written a while back and got a message that Enterprise cannot be updated to Ultimate.
    Thanks

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    • #1521578

      If you have a Win 7 Ultimate install disk to go with the key, then this may work for you http://www.addictivetips.com/windows-tips/downgrade-windows-7-enterprise-to-ultimate-professional-or-home-premium-edition/

      • #1521652

        If you have a Win 7 Ultimate install disk to go with the key, then this may work for you http://www.addictivetips.com/windows-tips/downgrade-windows-7-enterprise-to-ultimate-professional-or-home-premium-edition/

        Sudo, Thanks. This actually works with only one issue. I have SP1 installed and the windows install disk I have does not have SP1 on it. So i get an error saying that the installed version is newer than the version I’m attempting to install.
        I can;t uninstall SP1. When I go into the updates list, I do not get an uninstall option for SP1. Do I need to uninstall every update after SP1 (from 2011)?
        I attempted to just remove the value in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersion CSDVersion by removing the current value of Service Pack 1. Leaving that blank gave me the same error. Since I don’t have a computer that does not have SP1 on it, I don’t know what other value would be there that might trick the installer.
        Thanks,

    • #1521683

      When the original install included SP1, it is part of Windows and cannot be uninstalled but I came across where an original install didn’t include SP1 and SP1 was still unable to be uninstalled as it should be able to – Windows :rolleyes:

      I have an universal Win 7 x64 SP1 ISO from which I can burn you a couple of bootable disks – just PM me your address and I’ll send them onto you.

      This was originally a Win 7 x64 Pro SP1 ISO that I removed the eicfg file from so it is good for Starter – Ultimate which will activate with your product key.

      You would normally be prompted to select the version you wished to use when using it for a clean install, but I don’t know how that downgrade program would treat it.

      You can also download an ISO from http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-recovery by entering your product key and while I don’t know if these include SP1, they are free.

      You can then use https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/windows-usb-dvd-download-tool to create bootable media of your choice.

      • #1521800

        When the original install included SP1, it is part of Windows and cannot be uninstalled but I came across where an original install didn’t include SP1 and SP1 was still unable to be uninstalled as it should be able to – Windows :rolleyes:

        I have an universal Win 7 x64 SP1 ISO from which I can burn you a couple of bootable disks – just PM me your address and I’ll send them onto you.

        This was originally a Win 7 x64 Pro SP1 ISO that I removed the eicfg file from so it is good for Starter – Ultimate which will activate with your product key.

        You would normally be prompted to select the version you wished to use when using it for a clean install, but I don’t know how that downgrade program would treat it.

        You can also download an ISO from http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-recovery by entering your product key and while I don’t know if these include SP1, they are free.

        You can then use https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/windows-usb-dvd-download-tool to create bootable media of your choice.

        I found a Full Win7 disk and when I run it I get a different error now. I get the list of available Windows versions and I select Windows 7 Ultimate 64. The software does a compatibility check and then gives me an error message that I can’t do an upgrade from 32 bit to 64 bit. I know the current install is 64 bit. Just for fun (ha) I ran it again and selected x86, that failed as well. I then changed to attempting to install Professional and that failed as well.
        Not sure why this is now popping up as an error. Is there another setting in the registry that I need to check?

    • #1521830

      Can you boot up with that disk as if to navigate to the Recovery Environment through Repair your Computer when you get to the splash screen.

      If it’s a bad disk it should give you an error message as it probably won’t be able to load all of the files.

      I’ve also created a Win 7 x32 HP SP1 and tried that on this Win 7 x64 machine and it told me something similar to being the wrong architecture or something, so Windows knows when something doesn’t fit for whatever reason.

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