Upgrade from XP OEM to Windows 7

  • Thread starter Thread starter Ryan Tryssenaar
  • Start date Start date
R

Ryan Tryssenaar

Is it possible to purchase the Windows 7 upgrade for a computer with a
Windows XP OEM license? I realize that the computer must be formated and
Windows re-installed, just wondering if XP OEM is a valid upgrade path to
version 7.

Also can I upgrade from XP Professional to Windows 7 Home, or is 7 Pro.
required?

Ryan
 
Ryan,

Never upgrade any OS. Always purchase the full version. I am not talking
exclusively about XP/Vista/7 but from Windows 95 onwards
 
SPAMCOP User said:
Ryan,

Never upgrade any OS. Always purchase the full version. I am not talking
exclusively about XP/Vista/7 but from Windows 95 onwards
Click to expand...
you can do a format and fresh install with a win7 upgrade disk. You only
have to insert your Vista or XP disk during install to verify that you own
it. And yes the Microsoft upfate will upgrade from Win 2000 or WinXP as well
as Vista according to the MS website.
 
I do not what to physically upgrade my OS. As I stated in my original post,
I understand that I must format and perform a clean install of Windows 7.

What I want to do is purchase the Win7 upgrade license and wanted to ensure
that OEM versions are valid as a base.

Ryan
 
I know that - that is what I'm planning on doing.

My question remains - is the OEM verison of XP a valid upgrade path to
Windows 7?

Ryan
 
Ryan said:
Is it possible to purchase the Windows 7 upgrade for a computer
with a Windows XP OEM license? I realize that the computer must be
formated and Windows re-installed, just wondering if XP OEM is a
valid upgrade path to version 7.

Also can I upgrade from XP Professional to Windows 7 Home, or is 7
Pro. required?
Click to expand...

The type of end-user accessible license you have doesn't matter.

OEM/Retail/Upgrade...

You can get an 'upgrade license' for Windows 7 and legitimately use it on
your OEM copy of Windows XP Professional. I think you will merely be
wasting your money, best to spend the extra and get a full retail version
and get the same end-result with the added benefit of not needing the prior
OS, IMO.
 
Shenan Stanley said:
The type of end-user accessible license you have doesn't matter.

OEM/Retail/Upgrade...

You can get an 'upgrade license' for Windows 7 and legitimately use it on
your OEM copy of Windows XP Professional. I think you will merely be
wasting your money, best to spend the extra and get a full retail version
and get the same end-result with the added benefit of not needing the
prior OS, IMO.
Click to expand...
The full version may be better, but with $150US difference between the
upgrade and the full versions of Home Premium, and $100US difference between
the upgrade and full versions of the other 2 releases, I'm sure a lot of
people (including myself) will be going the upgrade route. I've gone the
upgrade route from Windows 3.11 through XP Home and never ran into any real
problems. Most problems I had were with the hardware I was running at the
time, and it wouldn't matter if it was an upgrade or full installation in
that regard. My Gateway notebook is running Vista Home Premium, and as soon
as I receive my pre-ordered copy of 7, it will no longer have Vista (thank
God!).

SC Tom
 
No! (As usual, "Singapore Computer Service" posts misleading/incomplete
information.)

<QP>
Q: I am running Windows XP, can I upgrade to Windows 7?

A: Microsoft designed Windows 7 Upgrade media for Windows Vista. A customer
with Windows XP can purchase Windows 7 Upgrade media but must back up their
files, clean install, and then reinstall their applications.
</QP>
Source: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/buy/offers/pre-order-faq.aspx
 
I stand by my replies: When you upgrade an OS, you do not have to back-up,
format & do a clean install.

Technically, you're not upgrading your license, you're purchasing a new Win7
license at a discount.
 
Never upgrade any OS. Always purchase the full version. I am not talking
exclusively about XP/Vista/7 but from Windows 95 onwards
Click to expand...


That's *terrible* advice, from two points of view:

1. The Upgrade version of any Windows is less expensive than the Full
Version, and therefore should be bought in preference to it when you
can.

It depends on what versions of Windows you are coming from and going
to, but in general the Upgrade version *can* do a clean installation.
For example, with XP, the requirement to use an upgrade version is to
*own* a previous qualifying version's installation CD, not to have it
installed. When setup doesn't find a previous qualifying version
installed, it will prompt you to insert its CD as proof of ownership.
Just insert the previous version's CD, and follow the prompts.
Everything proceeds quite normally and quite legitimately.

2. Although many people will tell you that formatting and installing
cleanly is always the best way to go, I disagree. Unlike with previous
versions of Windows, an upgrade to XP or later versions of Windows
replaces almost everything, and usually works very well.

My recommendation is to at least try the upgrade, since it's much
easier than a clean installation. You can always change your mind and
reinstall cleanly if problems develop.

However, don't assume that doing an upgrade relieves you of the need
to backup your data, etc. before beginning. Before starting to
upgrade, it's always prudent to recognize that things like a sudden
power loss can occur in the middle of it and cause the loss of
everything. For that reason you should make sure you have backups and
anything else you need to reinstall if the worst happens.
 
=?Utf-8?B?UnlhbiBUcnlzc2VuYWFy?=
I do not what to physically upgrade my OS. As I stated in my original
post, I understand that I must format and perform a clean install of
Windows 7.

What I want to do is purchase the Win7 upgrade license and wanted to
ensure that OEM versions are valid as a base.

Ryan
Click to expand...

What kind of cd do you have for your OEM XP, is it a generic OEM from
Microsoft or a restoration CD from Dell, HP, Acer etc.?

I'm not sure if the later would do when the setup program ask for a proof
of ownership of a previous version.

Generic OEM CDs have always worked for me.

I don't know if you can go from Pro to Home, my XP Home upgrade cd won't
upgrade from Win2000 pro or NT, only from 98, 98se, and ME; my XP pro
upgrade CD will also upgrade Win2000pro, NT Workstation 4.0 and XP Home
also. Those infos come from the boxes.

It might be a different story for Windows 7.
 
Let's not get distracted by technicalities, please. A true In-Place Upgrade
does not require a clean install. Only Vista machines qualify for an
In-Place Upgrade.

The above notwithstanding, being able to purchase and do a clean install
Win7 on a WinXP machine for as little as US$49 is nothing to sneeze at.
 
Although you won't be able to perform an in-place upgrade (which of
course you already know), what you describe is indeed a valid upgrade
*path* (with regard to the license). But since you will be upgrading an
OEM version of XP, your license to upgrade to 7 is tied to the PC that
came with the OEM version of XP. If you wish to honor the EULA and
install 7 (using the same Upgrade CD/license) on *another* PC, you will
need to purchase another qualifying license/CD of XP (or Vista).

Bottom line: If you are absolutely sure you won't ever want to transfer
your 7 to another PC, the Windows 7 Upgrade CD is a great bargain.
 
I disagree Ken

When you upgrade you get a new front end with almost an existing back-end.
Therefore you have instability plus if you need to rebuilt the OS you always
have to go through the upgrade

If you have the full version then you have no problems providing the
hardware can handle it
 
I disagree Ken

When you upgrade you get a new front end with almost an existing back-end.
Therefore you have instability
Click to expand...


Wrong, but I'll grant you that that is at least a matter of opinion.

plus if you need to rebuilt the OS you always
have to go through the upgrade
Click to expand...


That's *completely* wrong, and is *not* a matter of opinion. Please
read the first point I made below carefully.

If you have the full version then you have no problems providing the
hardware can handle it
Click to expand...


Please note that I made two points. Not only am I in favor of doing an
upgrade when possible rather than a clean installation, I pointed out
that buying the Full version when you qualify for the Upgrade is
simply a waste of money. If you qualify for the Upgrade version you
should buy it even if you want to do a clean installation rather than
an upgrade. The Upgrade version *can* do a clean installation and its
clean installation is *identical* to that done with the Full version.
 
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