Going from Home Premium to Pro without re-installing?

pumaz

pumaz

pumaz

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I have Windows 7 HP Retail installed on my main rig in sig and I'm currently building a HTPC that as Windows XP. I've just bought a copy of Windows 7 Pro Upgrade from software for students which includes an Key and iso that I have to burn. All OS's are 100% legit :)

What i would like to do is somehow use Windows 7 Pro on my main rig without having to do a fresh install and then use the Home Premium from that machine on the HTPC which will need a fresh install anyway.

Is this possible and if so how?

Like I said i own Windows 7 HP Retail and I also own Windows XP which entitles me to use the Windows 7 Pro upgrade. So although it might seem i'm trying to do something dodgy, honestly I'm not! I'm really just trying to save myself a ton of work doing a fresh install on a rig that as a ton of software on and is running very nicely :)

Thanks
 
the only way to get the pro upgrade onto your main rig would be to install xp on it then upgrade to 7 pro.

you can't upgrade your 7 hp without locking it to the 7 pro upgrade i'm afraid.
 
That's a shame, Thought it might have been possible to use a some kind of reg hack and allow me to delete old HP key and enter new Pro key :(
 
With Vista you had the "anytime upgrade" discs which worked as an upgrade to a higher version or a clean install (done it myself). Does that no longer apply to Windows 7? Have you tried sticking the Windows 7 Pro disc in while booted into Win7 HP and see what options it offers?
 
You should be able to Switch between versions of Win7 without problem, bang the Pro disk in whilst booted in to home premium and do an upgrade (from within windows) and iw will work no problem! (did this from Ult to Pro and Home Premium to Ult)
 
Use the anytime upgrade function and type in your new key.

To do this right click on "Computer," click properties and then underneath where it says Service Pack 1, click the blue link. "Get more features with a new edition of Windows 7" :)
 
Just checking, if I do this I will be able to use my HP key on my HTPC, performing the upgrade won't disable the HP key will it?
 
pumaz said:
Just checking, if I do this I will be able to use my HP key on my HTPC, performing the upgrade won't disable the HP key will it?
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Not that I know of. But I'm not 100% sure on this. If the replacement key is a full key it should be fine, but you may have to email MS support. Or wait for one of the mods who know about these things to reply.
 
the replacement key you are using is an upgrade version so it should lock the hp key that you are using to upgrade from.

if it was an oem or retail full version then you wouldn't have this problem, that is why the upgrade versions are cheap compared to full versions as you lose the original version you are upgrading from.
 
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The XP license is a OEM

I found some info over at sevenforums and they say that if I edit the registry to make my copy of HP think it's Pro which tricks the installer into thinking it is doing an (always allowed) same-version Repair Install. Then run the Pro DVD upgrade install from HP desktop and enter the new Pro key.

I've done this and so far so good, I now have Windows 7 Pro on my main rig and it went without hitch but the real test will be when i come to install Windows 7 HP on my HTPC.

I'll update my results!
 
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iDroid84 said:
Why are you going to Pro from Home may I ask? Theres not much difference in the versions except the Pro version is good for businesses. (Unless your networking them with group policy e.t.c)
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I'm building a Mini-ITX HTPC and needed an OS, I found i was able to buy Windows 7 Pro upgrade download and key for £40 (I qualified for this as I have an old copy of Windows XP). I thought it would be a bit daft to put the Pro version on a HTPC while my main rig as HP which is btw the retail box version.

Hope that makes sense :)
 
pumaz said:
I'm building a Mini-ITX HTPC and needed an OS, I found i was able to buy Windows 7 Pro upgrade download and key for £40 (I qualified for this as I have an old copy of Windows XP). I thought it would be a bit daft to put the Pro version on a HTPC while my main rig as HP which is btw the retail box version.

Hope that makes sense :)
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Makes perfect sense.
 
you said in your first post that you weren't doing anything dodgy, but you have edited your registry to bypass the upgrade procedure which is very dodgy to say the least.

i really hope you are able to install your hp on your htpc but if you can't you only have yourself to blame.

btw are you in full time education ?
 
pumaz said:
I found a website of the same name last night and managed to buy Windows 7 Pro upgrade for £40. I wanted it for my HTPC build i'm doing at the moment what's the best way of installing this on to an SSD. I do have an old (genuine) copy of XP i could install then upgrade but i want to do a clean as install as possible. Any tips?

Also on the same site they're doing MS Office 2010 for £40 and you can install it to 2 machines. I have 3 machines, is there anything preventing me from installing it to a 3rd?
Click to expand...
http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18254170

Watch out because if your not careful you will b monitored and banned.......
 
Sorry guys i'm not aware i'm doing anything dodgy.

I've bought and own genuine versions of Windows 7 Home Premium, Windows 7 Professional Upgrade and Windows XP Home Edition.

I now have Windows 7 Pro on one machine which as freed up My copy of Windows Home Premium to use on my HTPC build.

I honestly can't see what i've done wrong. If it's the reg hack your referring to then i've only done this to save time doing a fresh install, I've not cheated Microsoft out of any money as i've paid for all copies of Windows.

I've not yet bought Microsoft Office 2010 but I will as it's a good deal :) I asked about installing it on 3 machines because I was curious (I don't really need it on my 3rd machine which is the HTPC). I intend to use Office on my main rig and MacBook under Windows 7 (Yes that's legit as well).

I qualified for software for Student because My son is at college (He uses my machines), and I qualified for Windows 7 Pro upgrade because I have Windows XP home Edition.

If I'm doing something wrong then please point it out and i'll delete my posts etc.

Mods I also apologise if I've done something wrong its not intentional I'm just not aware I have.
 
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you paid for an upgrade version of win 7 pro which means if you were upgrading from your xp home that the xp home would no longer be usable, by doing the reg hack from your existing win 7 home premium you have tried to bypass this and as such you haven't given up your copy of xp home so if your copy of win 7 hp works when you try to install it on you htpc then you won't have given up any of the copies of windows so you have cheated microsoft.
 
Just a little update to say that Windows Home Premium is now running on my new HTPC, I had to do the Microsoft 0800 automatic activation thing.

And for anyone who cares I have no intention of using Windows XP ever again so i have destroyed it!!!

So chipps101 I have not "cheated microsoft" ;)
 
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