Reusing Product Key when upgrading to 64 bit?

Poodmund · 4 Feb 2011 at 18:22

Hi guys,

I bought Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 32-Bit OEM when purchasing my pc which also included the Windows 7 Upgrade Voucher (this was nearly 2 years ago), however the Windows 7 was also 32 bit. I was wondering whether I could use a 64 bit retail version that belongs to a friend to install it on my PC and I use my product key to activate it?

I don't know whether this works or is legal or anything and was hoping someone could shed some light,

Thanks!

Poodmund · 4 Feb 2011 at 20:53

So to confirm, if I installed someone else's Windows 7 64-Bit Retail and used my Serial Key for my Windows 7 32-Bit OEM then it would work and be authentic/legal?

Poodmund · 4 Feb 2011 at 22:00

Okay, thanks for clearing that up.

Poodmund · 4 Feb 2011 at 23:30

When I search the internet I get very conflicting arguments about whether it will install/function/validate properly.

Gah! I think I'll just leave as is as I'm only losing half a gig or so of RAMM and just wait until my next build.

Poodmund · 5 Feb 2011 at 01:33

It was the OEM version bought here from OcUK. Is that just OEM Vanilla?

Poodmund · 5 Feb 2011 at 12:28

Thanks for the help!

Poodmund · 9 Feb 2011 at 16:41

Even though its a double post just thought I'd say this...

On Monday I got a HDD Disk Read error and Microsoft was pinging messages up in front of me saying "Backup your important media now!" etc. Bought a 1TB WD SATA3 HDD off here and it arrived this morning. Now the important part, a friend who had the Windows 7 64 Bit Retail Disk made an iso of it and sent it to me and I used a tool I found to make a bootable USB pen of it and did a clean install of it on the new HDD today using my Windows 7 32 Bit OEM Product Key.

The fact that I'm now posting here means that it works and it passes the activation and genuine authorisation and all that stuff.

So again, thanks for the advice guys.