W7 Upgrade - rules changed?

InQ · 21 Jan 2010 at 16:37

I've bought Windows 7 Pro 64 bit for my netbook via a student/parent purchase and i've now seen the following statement:-

Please Note: changes to UK release of Microsoft Windows 7

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX ask all our customers to please note that Microsoft have recently made a number of changes to the European release of Microsoft Windows 7. Please be aware that while this is subject to change, the latest information that we have is as follows:

This version of Windows 7 ships as an upgrade edition. It is NOT possible or permitted to perform a clean install with this product. You must have an existing valid Windows operating system on your hard disk. All editions of Windows 7 will now include the Internet Explorer 8 web browser as standard.

There is no date to say when this was implemented from, is this correct? :confused:

I planned to install it to a fresh hard drive.

For info, I have another copy of W7 Pro 64 bit for my desktop and that has installed fine on a fresh install the 3 times i've done it (twice on a laptop (once to a clean SSD and once to a mechanical HDD) and 1 installation on the desktop after i sold my laptop and reverted back to its supplied Vista copy...desktop needed me to phone M$ as it wouldnt authenticate but otherwise it worked).
This version was a downloaded copy from the M$ student offer back in October/November.

UncertainGod · 21 Jan 2010 at 16:41

As long as you have the licence key of a previous version of windows you can perform a clean install, the information you have been given is massively out of date.

stoofa · 21 Jan 2010 at 16:41

Well the rules haven't changed at all - an upgrade is still an upgrade.
So what Windows license are you upgrading from with this student upgrade edition?
What OS did your Netbook come installed with?

InQ · 21 Jan 2010 at 20:44

Well i was hoping to install it on a fresh blank HDD as i'd done before, the Netbook was supplied with XP however.

swinnie · 21 Jan 2010 at 21:10

If I'm reading your posts correctly, you want to install W7 on your netbook, formatting your hard drive in the process. There is no issue with doing this. Don't format your drive before installation, however, use the W7 disc to format the drive for you.

Hope this helps.

InQ · 21 Jan 2010 at 21:58

swinnie said:
If I'm reading your posts correctly, you want to install W7 on your netbook, formatting your hard drive in the process. There is no issue with doing this. Don't format your drive before installation, however, use the W7 disc to format the drive for you.

Hope this helps.

Well it actually has Win 7 RC on atm....

BUT if i was going to install a new HDD then the W7 upgrade should work still shouldnt it?....it has on my desktop and laptop with the version i d/l in October / November.

swinnie · 21 Jan 2010 at 22:01

InQ said:
Well it actually has Win 7 RC on atm....

As far as I'm aware you cannot use an upgrade licence on a release candidate.

InQ · 21 Jan 2010 at 22:52

swinnie said:
As far as I'm aware you cannot use an upgrade licence on a release candidate.

Yea but what i'm asking is that i havent had to have an installation on the HDD when i've installed W7 before so has something changed since it was released or not? If it hasnt then i should just be able to install it on the netbook with W7 RC installed on it.