Windows 7 Student Upgrade
- Thread starter macfanuk
- Start date
Right technically what you buy is an upgrade license, but the way it works is it is the same as a full one but it only authenticates if the install process goes in the way for being upgraded from another version of windows.
In reality this means you just need any copy of windows on the machine to install the new copy from (doesnt have to be active as well just able to run the installer).
When I noticed this problem the first time on my mac I found out that all you have to do is run the w7 installer at boot and install. Then when you are there you just have to run the installer again from inside your new w7 install to "upgrade" it. Then your key will activate fine.
Its a silly faff but a useful way to get a well priced copy of w7
In reality this means you just need any copy of windows on the machine to install the new copy from (doesnt have to be active as well just able to run the installer).
When I noticed this problem the first time on my mac I found out that all you have to do is run the w7 installer at boot and install. Then when you are there you just have to run the installer again from inside your new w7 install to "upgrade" it. Then your key will activate fine.
Its a silly faff but a useful way to get a well priced copy of w7
Hmm seems a bit of a PITA. I've got 2 computers I want to install it on and according to the company that sells the student software, you can buy one 32 bit and one 64 bit so was hoping to use both keys for the 64 bit one. It justs seems a lot of hassle if I'd have to install xp or something first, to then install Windows 7.
The reason I asked the question though was because when Windows 7 came out, I got a free Windows 7 upgrade for my Dell laptop. That installed and activated fine without having a previous version of Windows on.
Did any of you guys try the phone activation when your windows 7 upgrade wouldn't activate? How about using an normal Windows 7 Pro DVD with the key from the student software, will that work?
The reason I asked the question though was because when Windows 7 came out, I got a free Windows 7 upgrade for my Dell laptop. That installed and activated fine without having a previous version of Windows on.
Did any of you guys try the phone activation when your windows 7 upgrade wouldn't activate? How about using an normal Windows 7 Pro DVD with the key from the student software, will that work?
well you are saving £40 per machine, that £80 for 2 hours work (max time to install xp twice) if you have such a sweet job that your time is worth more than £40 an hour maybe jsut buy the full version?
Just run the w7 installer twice.... (doesnt take that long on modern hardware now anyway).
Your entitled to buy one license of each copy of w7 I think (or I got lucky) so I got a home premium and a pro version for £40 each. If you pay a few extra quid they'll send you a real disc too which makes the "upgrade" easier (and you can use it as a normal install disc)
The student upgrade is different to the upgrade from Dell. The one you got from Dell was likely a full OEM version to make things simple. It was an upgrade in that it is better than the previous version of Windows.
The Student Upgrade is a true upgrade. It requires an existing OS to be present on your PC for it to install. Whether or not you need to do a clean install is completely irrelevant. It only cares about there being a previous OS. If it is there, you can either upgrade [from Vista] or clean install from XP or Vista.
Microsoft do realise that people may not have original media for them to reinstall their previous OS in the case of a new HDD/PC. Their own recommendation is the double-install method mentioned above. There is, however, a second method and this requires a bit of registry tweaking. This question has been asked exactly 72,000 times an hour since Windows 7 was launched.
You won't have to search long to find out how.
It should be noted you still need a qualifying OS to be license legal. You also may not use that previous OS anywhere else - even if it is Retail. Your new Upgrade copy of Windows also takes on the same license type as the OS you are upgrading. So if your copy of Vista or XP is OEM - your Windows 7 upgrade is now OEM. The same is true for Retail. It does not matter whether or not the Upgrade is Retail or OEM to start with.
The Student Upgrade is a true upgrade. It requires an existing OS to be present on your PC for it to install. Whether or not you need to do a clean install is completely irrelevant. It only cares about there being a previous OS. If it is there, you can either upgrade [from Vista] or clean install from XP or Vista.
Microsoft do realise that people may not have original media for them to reinstall their previous OS in the case of a new HDD/PC. Their own recommendation is the double-install method mentioned above. There is, however, a second method and this requires a bit of registry tweaking. This question has been asked exactly 72,000 times an hour since Windows 7 was launched.
You won't have to search long to find out how.
It should be noted you still need a qualifying OS to be license legal. You also may not use that previous OS anywhere else - even if it is Retail. Your new Upgrade copy of Windows also takes on the same license type as the OS you are upgrading. So if your copy of Vista or XP is OEM - your Windows 7 upgrade is now OEM. The same is true for Retail. It does not matter whether or not the Upgrade is Retail or OEM to start with.
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