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    Lost Vista Disck, only have Windows 7 Upgrade disk

    Discussion in 'Dell' started by Streetmagus, May 3, 2011.

  1. Streetmagus

    Streetmagus Notebook Consultant

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    Hey guys,

    Do I need the original Vista DVD in order to do a clean install of Windows 7?
    I currently have Windows 7 64bit, I was eligible for the Windows 7 upgrade that dell offered. My laptop originally came with Vista.

    So, I don't have the original Vista disk, I only have the "Windows Vista Home Premium to Windows 7 Home Premium" upgrade disk..

    What do I do?
     
    Streetmagus, May 3, 2011
    #1
  2. OneCool

    OneCool I AM NUMBER 67

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    Yes you can you use it.As long as the Windows 7 upgrade disk finds a copy of an older version of windows on the drive it will let you install it.
     
    OneCool, May 3, 2011
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  3. Streetmagus

    Streetmagus Notebook Consultant

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    I don't have the Vista disk to install Vista. So you're saying I can just pop the upgrade disk in and it'll install win7?

    I thought I needed to install Vista then upgrade to Windows 7 with the upgrade disk.
     
    Streetmagus, May 3, 2011
    #3
  4. Tsunade_Hime

    Tsunade_Hime such bacon. wow

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    As long as you have a Microsoft OS installed already, Windows 7 upgrade will install properly. However booting from the upgrade disc on a blank HDD will result with you having to redo everything because it won't activate.

    You need to install Vista or XP and then boot from the Windows 7 upgrade disc.
     
    Tsunade_Hime, May 4, 2011
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  5. Streetmagus

    Streetmagus Notebook Consultant

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    Update on this problem. When I throw the upgrade disk in when I'm in Windows, I was able to choose clean install or upgrade. I chose clean install, but I wanted to format my drives so I had to restart and boot from disk.

    After doing that, I still had to input the CD key that was on the upgrade disk sleeve.

    I should've known the upgrade disk contains the full version of windows too -_-

    Why do they make it so misleading, they should just label it Windows Home Premium, rather than "Windows Vista Home Premium to Windows 7 Home Premium upgrade disck"..jeeze =P
     
    Streetmagus, May 4, 2011
    #5
  6. Tsunade_Hime

    Tsunade_Hime such bacon. wow

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    The upgrade has the "same" image but the COA is completely different. Had you did a clean install on a blank HDD, that COA would not have activated if you installed from the upgrade disc.
     
    Tsunade_Hime, May 4, 2011
    #6