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    Do I need a clean install?

    Discussion in 'VAIO / Sony' started by edwordsigh, Oct 13, 2010.

  1. edwordsigh

    edwordsigh Notebook Consultant

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    Hey all,

    I have an extra copy of windows 7 ultimate that I'm looking into installing on my vaio Z. It currently has windows 7 professional installed. Do I need to go through a clean install process, wipe out the current OS and install all the windows 7 ultimate drivers on Esupport?
     
    edwordsigh, Oct 13, 2010
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  2. beaups

    beaups New Jack Hustler

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    What do you need ultimate for? If you want to use another version of windows and don't want to pay for an anytime upgrade I believe you do need to do a clean install.
     
    beaups, Oct 14, 2010
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  3. Gandalf_The_Grey

    Gandalf_The_Grey Notebook Evangelist

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    No.
    You can input your Win 7 ultimate key at Windows Anytime Upgrade.
    Windows Anytime Upgrade - Windows 7 - Microsoft Windows
    All versions are already on your harddrive, it is the key that unlocks the features.
     
    Gandalf_The_Grey, Oct 14, 2010
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  4. H.A.L. 9000

    H.A.L. 9000 Occam's Chainsaw

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    Yes. To the above. But have all that extra bloat??.... I say do a clean install, with the Ultimate Key.
     
    H.A.L. 9000, Oct 14, 2010
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  5. beaups

    beaups New Jack Hustler

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    ^What bloat? There's not that much sony stuff on the Z and easier just to uninstall.

    Gandalf are you sure you can use a retail key in the anytime upgrade program? News to me, but good news if it works.
     
    beaups, Oct 14, 2010
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  6. e14

    e14 Notebook Evangelist

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    if you delete the recovery partition you will save 11 gigs, thats a bonus of doing a clean install. I am installing clean right now.
     
    e14, Oct 14, 2010
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  7. beaups

    beaups New Jack Hustler

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    ^You don't have to do a clean install to smoke the recovery partition. You can kill that partition and expand the main partition without resorting to a clean install.
     
    beaups, Oct 14, 2010
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  8. edwordsigh

    edwordsigh Notebook Consultant

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    Thanks to everyone who responded. After further research, Gandalf_the_grey was indeed right about the Full Retail key working with the Anytime Upgrade. It seems that all versions of Windows 7 are the same but with some features locked depending on which key you have. With Anytime Upgrade, the features become unlocked accordingly (ie. Ultimate = all features unlocked). This is good information for anyone who wants to upgrade from Home Premium to Professional or to Ultimate as they won't have to worry about doing a clean install.

    Thanks again everyone.
     
    edwordsigh, Oct 14, 2010
    #8