Activating Windows 7 RTM with an upgrade key?

I bought the $50 Home Premium upgrade back in July but really don't want to wait all the way until October. I was wondering if I could install the RTM now and continuously extend the trial, then just put in my legit upgrade key when I get it around the 22nd. I ask because I have to wonder whether an upgrade key is different from a normal key in anyway, since I really don't understand such things, and it'd be way too inconvenient to have to reinstall everything again if the key didn't work.

 

No you can't. RTM is not final build

 

RTM IS FINAL BUILD hence why RTM is "release to manufacturing" but to answer the question, how are you installing windows 7 now? are you upgrading an existing installation? if so then you could use the code when your key comes out. otherwise if you do so by clean install then i don't know but maybe it'll act like vista where you can do another inplace upgrade to your clean-installed windows 7 install with another win7 install and then the upgrade key will be recognized?

 

Yeah, My understanding is RTM is the final release. Not sure how the new key will work after pre-release key was applied. Might be good to do a multi-boot or virtual machine with a shared data drive.

 

sorry, I should've made it clear. I'm currently running Windows XP, so it will be a clean install. That's why I was curious, since it wouldn't be a real upgrade.

 

You can extend Windows 7 activation up to a total of four months, using this procedure:

http://windowssecrets.com/2009/08/20/01-Use-any-version-of-Windows-7-free-for-120-days

If you have RTM, and you don't want to enter your key, you should be ok. However, since the actual clean (custom) install procedures aren't really well known (I haven't seen them at all), I have no idea if this will work for an XP-Win 7 upgrade.

 

Yes it is.

 

well then i think it should work since if you take a look on the license requirements, you do qualify for upgrade, its just that windows 7 does not allow in-place upgrade over xp.

here's a faq that supports my supposition:
http://www.maximumpc.com/article/features/windows_7_upgrade_guide_all_your_questions_answered

 

it's that it doesn't allow, it's that instead of doing an upgrade, the upgrade disk will do a clean install.

 

but because this is the only upgrade path available for xp-win7, the upgrade key should be recognized, license-wise.

 

Well if you want it now, you could install a lesser version, then use the windows anytime upgrade from the start menu. when you get your upgrade key.