How will Final Release be handled for RC users?

I thought I saw a post on this before, but can't find it now, so excuse if it has been discussed, just kick me in the right direction.

Basically, when the final build is released for public purchase, how will this work for those of us with RC builds that have kept 7 up to date? Can we effectively either enter our valid purchased product key without need for install?

Or will it require a final product clean install?

Thanks!

 

RC is not related to the final product in any way, so you must do a clean install.

 

There won't be an upgrade from RC to final product. They product is almost the same, but they're not related. One is for testing and one is for consumer use.

E.g. you can't upgrade from Vista to Windows server 2008 because they have different purpose. They're related because they're based on the same code.

 

Microsoft have already stated that you will need to re-install your OS and all your apps when you agreed to the license of Win7 RC. Vista was the same you couldn't just upgrade (as many of us have been doing with the Win7 beta builds) to the final RTM product. Unfortunately the only way to get to the RTM version from the RC is to do a clean install. The only possible other solution (and this is just speculation) is to change the min version number and perform an "upgrade" installation.
My intention is to use the Complete PC backup I did of vista along with a backup set I keep up to date and then upgrade to RTM. That way I will not have to mess around re-installing all of my apps and copying the 10's of GB's worth of associated files and data.

 

absolutely not possible they want clean fresh installs

 

Just like Win 7 beta to this current RC, you needed to clean install, same for rc to Final.

 

Ok, thanks guys. So I guess I'll just install basic apps that I need to evaluate and stick with XP (or Vista) until Win7 final is released. With the dozens and dozens of apps I usually have installed, a clean install with all the new apps can take literally a few days with the free time I have.

 

Why will MS allow this? The final version will differ very much from the RC.
It's not like upgrading the beta builds.

 

Why will it be different? Aren't these builds basically stepping up to what the final code will be? Not only that, wouldn't it mainly be swapping out system files, reg entries, and ini's?

 

Actually, I think that the "upgrade" path might be available in Windows 7. See here:

http://www.winsupersite.com/win7/win7_upgrade.asp

Excerpt:

"Depending on the version of Windows you're upgrading from, you have choices. That is, with Windows Vista and pre-release versions of Windows 7, you can do a traditional in-place upgrade, where you insert the Windows 7 Setup DVD in the existing OS, run Setup, and upgrade the entire system, applications and all, to the new OS."

Now even if this is true, I think it's a bad idea. A fresh installation is always the best way to go.

 

Fresh install, of course is always best way to go, especially if you are stepping up to a new OS (like XP to Vista). But in this case it is the same OS, just updated files. Is this much different than installing a Service Pack?

Either way, it'll allow you time before you have to reformat and reinstall all your apps. I wish they were more definitive on this, because I'm holding back from installing much or using it extensively because I just don't feel like doing that reformat, reinstall, find your drivers, re-install all your app's dance.

 

I'm hoping this is true. By the time I purchase Win 7 next March I'll have used Win 7 alongside XP for nearly a year and I'm trying to get rid of my Vista partition so it will take me quite some time to do a clean install and reinstall everything, it took me a day just to do the Win 7 RC install and get it working to my satisfaction with the apps I wanted on initially and I still haven't quite installed everything I used in Vista.