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    Upgrade Vs. Full

    Discussion in 'Windows OS and Software' started by dougaha18, Jul 8, 2009.

  1. dougaha18

    dougaha18 Notebook Guru

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    so i was looking at the Windows 7 upgrade and the Home Premium edition is only $50 . I was looking to just start with a clean hard drive so I thought maybe I would need to buy the full Windows 7. If I reformat with Vista and install the upgrade would it be the same as just installing the full version?
    This would be much cheaper if I only need the upgrade.

    Thanks :)
     
    dougaha18, Jul 8, 2009
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  2. goofball

    goofball Notebook Deity

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    When you say "reformat", do you mean you do a clean install of Vista, then use the upgrade disc to go to 7?
     
    goofball, Jul 8, 2009
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  3. kegobeer

    kegobeer 1 hr late but moving fast

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    There are plenty of posts about using the upgrade disc to to a clean install. Have you read any of them yet?
     
    kegobeer, Jul 8, 2009
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  4. Orlbuckeye

    Orlbuckeye Notebook Evangelist

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    I believe when you do the upgrade it would take up more space as it would create a file called Windows.old that can be used to restore back to Vista. That file is pretty big. I experienced that when I installed the Beta as an upgrade to Vista.
     
    Orlbuckeye, Jul 8, 2009
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  5. gerryf19

    gerryf19 I am the walrus

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    Windows.old can be removed to free up space.

    Windows 7 (and vista) upgrades are different than previous updates--they are image based so there should be no appreciable difference between an upgrade vs clean install (people will tell you differently, but the differences are negligable)

    It is still unlcear if you can use a Windows 7 disk to perform a clean install.

    You could not with Vista, although a workaround was discovered--whether that work around will exist in Windows 7 final release is unknown
     
    gerryf19, Jul 8, 2009
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  6. kegobeer

    kegobeer 1 hr late but moving fast

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    That is not correct. Microsoft has stated it publicly, and another NBR member received confirmation from Microsoft. It was also built into Vista from the very start - it was just not generally known by the public.
     
    kegobeer, Jul 8, 2009
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  7. gerryf19

    gerryf19 I am the walrus

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    I disagree with your interpretation on Vista

    While the "function" was always "there" when the method was first publicized on the web, Microsoft was silent for several days until the PR folks decided it was best to just to just acknowledge you could do it. It was not an "official" installation method, but an unintended consequence of Microsoft's decision to allow people to install without an cd-key.

    I have not seen confirmation of Vista Upgrade disks being used for clean installs in the RTM of Windows 7. Note: that is RTM. I will take your word for it.
     
    gerryf19, Jul 8, 2009
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  8. kegobeer

    kegobeer 1 hr late but moving fast

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    I agree it was not common knowledge until people like Paul Thurrott wrote articles about it. About using upgrade media to upgrade "upgrade" media - if XP was upgraded to Vista, and that Vista install is being upgraded to 7, and an in-place upgrade is allowed using the Microsoft chart (Premium -> Premium, etc), then the original media isn't necessary. If the upgrade path doesn't allow an in-place upgrade, then the original XP disc is all that's required to do a clean install using the 7 upgrade media (or, simply skip that and do the upgrade "trick" without any previous media).

    If you visit Paut Thurrott's website, you can read about the confirmation he received from Microsoft. I believe the post was made yesterday, in response to one of my posts, where the person called Microsoft and got the official "yes it will work" statement.
     
    kegobeer, Jul 8, 2009
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  9. gerryf19

    gerryf19 I am the walrus

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    I will take your word for it-- ;)
     
    gerryf19, Jul 8, 2009
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  10. naiLS1

    naiLS1 Newbie

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    Can you post a link to this website?

    Nevermind, I found it.
     
    naiLS1, Jul 9, 2009
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