Windows 7 upgrade on a new HDD?

Basically, I'm planning to swap the HDD my Fujitsu T5010 laptop(to a Hitachi 7k500 ) which I just got last week. It has Vista on it but it's eligible for the Windows 7 upgrade.

Basically, I want to know/confirm the steps I need to take to get Windows 7 on my new HDD/laptop.

I know the upgrade only works if there's an OS present on the disk so do I need to reinstall Vista on my new drive before doing the Windows 7 clean install? And what exactly are the steps needed to do so? I haven't really seen a proper guide either here on on TabletPCreview so I'm wondering

Thanks in advance!

 

According to Microsoft, you gotta install the Vista installation first then apply the upgrade on top of that. They specifically addressed this in a blog post a while back before Win7 was released. For folks who complained about the process, Microsoft's answer was "That is why there is a Full license available."

Although, technically, it is possible to install the Windows 7 upgrade with out the Vista installation first.

 

I have not installed the Windows 7 Upgrade using the following information but have read where it works.

You can perform a clean install Windows 7 on a virgin, unused HD. When you boot and run Setup with the Upgrade media for Windows 7, Windows 7 will install but may not activate do to no prior OS found.

Method 1:
"After performing the clean install, ensure that there are no Windows Updates pending that would require a system reboot. (You'll see an orange shield icon next to Shutdown in the Start Menu if this is the case).

Then, open regedit.exe with Start Menu Search and navigate to:

HKLM/Software/Microsoft/Windows/CurrentVersion/Setup/OOBE/

Change MediaBootInstall from "1" to "0".

Open the Start Menu again and type cmd to display a shortcut to the Command Line utility. Right-click this shortcut and choose "Run as administrator." Handle the UAC prompt.

In the command line window, type: slmgr /rearm

Then tap ENTER, close the command line window and reboot. When Windows 7 reboots, run the Activate Windows utility, type in your product key and activate windows."

Method 2:
"1. clean install on HDD, when you reach the product key screen, don't type in anything and hit Next.

2. run regedit, HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\OOBE,
on the right pane select MediaBootInstall key, modify value from 1 to 0.

3. go to command prompt, type
cscript.exe slmgr.vbs -rearm

4. Reboot at this point. After the reboot,
right-click on Computer's properties, Change Product Key - type in the product key now and it should activate."

 

or you can download HDclone and clone the harddrive you have now onto the new drive then install over vista on the new one

 

I thought HD cloning required both HDDs to be installed at the same time on the machine(one in slave right?). Is there a way to plug in both HDDs on a 13" laptop?

I wonder if there'd be a way to install Vista on the new HDD before "clean installing" Windows 7 on it. Then again, they don't ship installation discs with laptops anymore.

 

usb sata adapter

put the new HD in and install any windows OS you have laying around ( doesnt have to be activated)

then put in the windows disc

 

This will helps you a lot
http://www.maximumpc.com/article/howtos/how_use_your_windows_7_upgrade_disk_fresh_pc