XP to Windows 7 Upgrade Path?

Is there an Upgrade CD that you can buy to upgrade from XP to Vista? I have seen upgrade CDs for Starter, Premium, and Professional to a higher version but not specially XP.

Also, what happens to your key when you upgrade? Am I allowed to then reuse my key on another machine since I am now using 7?

*EDIT*

I meant from XP to 7 like the title thread says, not XP to Vista. Dunno why Vista was on my mind.

 

You check this link:


http://www.askvg.com/transform-windows-xp-into-windows-7-without-using-customization-pack/

Hope this helps.

 

If you're looking for a disc that will get you directly from XP to 7, it does not exist, because you can't do it.

If you're asking what happens to your XP or Vista key, if you upgrade XP to Vista, and then Vista to 7, you should be able to use your XP and Vista keys to re-install XP or Vista on other machines. You're only using the key for the OS you're currently running.

That's for an upgrade only.

If you're going to install Windows 7 alongside of an existing XP or Vista installation, than I do not think you're allowed (read, against the EULA, but it may still work) to install XP or Vista on other PC's with your old keys.

 

You mean from XP to 7?

They are not offering an in-place upgrade from XP to 7. However, you can still buy any Windows 7 upgrade CD and install it... you just have to do a clean install rather than an upgrade. But if you have XP installed now, then you can do the clean install using the upgrade disc.

 

Agreed. If you're moving from Windows XP a clear/fresh install is your ONLY option. But now that W7 is available, why would you even want to upgrade to Vista? That's going backwards.

 

The upgrade for 7 will allow you to do a clean install.

 

Wow that was some typo. I meant from XP to Windows 7. Thanks for the information; I figured something like that existed.

So there is no Upgrade CD from XP to 7?

 

An "Upgrade" will keep your files intact. You cannot "Upgrade" from XP to Windows 7 in the sense that you can't keep your files intact.

You can do a "clean installation" of Windows 7 which will pretty much remove all your files. To do this you need a Windows 7 disk (Upgrade disk or Full Retail disk will work) or bootable .iso.

If you download the installation file you will need to create an .iso of the created files and then burn that to DVD or transfer to USB. Then you can install it on your XP machine by booting to the DVD or USB.

I installed Windows 7 Pro x64 on my XP Pro x86 machine from the bootable DVD I burned from the .iso that I built from the files created from the installation file I downloaded from Microsoft's student discount offer.

I installed Windows 7 Pro x86 on my girlfriend's XP Home x86 machine from a bootable USB I made from the .iso I built from the files downloaded in the "Legal Windows 7 Download Links" thread in this forum.

 

This is the part that I am wondering about. It makes sense to me but I guess I was just making sure. i do wonder what would stop you form doing it. I have an unused XP CD that I was considering using and getting an upgrade CD, but if I lose my key I could as well keep it intact.

 

This website answers my question on the first part:

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

Of course it does not answer whether I am violating the EULA by keeping my old key for another machine like BrandonSi suggested.

I do not see MS gobbling up the key by doing an upgrade but I just want to be on the right side of the EULA.