Windows 7 Purchasing / Install Question

[smithmr8]

Hi,
I've got two question's relating to windows 7. I am planning to install it on my desktop, and my laptop, but just wanted to check something.

1)I'm a student, and therefore have the lovely ability to buy it at a discounted price, of £30.
E.g. http://www.microsoft.com/uk/education/studentoffer/
My question is does anyone know whether this is a full version or just an upgrade. As I would rather do a clean install to reduce the possibilities of a complication.

2)Say I buy a copy of windows like the one linked above, what would happen if say my computer had an epic-fail and needed reformatting / installing. Would it still activate again ? If so how many times ? It normally has to be done a few times a year.

Thanks,
Luke

[Champman99]

Windows 7 Professional

You can also choose to buy Windows 7 Professional Upgrade for £30, however this may require you to perform a clean install. Please refer to the FAQ's. for more details.

If you check the FAQs it makes many references to doing a clean install. There is no upgrade path for Windows XP users, and yet students running XP are still eligable for offer. Im 99% sure clean install (or custom install as MS calls it) will work no problems.

This implies that you are able to do a clean install imo. You cant do a Vista:Home Premium - > W7: Pro, so they are saying you will have to clean install, which suggests that you are able to do one with this download service.

I've ordered a copy of Pro on this offer assuming it will let us do a clean install. (No reason not to get Professional if you are after this offer, as they are same price and Pro has more features)

In terms of your second question, if it is within a short period, the automatic activation could fail. All that happens is that a telephone number pops up on screen, you just give them a bit of info and tell them its a reformat/ re-install and they give you a new activation code (I've done it many times). I think if its after a certain length of time (12months?) it can re-activate automatically OK as well, at least it has happened to me that it just 'worked' before.

[smithmr8]

Oh ok. I saw some of the references to a clean install but wanted to make sure. Will order a copy of the pro version when I get paid . Can't wait to use it. The beta / RC was bliss to use compared to Vista.

So if I need to reformat, then I should be able to ring them up and they should be able to help me with activating it again ?

[smithmr8]

Oh, and another thing. I will be getting access to the MSDNAA catalogue in the next few weeks. Is a copy of Win7Pro from their going to be the same as the one offered from Microsoft's Ultimate Steal, just without the disc ?

[smithmr8]

If anyone can help I'd be very greatful. =]

[smithmr8]

I've got my MSDNAA access through. I will be installing it on my laptop, which has 4GB of RAM. I was wondering what the differences were between the 32 and 64 bit versions. Can they run the same applications / games ect... ?

[kalniel]

Yup.

[smithmr8]

Sweet. And there shouldn't be any difference between an MSNDAA version from one brought from a shop ?
Downloading the 64bit version

[kalniel]

Sweet. And there shouldn't be any difference between an MSNDAA version from one brought from a shop ?

Nope.

[nightkhaos]

For the downloaded student editions you may be interested in this thread.