Windows 7 Upgrade Trick

[SiM]

Haven't tested this method myself (I upgraded from an activated Win7 RC installation) but it should allow full installation from a Windows 7 Upgrade DVD.

http://community.winsupersite.com/bl...he-answer.aspx

Put simply, the goal here is to clean install Windows 7 on a virgin, unused PC. You can boot and run Setup with the Upgrade media for Windows 7, but when you go to activate, it won't work.

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.

[lego batman]

Don't know if this is relevant, but I deleted and reformatted my windows partition (windows 7 RC) before doing a clean install from my upgrade disc as usual. No registry-fiddling required.

[SiM]

Don't know if this is relevant, but I deleted and reformatted my windows partition (windows 7 RC) before doing a clean install from my upgrade disc as usual. No registry-fiddling required.

Did you reformat it during the Win 7 installation?

[lego batman]

Yes, completely reformatted because I resized that partition so reformatted it.

[Blaineoliver]

Thats fine then. Thers no way to properly upgrade from RC to retail and retain everything unless you hack the disc and change a file

[Wooglie]

The reinstall trick I know works as well if you don't want to mess around with the registry. Did a clean install using the upgrade DVD then ran the install from inside Windows 7 and activated after that had finished.

[SiM]

Yes, completely reformatted because I resized that partition so reformatted it.

It detected that you already had Windows installed, so it activated without a problem because you did technically "upgrade" (ie. move from one activated windows to another)

[synaesthesia]

That's a long winded way of doing it.

Just boot and install from the upgrade disc. Dont put a key in and untick "automatically activate".

Let it install through to the final bit when you're finally at the desktop.
Run setup from within windows, carry out upgrade. Do it fully, with key etc.

Activates straight away, no editing anything.

[SiM]

That's a long winded way of doing it.

Just boot and install from the upgrade disc. Dont put a key in and untick "automatically activate".

Let it install through to the final bit when you're finally at the desktop.
Run setup from within windows, carry out upgrade. Do it fully, with key etc.

Activates straight away, no editing anything.

Errr... it takes 10 secs to change a registry key. The double install way would take an extra 20 mins. Which way is more long winded?

[lego batman]

It detected that you already had Windows installed, so it activated without a problem because you did technically "upgrade" (ie. move from one activated windows to another)

Oh ok sorry.

[finlay666]

It detected that you already had Windows installed, so it activated without a problem because you did technically "upgrade" (ie. move from one activated windows to another)

I did it on a clean hard drive with no problems, only other drives were ones with media on and they were fine

[SiM]

I did it on a clean hard drive with no problems, only other drives were ones with media on and they were fine

There are reports that this sometimes method does not allow activation for some people...

This is the damn problem with the internet. Too many people saying different things lol.

I posted this in case someone had an upgrade key which would not activate on a clean, non-upgrade install

[DannyM]

Errr... it takes 10 secs to change a registry key. The double install way would take an extra 20 mins. Which way is more long winded?

I think the long way would be better in the long run

From what I have gathered, the 'quick' fix, which is what I will use, could be effected by a Windows update, if Microsoft wish to become arsey about it.

[atmadden]

I think the long way would be better in the long run

From what I have gathered, the 'quick' fix, which is what I will use, could be effected by a Windows update, if Microsoft wish to become arsey about it.

Once its activated you are fine I can't see what they can do.

[synaesthesia]

Errr... it takes 10 secs to change a registry key. The double install way would take an extra 20 mins. Which way is more long winded?

Sorry chap, misunderstood the original a bit :| For some reason I thought that was in a second installation of Win7 itself

And no, there's nothing anyone or MS could do to make updates etc not work on such a registry "tweak". Quite safe.

[Agent]

I think the long way would be better in the long run

From what I have gathered, the 'quick' fix, which is what I will use, could be effected by a Windows update, if Microsoft wish to become arsey about it.

It's really not - Installing an OS on top of an OS is never the ideal solution. It's an absolute overkill for this.

Windows update is entirely separate to this - it's *only* tied to the authentication process. Once it's activated though WGA, it doesn't matter about anything previously.