Installing "Upgrade" without "Full" license is NOT legal

***Steve R Jones*** · 10-29-2009, 07:26 AM

Microsoft SMB Community Blog
Eric Ligman – Global Partner Experience Lead - Microsoft Worldwide Partner Group

Regardless of what any hack says, a Windows 7 Upgrade is an Upgrade. What you need to know.

http://blogs.msdn.com/mssmallbiz/arc...d-to-know.aspx

**vertices** · 10-29-2009, 01:10 PM

The manner in which you install is irrelevant. As long as you own a valid license to a previous edition of Windows (and not an OEM from a different PC), then you are fine.

**Timman_24** · 10-29-2009, 01:48 PM

I'm pretty sure everyone in the entire world has at least one license to an older Windows system by now

**taggart6** · 10-29-2009, 01:56 PM

I'm more surprised that someone took the time to make a picture showing good and bad licensing.

**RealBeast** · 10-29-2009, 02:13 PM

Originally Posted by taggart6

I'm more surprised that someone took the time to make a picture showing good and bad licensing.

Probably got home early from their Win 7 party and had some time before Mom sent them off to bed.

***Steve R Jones*** · 10-29-2009, 04:20 PM

Unfortuantly - I'm betting there are many peeps that will go: "OH, now i get it."

**taggart6** · 10-29-2009, 05:09 PM

Originally Posted by Steve R Jones

Unfortuantly - I'm betting there are many peeps that will go: "OH, now i get it."

Great thing about this is that there is no real technical issue at all. It's all a legal issue.

Being able to install Win7 Upgrade over a Win7 RC isn't hack.

**ua549** · 10-29-2009, 05:57 PM

Actually one must modify a file to get it to work.
In addition the new version must also be Ultimate.
One cannot do an in-place upgrade installation of any version lower than what is installed.
RC is an Ultimate version so an upgrade must also be Ultimate, not Professional or Home Premium or ...

**taggart6** · 10-29-2009, 06:03 PM

Originally Posted by ua549

Actually one must modify a file to get it to work.
In addition the new version must also be Ultimate.
One cannot do an in-place upgrade installation of any version lower than what is installed.
RC is an Ultimate version so an upgrade must also be Ultimate, not Professional or Home Premium or ...

I installed Windows 7 pro Upgrade over my Win7 RC with no problems. It did not require any additional setup\ or for me to alter any files.

**ua549** · 10-29-2009, 06:11 PM

You did a clean install, not an upgrade to the existing Windows installation.

I believe we are referring to two different types of "upgrade".
I'm referring to an in-place upgrade where applications and settings are carried forward rather than being reinstalled and/or reapplied.

**t34b4g5** · 10-29-2009, 08:43 PM

I've got a legit license for windows 95, can i use that for the legit full version, and then simply use the win7 upgrade disk...

**taggart6** · 10-30-2009, 02:50 PM

Originally Posted by ua549

You did a clean install, not an upgrade to the existing Windows installation.

I believe we are referring to two different types of "upgrade".
I'm referring to an in-place upgrade where applications and settings are carried forward rather than being reinstalled and/or reapplied.

Link?

I wasn't able to find anything on how to upgrade Win7RC to Win7 retail via the upgrade version.

**MrDigital** · 10-30-2009, 02:56 PM

I'm running Windows 7 on my laptop and it still looks and feels like Vista SP3 to me. It's almost like Microsoft basically reintroduced Vista with a new name and now people are like "omg, it's so good".

I'm not gonna be updating my two desktops from Vista anytime soon, until the day comes that I need to reinstall for some reason.

**ua549** · 10-30-2009, 04:30 PM

Originally Posted by taggart6

Link?

I wasn't able to find anything on how to upgrade Win7RC to Win7 retail via the upgrade version.

For the in-place upgrade one must be going from Win7 RC (Ultimate) to the released version of Win7 Ultimate by using the Upgrade option rather than the Custom option during the installation. You can not upgrade the RC to Professional or lower.

That said, there is a file, \sources\cversion.ini that specifies the minimum build number that can use the upgrade process. That file must be edited to include the RC build #7100. Editing that file involves copying the release media to media where the file can be rewritten such as a hard drive or a memory stick. I prefer to use a bootable memory stick. After editing the file, you can burn a new DVD or simply boot the memory stick.

Use this procedure at your own risk. An in-place upgrade from the release candidate or older OS to Windows 7 is not supported by Microsoft.

**Timman_24** · 10-30-2009, 04:37 PM

Originally Posted by MrDigital

I'm running Windows 7 on my laptop and it still looks and feels like Vista SP3 to me. It's almost like Microsoft basically reintroduced Vista with a new name and now people are like "omg, it's so good".

I'm not gonna be updating my two desktops from Vista anytime soon, until the day comes that I need to reinstall for some reason.

7 is totally based on Vista, so yes that is pretty much what they did. Which is a smart thing for them to do. Many companies do a "rerelease" which is really only a release of the updated product. Several online games have done this as well to get rereviewed in light of the changes. With that said I have Vista SP3 on my laptop and am using 7 on my desktop. 7 is less intrusive, more streamlined, and "feels" more like xp. Which is a good thing and was worth the 30 bucks.

Now if I was a casual user I wouldn't upgrade. I would just wait to get it on the newer system that I buy.

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