Is just "upgrading" my windows OS good enough?

[voodoochild16]

Hey all,
I have never just upgraded my windows OS. I am alot more happy with the latest OS's offered by Microsoft and I'm pretty smart with using them, usually I am the one to call by friends and family for PC help. But some things I don't know.

Here's my real question, say if I have Windows 7 home premium now (full version) and want to upgrade to Windows 8, do I still use that Windows 7 serial or am I just using Windows 8 after upgrading?. Is it embedded somehow?. Know what I mean?.

[kujoe2002]

Hey all,
I have never just upgraded my windows OS. I am alot more happy with the latest OS's offered by Microsoft and I'm pretty smart with using them, usually I am the one to call by friends and family for PC help. But some things I don't know.

Here's my real question, say if I have Windows 7 home premium now (full version) and want to upgrade to Windows 8, do I still use that Windows 7 serial or am I just using Windows 8 after upgrading?. Is it embedded somehow?. Know what I mean?.

Because you are installing a new product, you should be required to enter a new license key. Even upgrading required a new license key. The only exception is with preinstalled systems. But if you are doing the install yourself, you will need the new key.

[voodoochild16]

Because you are installing a new product, you should be required to enter a new license key. Even upgrading required a new license key. The only exception is with preinstalled systems. But if you are doing the install yourself, you will need the new key.

Well a "Windows 8 Upgrade" comes with a key of course. So what I basically mean is, or what I am asking is, could I use my old copy of Windows 7 on a different machine after doing the upgrade on my existing machine?.

[kujoe2002]

This is the licensing issue. Officially, MS wants people to use the OS on one PC and have it married to the hardware. They don't want you to use it on a different PC than what you originally installed it in. In reality, I don't think you will run into an issue. This is assuming you are not using the same copy of Windows 7 on multiple PC's or if you are, you have multiple licenses for it. I'm still using the same copy of Windows 7 on my current PC that I did with my old PC that I sold (minus the HDD and OS). After I built this new rig (with new parts) I was able to successfully install my OEM copy of Win 7 HP

[Steve R Jones]

Upgrading is not a 2 for 1 sale... You get a lower price on the upgrade dvd for being a loyal customer. If you need to re-use the WIn 7 key code, then you'll need to buy a Full copy of Win 8.