Windows 7 OEM to Upgrade current Vista installation?

[raffy]

Does anyone here know if a Windows 7 OEM disc can be used to upgrade a current Vista installation? I'd rather pick up the OEM than the upgrade for the following reasons:

1. OEM is cheaper

2. In case I want to do a clean install, I'm not sure if the upgrade disc would require me to do a Vista install FIRST and then a 7 upgrade SECOND. --> Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong with this assumption. This might convince me to just buy the upgrade then.

Thanks!

[tkam]

Not sure if it will or not, to be honest I pretty much always do clean installs anyways and never really pay attention to the upgrade options

[raffy]

Not sure if it will or not, to be honest I pretty much always do clean installs anyways and never really pay attention to the upgrade options

Thanks Todd.

I'd prefer to do clean installs but this means I'd have to reinstall all my programs and games. I might not mind doing this but does this mean I'll have to delete my old program files before doing the clean install on the same hard drive? I'd hate to mix/share the same folders for my old Vista install and the new Win 7 install. Am I trying to do this the wrong way?

[n_maher]

If you do a clean install you don't have to manually delete anything. The install should, by default, wipe the TOC on the disk and start over with no sharing of files. I think there is an option to leave the old folder structure intact but I wouldn't do that unless there's data there that you're trying to rescue (this happened to me once) but that doesn't sound like what you need to do.

[raffy]

If you do a clean install you don't have to manually delete anything. The install should, by default, wipe the TOC on the disk and start over with no sharing of files. I think there is an option to leave the old folder structure intact but I wouldn't do that unless there's data there that you're trying to rescue (this happened to me once) but that doesn't sound like what you need to do.

I might need that option to leave the old structure so that I can get any saved files (saved games/profiles) if need be. I just don't want the new installation to use the same folders/structure as the old one but I don't mind the old files being there temporarily until I decide to delete them

[drp]

I just updated to Windows 7 Home Premium (64) from Vista 32. Popped the DVD in, rebooted, and chose Custom for the option. Wanted to try that route before a reformat. Seems it worked just fine and was too easy (pardon me a moment while I knock on some wood). First time I've done anything other than reformat for a new OS or reinstall.

It deleted the old OS, cleaned up all misc crap, and also created a windows.old folder containing my user folder (Documents, Pictures, etc.) plus a few generic folders that were at the root level; most of the stuff that I had just backed up.

My game profiles from ARMA 2 and other application data-related folders were not saved; just the generic folders. Appears that it did differentiate game-created folders. You should back up all that stuff.

On the OEM question, I'd be wicked surprised if you couldn't buy an OEM version, as this is what the majority of system builders use (what I purchased for XP Pro). I opted for the regular version this time as it lets you move to a new mobo; the OEM versions are tied to the mobo originally installed on.

[tkam]

It let you upgrade from 32-bit to 64-bit? That's somewhat surprising.

[Cankin]

no, you have to reboot

[drp]

It let you upgrade from 32-bit to 64-bit? That's somewhat surprising.

Sorry; Not an upgrade version, a full version. Actually, I was just as surprised; the Custom option just seems to bypass the reformat, reload part. It was however not possible to just run setup from the CD as it did recognize that I was coming from a 32bit machine.

I'm half waiting for something to blowup so I can reformat and reload.....

[Dusty Chalk]

It let you upgrade from 32-bit to 64-bit? That's somewhat surprising.

Not entirely -- I mean, yeah, they are completely replacing the kernel, but it's still just files on a hard drive. It should be extremely tricky to try to continue to run in the transition state, but once you're in the new operating system, if it's working, then it should be working. Try exercising various external devices (I.E. as many different drivers) as you can -- if everything is still honky dory, then everything is probably honky dory.

[DigiPete]

I upgraded my son's computer from Vista 32 to Win 7 64, using the family pack upgrade disc.

It would not upgrade the 32bit Vista, so I had to do a clean install. It did save all the Vista windows directory to windows.old

I also upgraded my Win 7 RC1 64 bit to Win 7 64. Here it required a clean install, but did not required proof of any Vista or XP prior ownership...

[TC_Shadow]

You should be able to successfully upgrade vista 32 to win7 32 assuming you followed the suggestions from win7 comparability diagnostic test. Win7 is, after all, just Windows 6.1 (vista is Windows 6.0).

[DigiPete]

You should be able to successfully upgrade vista 32 to win7 32 assuming you followed the suggestions from win7 comparability diagnostic test. Win7 is, after all, just Windows 6.1 (vista is Windows 6.0).

true, but I only wanted the 64-bit version, so clean install it was