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New hard drive and Windows7 Upgrade DVD
I'm upgrading my 4 year old XPS420 (on which I currently have Vista home premium) with new RAM, hard drive and operating system (Windows 7 Home Premium Upgrade Edition 64-bit). As I'm using a new hard drive, would I be better reinstalling the old Vista home premium using the OEM disk I got with the computer and then upgrading to Windows 7, or should I try installing the Windows 7 upgrade version directly onto the new hard drive (perhaps having to do a double install)?
DELL-Allan D
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October 12th, 2012 04:00
Hello Tim,
As you have got the Upgrade version of Windows 7 Home Premium, I would suggest you to install the Windows Vista first and then Windows 7 Upgrade.
Please ensure that the Vista OEM version which came with the computer is 64-bit. Else the Windows 7 Home Premium Upgrade Edition 64-bit would not be successful.
Please refer to the link mentioned below to perform the Re-installation of the Operating System.
http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/kcs/document?&docid=DSN_339949&isLegacy=true#Issue4
The following link mentioned below would help you with the Windows 7 Upgrade.
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/help/upgrading-from-windows-vista-to-windows-7?T1=tab02
Please write back with results.
Mary G
4 Operator
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20.1K Posts
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October 12th, 2012 08:00
It is not necessary to install vista on the new drive. There is a workaround. Since you are upgrading to 64 bit, you need to do a Custom install--a clean install of win 7--anyway. windows.microsoft.com/.../Installing-and-reinstalling-Windows-7 Read the section for Installing without an operating system installed. You will have to activate by phone.
One suggestion--do not do all the upgrades at once. Change one thing at a time to test if each upgrade works.
TimFos
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October 12th, 2012 04:00
Hi Allan,
Thanks for this -- good point. I hadn't thought of that. My existing Vista installation is 32 bit and I'm wanting to go to 64 bit with the Windows 7 upgrade. I haven't got the OEM disk in front of me, but I guess it is only 32 bit. In which case, is it still possible to use the upgrade media to do a clean install of Windows 7 64-bit on the new hard drive?
Philip_Yip
7 Technologist
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October 12th, 2012 11:00
See my wiki A Clean install of Windows 7, use the retail .iso with your product key. The double install will work generally however sometimes the upgrade key will work directly. You won't be violating any licenses as your computer will have the Vista COA on it.
You should install the RAM, test to see if the PC is stable. Then install the new hard drive and install Windows 7 64 bit directly on it you are wasting your time installing Vista just to install 7.
TimFos
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October 13th, 2012 03:00
Hi Philip. Thanks for this. Can I just check what you mean. Should I use the Digital River .iso and then activate it with the code on the upgrade DVD I bought from Amazon. Or should I just use the DVD I've bought throughout the whole reinstallation process? What benefit does the retail.iso file have over the physical DVD I've bought?
Thanks so much for your clean install Wiki - I couldn't have attempted this job without the help you have given in there!
Philip_Yip
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October 13th, 2012 04:00
The reason I recommend using the retail .iso is because it has Service Pack 1 and you can boot from it via the Dell BIOS. I know some of the upgrade DVDs you cannot boot through via BIOS and you have to run the setup file within Windows. In your case this is a problem because Vista isn't installed.
It has a 50/50 chance of activating on the first go however if not you may need to perform a double install.