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Windows 7 - Clean install using an upgrade disk

Previous version is Windows XP

Perform a Clean Installation of Win7 using these instructions if:
  • You have a Windows 7 Upgrade version install disk with COA number - AND
  • You have a previous version of Windows XP and it's COA number - AND
    • Your computer has no operating system installed, blank or new hard drive
      • OR it is running Windows XP - AND
        • You DO NOT want to preserve your data, programs, or system drivers
          • All backups are on USB hard drives and/or Flash device
          • You want to delete Windows XP and replace it with Windows 7

    • You DO want to keep your XP install as backup on the old drive
      • You want to install onto a new drive, and remove the old drive as backup

Before installing Windows 7 Upgrade

Download and run, the Windows 7 Upgrade Adviser on the computer Win7 will be installed to.
Before installing Windows 7 make sure that your computer is ready, or that you have new parts and drivers required to make your computer Windows 7 compatible.

If you will be installing Windows 7 to a computer that is already running a previous version of Windows, be sure to back everything up first. And use Windows Easy Transfer before and after you install Win7.

Quick links to ...                

        Quick Win7 clean install with XP installed
        Install Win7 onto an Empty or New hard drive
        RegEdit information to allow activation
        Install Win7 with XP backup drive & new drive
        Tools Downloads Links

Clean installation with Windows XP installed
Windows XP must be installed and working on the C drive and have a working internet connection.
  • Start up Windows XP.
    • When XP starts, place the Windows 7 Upgrade disk in the DVD drive.
    • If the DVD doesn't self start, click Start, click My Computer, open the Windows 7 installation disc on your DVD drive, and double-click setup.exe
  • Enter your language, time/money format, and keyboard setup
  • On the Install Windows page, click "Install now"
  • Agree to the terms from M$, and click "Next"
  • Click "Go online to obtain the latest updates for installation (recommended)".
    Gets important updates needed for installing Win7 before the installation begins.
    Reports on the web are that using these updates, Windows 7 installs better, and there are fewer hardware driver issues. Install everything that is offered
  • Type of installation do you want? click "Custom"
  • Choose the partition containing Windows XP (this is usually the computer's C: drive), and then click Next
    (Do not select your external USB hard drive.)
    (Do not delete the wrong drive or partition)
  • Warning notice, this will erase the XP drive/partition. click "OK"
  • In the Windows.old dialog box, click "OK"
  • Follow the screen prompts to finish installing Windows 7
  • When Windows 7 reboots, run the Activate Windows utility, type in your upgrade product key and activate windows.
Back to install choices

Clean installation with blank or new hard drive
Boot the computer using the upgrade DVD
  • Some systems require setting the boot order in the BIOS.
    • As long as the DVD drive is set somewhere in the boot order and you have a blank hard drive, the Windows install process will start.
  • Notes
    • If you're using the upgrade version of Windows 7 on a computer without an operating system installed, you must leave the product key box empty during setup.
    • Do Not check the activate box.
      • The upgrade disk wants to see a previous Windows install on the computer.
        If you need to call Microsoft to get your install activated, you need to have a valid product key from a previous version of Windows that will no longer be used.

Instructions - Installing Windows 7 Upgrade version

Boot off the DVD, and/or press any key to boot from DVD drive, and then follow the steps to install Windows 7.

Which type of installation do you want? click "Custom".
Where do you want to install Windows? click "Drive options (advanced)".
Click the hard drive or partition that you want to change.
Or click Unallocated Space if no partitions are listed, and then click "Next".
Click the formatting option you want to perform, and then follow the instructions.
When you've finished formatting, click "Next".
Follow the instructions to finish installing Windows 7, which include naming your computer and setting up an initial user account.

If you're using the upgrade version of Windows 7 on a computer without an operating system installed, you must leave the product key box empty during setup
  • To activate Windows you have a few choices
    • You can call Microsoft with your old XP or Vista key
      To activate Windows 7 manually by phone
      1. Click Start, and in the Search box type : slui.exe 4
      2. Press ENTER on your Keyboard
      3. Select your Country
      4. Select the Phone Activation option, and hold for a live person
    • You can edit the registry if you feel advanced
    • Or, You can simply install Windows 7 again right on top of itself, and there will be no issue with activation. The activation programming sees the first install of Win7 as the required previous version and activates normally.
Back to install choices

Registry Edit to allow activation

CAUTION: Do Not Attempt to edit the registry if you don't know how,
Open regedit.exe and navigate to:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/Software/Microsoft/Windows/CurrentVersion/Setup/OOBE/
Change MediaBootInstall from "1" to "0"
Click "OK" and close RegEdit

Open the Start Menu again and type "CMD" in Start Menu search to display a shortcut to the Command Line utility.
Right-click the shortcut and choose "Run as administrator".
Answer the UAC (User Account Control) prompt.

In the command line window, type: slmgr /rearm and Press ENTER;
Wait to close the command line window until the "Command Completed Successfully" message.
Close the command line window and reboot.

When Windows 7 reboots, install any pending Windows updates Again and restart.
This Important step is required, all windows updates are needed before activation

Once Windows 7 reboots, run the Activate Windows utility, type in your upgrade product key and activate windows.
To activate Windows 7 now, type "activate" in Start Menu Search. Type in your product key and activate Windows 7.
Back to install choices

Save XP installation for backup

Windows 7 Sees the XP install and activates normally.
  • With your new or empty hard drive set as primary, and the old hard drive connected as a secondary drive you are ready for installing Windows 7
    • You must be able to set the DVD drive to boot before your old drive
    • You must be able to move and correctly connect your drives

Instructions - Saving XP - Installing Windows 7 Upgrade version

This tutelage assumes you are using SATA hard drives, and you have powered the drives.
Remove your XP drive SATA cable from the motherboards 0 slot and move it to SATA 1 slot on the motherboard.
Install a new or empty hard drive for the Windows 7 install. Connect the SATA cable to the drive and motherboard SATA 0 slot.

Set the BIOS to boot 1st to the DVD drive,
2nd to SATA 0 which is the new/empty hard drive,
3rd to SATA 1 which has Windows XP installed.

NOTE: With the boot order set this way, your system will start Windows XP if there is no DVD in the drive, and no operating system on the new drive.

 Windows XP must be installed and working on the old drive and have an internet connection.
  • Start up Windows XP.
    • When XP starts place the Windows 7 Upgrade disk in the DVD drive.
    • If the DVD doesn't self start, click Start, click My Computer, open the Windows 7 installation disc on your DVD drive, and double-click setup.exe
  • On the Install Windows page, click "Install now"
  • Get important updates for installation page, get everything that is offered
  • Type of installation do you want? click "Custom"
  • Choose the new hard drive (this will become the computer's C: drive), and then click "Next"
    (Do not select your external USB hard drive.)
  • In the Windows.old dialog box, click "OK"
  • Follow the screen prompts to finish installing Windows 7
  • When Windows 7 reboots, run the Activate Windows utility, type in your upgrade product key and activate windows.
Once Windows 7 is installed and activated, remove the old XP hard drive and save as a backup.
Back to install choices

Tools - Downloads - Links

Windows 7 Upgrade clean install

 Windows 7 Upgrade Adviser
Windows Easy Transfer
Microsoft - XP to Windows 7
We hope this helps.
Please email us with any comments you might have.
This page was updated on 06/14/11
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Make sure your computer and hardware will work with Win7 and that you have downloaded the latest Win7 drivers.
Or, you have planned to replace a non-supported piece of hardware, and have the new device already installed with the latest drivers at hand.
















































































Install Twice
 To Activate Normally

Once Windows 7 is installed ...
Start the system, pop the upgrade DVD in the drive again. Follow the instructions to upgrade but, don't choose Custom. You're upgrading to Windows 7 from Windows 7. Enter the COA key when requested, and it'll validate the next time you're online.


































Microsoft Legalese

UPGRADES. To use upgrade software, you must first be licensed for the software that is eligible for the upgrade. Upon upgrade, this agreement takes the place of the agreement for the software you upgraded from. After you upgrade, you may no longer use the software you upgraded from.