Windows 7 Professional Upgrade (question)

[pandemic]

I ordered windows 7 a while ago. I just noticed today it's an 'Upgrade.' Does this mean that I can't format a PC and install windows 7 on that way? Would I have to load XP first?

[40twist]

Hmmm I was under the impression that XP couldn't be upgraded to 7 , and that it had to be vista to upgrade to 7?? Maybe someone can chime in.

[pandemic]

Hmmm I was under the impression that XP couldn't be upgraded to 7 , and that it had to be vista to upgrade to 7?? Maybe someone can chime in.

Ugh...

This 'upgrade' can't be installed on a fresh format, can it? If not, it's going on Ebay.

[Agent Smith]

Ugh...

This 'upgrade' can't be installed on a fresh format, can it? If not, it's going on Ebay.

I found this with a quick google search:

Windows XP Users
Firstly, if you’re using Windows XP unfortunately you haven’t got the option to perform an in place upgrade to Windows 7 as announced by Microsoft. Thankfully you will still be allowed to purchase the cheaper “Upgrade Edition” of Windows 7 but you will have to do a clean install. However we have written a guide for XP users who want to upgrade to Windows 7 without losing all their data using the Windows Easy Transfer Utility.

[MK41144]

You are not going to be able to install Windows 7 on a blank formatted hard drive. You need the full edition. (Previous editions of Windows would let you. All you had to do was insert a prior Windows installation disc during installation for verification. Apparently Windows 7 does not allow this.)

So install Windows XP first. Make sure it has a genuine product key and is activated. You will then be able to run setup and do a clean installation.

[Azzy]

Cant upgrade form XP, you have to go from Vista.

[Mr. Rodgers]

Ugh...

This 'upgrade' can't be installed on a fresh format, can it? If not, it's going on Ebay.

that sucks..

I have suffered with vista ultimate since release. I hope Win7 is not a pile of crap.. *crosses fingers*

Good luck!

[40twist]

One word..................."UBUNTU" !!!!!!

[64Jeeper]

Hey, all I know is that I found out that Windows 7 takes a gig of RAM to run the 32bit, and 2 gigs to run in 64bit, so I'll just keep my Windows XP, Thank You.

Why the HELL does an OPERATING SYSTEM have to have that much RAM to run? If Microsoft would take out the "bloat", they would have one hell of a lightening fast computer system.

[Azzy]

Because when they say you can run it on 512mb of ram, you get jokers who complain that it wont run on 256, and then badmouth the crap out of it. Thats why vista seemed to flop so much, because you had a ton of machines out there come and say "Vista capable" on the side, and then run like slow pigs. Ive run vista since the get go on my laptop, 64bit with 2gb of ram and have enjoyed it.

Ram is there to be used.. not squirreled away for some rainy day. Use it. You dont run out like it is gas or bullets

Load your PC up with as much as it will handle (3.5gb in the case of 32bit) and you can afford. I am running win7 64 right now at home, and 32 at work, and it use of a quad core CPU has been very effective, and I only notice huge memory usage when I open large programs and run things in XP mode (Pro and Ultimate versions only). When I have the cash, i am doubling my ram to 8gb so I can just have all my programs like photoshop and corel load on startup.. longer startup times, but programs load instantly. Good for video editing (remember, there is a ton of data to video that looks ood... the better the quality, the more of it there is)

And if MS would take the bloat out, they would have a system that couldnt run hardware, bareley had any graphics to it, and would have security holes as big as a Mac... truck. Win7 is very secure, user friendly, and has the performance to run decently even on a netbook.

Its no Vista... its no XP .. its no OSX, and its no linux. Thank God.