Upgrade fail 32bit to 64bit w/upgrade CD

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e2chris

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Oct 22, 2009
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Anyone else not able to use there CD-key? I have Vista 32bit and the only way to upgrade to Win7 64bit is to format right? Well the key isnt working... I thought it would ask for my old Vista CD to verify the upgrade.

ugh
 
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Yeah it doesnt work. Formatted HD booting with the Win7 64bit DVD and finished setup fine but there was no where to validate my Vista was a full version. So the Upgrade Key I have is useless.

This makes no sense. I thought for sure they would allow this via a Vista full version CD check sense you cant upgrade 64bit over 32bit.
 
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Those all say how to do a custom install which isnt hard at all. I know how to do it. But I want to go from Vista FULL 32bit to Win7 64bit with a upgrade CD. I thought this would have been possible. I just thought it was ask to verify I had a FULL CD. I am sure they will compensate me when I call them in 45min.

I mean I cant find anywhere it says you cant do this.

Oh you also cant even run the setup from Vista 32bit with the Win 7 64bit CD. It errors.
 
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Really? You know its been a while since I actually bought legal version of a OS. I remember back in the Win95 Win98 I use to do clean installs with upgrade CD's and it would ask for my FULL CD. It would verify then you have to put the CD back in and on with the install.
 
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I think if I had 2 HD I could have Vista on 1 and boot from the Win7 Upgrade CD and then install it onto the other HD then adjust the boot.ini.

But it happens to be a laptop. I could try installing it onto a USB drive then editing the boot.ini but I dont have a empty HD anyway. Tough enough making enough room in the first place just to format the one on the laptop.
 
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You can try this, it worked for Vista. This is NOT LEGAL, if you do not own the version to be upgraded.

Work around
(1) Install Win 7 upgrade, without inputing the key.
(2) After you boot to win 7 shut the computer down.
(3) Reinsert your UPgrade DVD and reinstal win 7 - This time using the Key.

If this does not work, you will have to reinstal the previous operating system and reactivate.. Win 7 will detect you have a valid copy to upgrade. When going from a 32 bit to 64 bit, win 7 will then complete a clean instal.
 
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Ok lets get this straight, you bought and upgrade version of windows 7, and you are trying to do a clean install if I am correct.

Not trying to be mean, it will never work, you can not do a clean install with an upgrade key. It just won't work, they aren't designed that way, and for people who understand computers it is the worst option.

What you needed to do was purchase was a clean install version.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116762
 
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Clean installs are always an option with upgrade media... I was able to clean install XP and Vista using only upgrade media. Might be a bit trickier with Vista than it was with XP... but it still is doable. The same method used for Vista should work with Windows 7 as well. With XP, you only had to have a disc containing a valid copy of your previous version of Windows.
 
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If I am not mistaken the only way to use the upgrade disk is from a qualifying OS. In other words you have to start the process from an activated copy of Windows Vista. After the Upgrade CD is satisfied that the OS valid and activated then it will mark the harddrive as valid for upgrading and allow you to reboot and do a clean install.
 
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To use a Windows 7 upgrade disk you must have a previous qualifying OS installed and activated, the Vista workaround will not work on W7.
Reinstall your original 32 bit Vista and activate it, don't bother with updates and installing programs as this OS will be relocated in a Windows.old folder.
Run the W7 64 bit upgrade from Vista and follow instructions you may need to boot in with the dvd if it won't start, then run the custom install, the 32 bit Vista will be removed and stored as above.
DO NOT format the Vista instalation beforehand.
 
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Are you sure? I do have a copy of Window 7 64bit upgrade, but my window is Vista 32bit. When I tried to run the upgrade, it said it isn't compatible or something like that. Or if you have a way to install it, please do let me know, I can't wait to get it done.


 
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Simple solution: call your credit card company and tell them to block the transaction. If it is too late, ask microsoft for a refund. It is completely unreasonable that microsoft doesn't allow a 32bit download after having paid for a 62bit download. In the excitement of it all, it is inevitable that a few us, the excited-not-wanting-to-spend-hours-in-a-forum-bunch, will make the mistake of purchasing 64bit software not realising that you cannot perform an upgrade from a 32bit OS. However, still looking for the SIMPLEST solution.
 
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Simple solution is to follow Jonmor68's instruction. It's obvious the Windows 7 64 upgrade disk is not a stand alone source capable of a 'clean' installation like an OEM or Retail disk is. A previous qualifying OS must be installed and activated prior to the upgrade installation disk being used as an installation disk for Windows 7 64. This way the disk will provide active instruction to format and do a clean install of the 64 bit OS.
 
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Hm well upgrade version does allow for a clean install, however a genuine previous windows must be installed. No you cannot run a 64 bit setup in a 32 bit OS while the Operating system (32 bit) is running, it is simply not viable. You must do a custom install by booting from the CD or DVD prior to loading Windows.

You do NOT need to have the "qualifying" version of Windows vista to move to Windows 7. The only use for using the same version is for doing an Inplace install (or upgrade). For a clean install you can have Windows Xp/Vista any version (home/premium/professional/business and 32/64 bit)

I upgraded from 32 bit windows 7 Ultimate (RC) to 64 bit windows 7 professional. This was done via a clean install (custom install).

Make sure a previous OS is installed on the HDD. The OS MUST ALSO BE ACTIVATED/VALIDATED!!

If your still having issues, call Microsoft and see if they will either:
Refund the money
Provide a working key
 
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Some good information here. My question goes to the last poster. AsAnAtheist, you installed windows 7 professional 64 on windows Ultimate (RC) 32 bit. I am trying to do the same thing but running into few problems. First the installation DVD, which i received from Microsoft yesterday, is not booting up. When i restart my computer to do a Clean install, the installation doesn't begin. So I restarted again and pressed any key to go to Windows Boot manager screen. I don't see the DVD there either.

During normal startup, I do see the dvd in drive and explore its contents. I don't know why it won't let me do a complete install, I have already backed up all my files to an enternal hard drive. I just want to make a clean intall to window 7 professional 64.

Any suggestions, tricks.

Thanks

Bluemoon2003
 
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I did a clean install with the upgrade. I partitioned a 50G space and slapped it in. It gives you a choice to replace vista and keep your files or do a fresh install on a new partition. I can boot from XP, Vista, or W7 now. This is the instructional page they sent with my purchase.
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/Installing-and-reinstalling-Windows


To the OP or towards the subject of the thread: I couldn't install W7 64bit from Vista 32 either. I did the DL version, not the disk. When I went to install, I couldn't even get to the CD key, it unpacked the DL file and then gave me an error about a file not being accessible. I switched over to XP 64 and it loaded just fine from there.

It isn't a fix but might be a work around for a few if they face this issue.
 
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