I have been planning to install a new HDD in my rig and then upgrade my Windows XP with Windows 7 Home upgrade. I have Windows 7 upgradefor Windows Vista. I recognize that I would have to do a clean install, but I had intended to partition the drive to two partitions, one of them being about 50 GB for the OS. I have the Windows XP and legal product key. Now I read in a forum that I can't do that, and must use the Windows 7 full license edition. I have everything backup and the new drive, but I am not technically knowledgeable enough to do a double-install or registry patch and even if I could I don't think that I will end up with what I want as far as the portioning goes. I hope that I have explained my problem sufficiently and I would appreciate someone helping me out with this.
I suspect you can't do this, since you are "jumping" the intermediate OS Vista. Remember MS wants to extract the maximum from every customer, so it may require a grey-fix to achieve. + I'm surprised you are happy with Win7 - my experience is that I now have to junk my printer....XP driver won't work with Win7. Frankly, I'm looking to turn to Ubuntu when I can find a solution to printer-drivers - that's something that Linux has an BIG issue with, IMHO. -except Linux is free and updates are carried out as and when. My experience with MS is not happy, having been burnt with "Win95 with USB support" -that supported only a mouse! and now Win7 . . . sure I'm not exactly a "good " customer, but then I don't think MS has provided their part of the deal. Win7 for example will only support 4G of RAM - that's something they don't mention on the front of the packing...etc. Whatever was wrong with XP, that a few add-ons couldn't fix. That's the issue I have with MS - they have screwed up a perfectly good OS (1st with Vista....and now Win7) - yet I hear rumours of Win8 - grief do we need yet-more fixes....when XP was perfectly OK for most applications.
You can do a clean install with an upgrade disc. Don't enter a product key, but choose the version you're installing (the one you've purchased). After the installation, run it again and choose the Upgrade option. Then enter your product key. It's a workaround, but it's completely legal because you own a Windows XP license and therefore have the right to use the upgrade license to Windows 7
Rinkydink, it seems RHochstenbach has come up with a fix ("grey-fix" I suggested), although I don't understand his words about product keys. Must be something to do with the way MS expects product keys to appear....dunno. ++Do let this forum know if you get it to work, ( er, and how.). I do know I'm less than satisfied with MS; taking nearly 100USD (Equiv in £'s) and delivering an OS that is actually "worse" than XP which worked perfectly well until I updated to SP3. When I say worse: - no printer (XP-driver not updated, won't work, confirmed by Lexmark) and no e-mail.......how does this balance with the inability to address more than 4G of RAM. Stupidly I presumed the new OS would address whatever my (new) Mbd threw at it.... that was the msg I got from the dealer...... It is much faster, due to the processor I suspect but I should have stuck with XP. Oddly PaintShopPro (bought about 10years ago "millennium edition" originally for Win98SE....works a treat! But I now have to save (Win7) images on a Memory stick....and fire-up Dell/XP to print! - - - - - - - Ahhh, If only Ubuntu satisfied Average Users. - - - - - Win7,(Oh yes I have now done the math, 16-bits limits to 4G - but it would be more-honest if MS stated this memory-limit on the packing. Of course 64-bit OS will address more memory than an average PSU will power....and I read there are more driver-issues with those versions. It's the Same story: In the same way tyre (tire) makers should specify the speed-rating in numbers, not some obscure letter-code. (e.g 70 would mean 70MPH) -Off topic:- Incidently, I know US gallon is smaller than our Imperial measure; but are your miles the same (1760 yds/ . . . . . 1 yard= 36/39metre. - OR, - are US-miles smaller by the same ratio (as gallons), making mpg figures the same....? (I'm guessing miles are the same, otherwise speedometers would need recalibrating.).....Always wondered.....
