Although Windows 7 has been out for some time, many are just now thinking about upgrading. And that’s when the questions begin. The existence of multiple editions, different upgrade options, restrictions on how a PC may be upgraded, the packaging of 32-bit and 64-bit versions of the operating system in the same box, and volume pricing are enough to confuse even experienced techies. Read on for some help.
Q: I’m confused about the “upgrade” version of Windows 7. Which operating systems can I upgrade with it, and can I perform an installation on top of my existing Windows XP? How is the existence of a previous operating system verified?
A: For each edition of Windows 7 — Home Premium, Professional, and Ultimate — Microsoft offers an Upgrade version that sells for substantially less than the full version of each edition. In order to qualify for the upgrade version — or activate it — you must have an existing version of Windows XP or Windows Vista installed on your computer.
Plenty of caveats come with the upgrade versions of Windows 7, however. First, only with an identical edition of Windows Vista can you do an “in place” upgrade of the operating system. In other words, if you currently run Vista Home Premium, you can purchase and install Windows 7 Home Premium as easily as popping in your Windows 7 disk and selecting the upgrade option. You cannot, however, upgrade Vista Home Premium with the Windows 7 Professional or Ultimate editions.
You also cannot do an “in place” upgrade of Windows XP. Instead, with your existing XP operating system installed, you will need to reboot your computer with your Windows 7 upgrade disk in the DVD drive and allow the operating system to be installed into a new folder or directory.
Many people wonder whether they can…