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Reinstalling Windows 7 W/anytime upgrade.
I am planning on a fresh install of W7 from my original Home Premium full version disk that has been upgraded to Ultimate with Anytime Upgrade so I need to know the procedure well before I begin. I need to have the key available that will install Ultimate. I tried a repair install in the past but that only got me to the original version and would not accept the key I used using Belarc Advisor so I have to restore my system with a cloned copy and was back at square one. Is this something that can be done with a call to MS when I try to activate or some other way? I have never gone through this process with Win7 although I have done it with WinXP Pro several times. I have several Windows Home Premium Disks here that I purchased for other systems but I am not sure which disk goes with what computer. Are there any differences and will I need to use the right disk when I do a clean install on all the systems? I plan on doing this because I want to have a fresh install on the SSDs I am now using to be sure I have them all aligned properly. If anyone can post a step by step procedure I would be very grateful. Thanks. Al. |
Reinstalling Windows 7 W/anytime upgrade.
Allen Drake wrote:
I am planning on a fresh install of W7 from my original Home Premium full version disk that has been upgraded to Ultimate with Anytime Upgrade so I need to know the procedure well before I begin. Since it is an *upgrade*, you'll have to install the base version upon which the upgrade applies. I need to have the key available that will install Ultimate. I tried a repair install in the past but that only got me to the original version and would not accept the key I used using Belarc Advisor so I have to restore my system with a cloned copy and was back at square one. Use the product key on the COA sticker. Is this something that can be done with a call to MS when I try to activate or some other way? They won't give you a product key unless you can prove to them that you bought a legitimate license for the Home Premium edition. I haven't used the Anytime upgrade licenses. Doesn't it come with its own product key? The key reflects the product installed. So you could install Home Premium (without validation or its product key since you get a 30-day trial after which it disables or cripples itself), install the Anytime upgrade, and use the product key that came with the upgrade. http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/w...nytime-upgrade Since you already have Windows 7 Home Edition installed, the article says "follow the instructions that came with your upgrade key." You need to apply the new product key to reflect the correct version and edition of Windows that you will validate. |
Reinstalling Windows 7 W/anytime upgrade.
"Allen Drake" wrote in message ... I am planning on a fresh install of W7 from my original Home Premium full version disk that has been upgraded to Ultimate with Anytime Upgrade so I need to know the procedure well before I begin. I need to have the key available that will install Ultimate. I tried a repair install in the past but that only got me to the original version and would not accept the key I used using Belarc Advisor so I have to restore my system with a cloned copy and was back at square one. Is this something that can be done with a call to MS when I try to activate or some other way? I have never gone through this process with Win7 although I have done it with WinXP Pro several times. I have several Windows Home Premium Disks here that I purchased for other systems but I am not sure which disk goes with what computer. Are there any differences and will I need to use the right disk when I do a clean install on all the systems? I plan on doing this because I want to have a fresh install on the SSDs I am now using to be sure I have them all aligned properly. If anyone can post a step by step procedure I would be very grateful. Thanks. Al. If you are currently running Ultimate then you must have an Ultimate key on your system. If you don't know what it is then run a key search tool to retrieve it: http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/product_cd_key_viewer.html As I understand it any Win 7 retail dvd contains all versions regardless of what the label says. The version actually installed is determined by a small configuration file : ei.cfg. This page describes how to choose your version at install time: http://www.askvg.com/how-to-choose-d...-during-setup/ Once you've fixed your iso image your Ultimate key will be accepted. |
Reinstalling Windows 7 W/anytime upgrade.
On Sun, 25 Mar 2012 17:11:18 -0500, VanguardLH wrote:
Allen Drake wrote: I am planning on a fresh install of W7 from my original Home Premium full version disk that has been upgraded to Ultimate with Anytime Upgrade so I need to know the procedure well before I begin. Since it is an *upgrade*, you'll have to install the base version upon which the upgrade applies. I need to have the key available that will install Ultimate. I tried a repair install in the past but that only got me to the original version and would not accept the key I used using Belarc Advisor so I have to restore my system with a cloned copy and was back at square one. Use the product key on the COA sticker. Is this something that can be done with a call to MS when I try to activate or some other way? They won't give you a product key unless you can prove to them that you bought a legitimate license for the Home Premium edition. I have the CDs here with the original keys. I haven't used the Anytime upgrade licenses. Doesn't it come with its own product key? The key reflects the product installed. So you could install Home Premium (without validation or its product key since you get a 30-day trial after which it disables or cripples itself), install the Anytime upgrade, and use the product key that came with the upgrade. The key is provided online when you make the purchase. It has been some time since I did this so I don't really remember exactly how it went down. http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/w...nytime-upgrade Since you already have Windows 7 Home Edition installed, the article says "follow the instructions that came with your upgrade key." You need to apply the new product key to reflect the correct version and edition of Windows that you will validate. I went through the anytime upgrade procedure and used a key that was also supposed to be emailed to me. It was not. I have read of others that never got any email either. I tried using the anytime upgrade feature when I did a repair install using the key I got with Belarc Advisor but it didn't work. The only way I could restore to Ultimate version was to purchase another key. I am hoping to find someone that has done exactly what I need to do that can relate what exactly needs to be done. I have read that Belarc Advisor will show the key but as I stated that didn't work. It seems that MS should provide the answer without having to use 3rd party work arounds. |
Reinstalling Windows 7 W/anytime upgrade.
On Sun, 25 Mar 2012 23:46:17 +0100, "Dave-UK" wrote:
"Allen Drake" wrote in message ... I am planning on a fresh install of W7 from my original Home Premium full version disk that has been upgraded to Ultimate with Anytime Upgrade so I need to know the procedure well before I begin. I need to have the key available that will install Ultimate. I tried a repair install in the past but that only got me to the original version and would not accept the key I used using Belarc Advisor so I have to restore my system with a cloned copy and was back at square one. Is this something that can be done with a call to MS when I try to activate or some other way? I have never gone through this process with Win7 although I have done it with WinXP Pro several times. I have several Windows Home Premium Disks here that I purchased for other systems but I am not sure which disk goes with what computer. Are there any differences and will I need to use the right disk when I do a clean install on all the systems? I plan on doing this because I want to have a fresh install on the SSDs I am now using to be sure I have them all aligned properly. If anyone can post a step by step procedure I would be very grateful. Thanks. Al. If you are currently running Ultimate then you must have an Ultimate key on your system. If you don't know what it is then run a key search tool to retrieve it: http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/product_cd_key_viewer.html As I understand it any Win 7 retail dvd contains all versions regardless of what the label says. The version actually installed is determined by a small configuration file : ei.cfg. This page describes how to choose your version at install time: http://www.askvg.com/how-to-choose-d...-during-setup/ Once you've fixed your iso image your Ultimate key will be accepted. I saw the app but it needs to be purchased and for all my systems it is a bit out of budget. http://recover-keys.com/en/order.html Now that second link looks very interesting but I will have to read it a few more times and try it and see what happens. It doesn't sound a bit shady though. Thanks. |
Reinstalling Windows 7 W/anytime upgrade.
Allen Drake wrote:
I have read that Belarc Advisor will show the key but as I stated that didn't work. It seems that MS should provide the answer without having to use 3rd party work arounds. Belarc Advisor will report the product key used for the install. That could be a volume install (not a volume license but a mass install of a sysprep image) and the COA sticker carries a different product key (but for the same product). These volume installs are pre-validated (the jobber doesn't have to validate and neither does the customer) but it's a special license the jobber buys to do their system builds. That's why I mentioned using the product key on the COA sticker. It isn't a matter of "which disk goes with what computer". The disc doesn't have the product key embedded within it for validation against what you enter. You can use ANY disc to do the install but need a product key that matches that product. So you could slap the COA sticker on several hosts before doing the install and use the same CD for all those installations. You just use the product key on the COA sticker. |
Reinstalling Windows 7 W/anytime upgrade.
On Sun, 25 Mar 2012 18:24:41 -0600, Ken1943 wrote:
On Sun, 25 Mar 2012 17:31:31 -0400, Allen Drake wrote: I am planning on a fresh install of W7 from my original Home Premium full version disk that has been upgraded to Ultimate with Anytime Upgrade so I need to know the procedure well before I begin. I need to have the key available that will install Ultimate. I tried a repair install in the past but that only got me to the original version and would not accept the key I used using Belarc Advisor so I have to restore my system with a cloned copy and was back at square one. Is this something that can be done with a call to MS when I try to activate or some other way? I have never gone through this process with Win7 although I have done it with WinXP Pro several times. I have several Windows Home Premium Disks here that I purchased for other systems but I am not sure which disk goes with what computer. Are there any differences and will I need to use the right disk when I do a clean install on all the systems? I plan on doing this because I want to have a fresh install on the SSDs I am now using to be sure I have them all aligned properly. If anyone can post a step by step procedure I would be very grateful. Thanks. Al. A Toshiba net book came with starter and I reinstalled using recovery disks. I clicked on anytime upgrade on the start menu and one of the options is to enter a purchased key,which I have. Entered it and got home premium back. Hope you have the email with the key. KenW I just found some emails that I have on a laptop that show 2 different keys for ultimate upgrades. I wonder if it matters which one I use. I am still missing one key for a third system. If it doesn't matter what key I use then I am all set for all three systems. If it does I will have to try both keys to see which one works for which install. |
Reinstalling Windows 7 W/anytime upgrade.
On Sun, 25 Mar 2012 19:13:08 -0500, VanguardLH wrote:
Allen Drake wrote: I have read that Belarc Advisor will show the key but as I stated that didn't work. It seems that MS should provide the answer without having to use 3rd party work arounds. Belarc Advisor will report the product key used for the install. That could be a volume install (not a volume license but a mass install of a sysprep image) and the COA sticker carries a different product key (but for the same product). These volume installs are pre-validated (the jobber doesn't have to validate and neither does the customer) but it's a special license the jobber buys to do their system builds. That's why I mentioned using the product key on the COA sticker. It isn't a matter of "which disk goes with what computer". The disc doesn't have the product key embedded within it for validation against what you enter. You can use ANY disc to do the install but need a product key that matches that product. So you could slap the COA sticker on several hosts before doing the install and use the same CD for all those installations. You just use the product key on the COA sticker. What jobbers are you referring to? I build my own systems and purchase a full version for every machine I put together. The key on the packages are for the version I bought. I am posting about a MS application or contact where you can retrieve your anytime upgrade key. |
Reinstalling Windows 7 W/anytime upgrade.
On Sun, 25 Mar 2012 19:43:36 -0600, Ken1943 wrote:
On Sun, 25 Mar 2012 21:30:41 -0400, Allen Drake wrote: On Sun, 25 Mar 2012 18:24:41 -0600, Ken1943 wrote: On Sun, 25 Mar 2012 17:31:31 -0400, Allen Drake wrote: I am planning on a fresh install of W7 from my original Home Premium full version disk that has been upgraded to Ultimate with Anytime Upgrade so I need to know the procedure well before I begin. I need to have the key available that will install Ultimate. I tried a repair install in the past but that only got me to the original version and would not accept the key I used using Belarc Advisor so I have to restore my system with a cloned copy and was back at square one. Is this something that can be done with a call to MS when I try to activate or some other way? I have never gone through this process with Win7 although I have done it with WinXP Pro several times. I have several Windows Home Premium Disks here that I purchased for other systems but I am not sure which disk goes with what computer. Are there any differences and will I need to use the right disk when I do a clean install on all the systems? I plan on doing this because I want to have a fresh install on the SSDs I am now using to be sure I have them all aligned properly. If anyone can post a step by step procedure I would be very grateful. Thanks. Al. A Toshiba net book came with starter and I reinstalled using recovery disks. I clicked on anytime upgrade on the start menu and one of the options is to enter a purchased key,which I have. Entered it and got home premium back. Hope you have the email with the key. KenW I just found some emails that I have on a laptop that show 2 different keys for ultimate upgrades. I wonder if it matters which one I use. I am still missing one key for a third system. If it doesn't matter what key I use then I am all set for all three systems. If it does I will have to try both keys to see which one works for which install. I am not sure but, wrong key might screw up another machines update. Let me get a key program installed on the Toshiba and see if it shows the upgrade key or not. Will get back to you. KenW OK, Thanks. I will have to wait until tomorrow as it's way past my bed time. Thanks again Ken. regards. Al. |
Reinstalling Windows 7 W/anytime upgrade.
Allen Drake wrote:
On Sun, 25 Mar 2012 19:13:08 -0500, VanguardLH wrote: Allen Drake wrote: I have read that Belarc Advisor will show the key but as I stated that didn't work. It seems that MS should provide the answer without having to use 3rd party work arounds. Belarc Advisor will report the product key used for the install. That could be a volume install (not a volume license but a mass install of a sysprep image) and the COA sticker carries a different product key (but for the same product). These volume installs are pre-validated (the jobber doesn't have to validate and neither does the customer) but it's a special license the jobber buys to do their system builds. That's why I mentioned using the product key on the COA sticker. It isn't a matter of "which disk goes with what computer". The disc doesn't have the product key embedded within it for validation against what you enter. You can use ANY disc to do the install but need a product key that matches that product. So you could slap the COA sticker on several hosts before doing the install and use the same CD for all those installations. You just use the product key on the COA sticker. What jobbers are you referring to? I build my own systems and purchase a full version for every machine I put together. The key on the packages are for the version I bought. I am posting about a MS application or contact where you can retrieve your anytime upgrade key. But the CD doesn't carry the key! If you bought a dozen separate licenses and had a dozen COA stickers, you can take any of the dozen CDs to do a reinstall on those hosts. All the CDs are alike. In fact, you can copy them onto a hard disk and run the install from there (once you use a bootable CD to load an OS to load the setup program from the hard disk). The CD isn't locked to the product key. You have 12 retail packages of Windows 7. You have 12 CDs. You have 12 COA stickers with the product key on them. Shove 11 of the CDs in a drawer and use just one to do all the installs and when each asks for a product key then you use the one on the COA sticker. There is no key on the CD. That's why you can find licenses sold just by themself with absolutely no media. The seller is selling you the license with the product key. That's because it is cheaper to do multiple installs using just one install CD and using an individual key on each install. However, jobbers that do lots of builds don't even have to enter the key after the install since their copy is already pre-validated but there is still is a key on the COA sticker that they put on those multiple hosts. |
Reinstalling Windows 7 W/anytime upgrade.
"Allen Drake" wrote in message ... If you are currently running Ultimate then you must have an Ultimate key on your system. If you don't know what it is then run a key search tool to retrieve it: http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/product_cd_key_viewer.html As I understand it any Win 7 retail dvd contains all versions regardless of what the label says. The version actually installed is determined by a small configuration file : ei.cfg. This page describes how to choose your version at install time: http://www.askvg.com/how-to-choose-d...-during-setup/ Once you've fixed your iso image your Ultimate key will be accepted. I saw the app but it needs to be purchased and for all my systems it is a bit out of budget. http://recover-keys.com/en/order.html Now that second link looks very interesting but I will have to read it a few more times and try it and see what happens. It doesn't sound a bit shady though. Thanks. Why involve a program that you have to pay for ? I gave you a link to a free program. I'll repost it here for you: http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/product_cd_key_viewer.html It is FREE. |
Reinstalling Windows 7 W/anytime upgrade.
On Sun, 25 Mar 2012 23:17:49 -0500, VanguardLH wrote:
Allen Drake wrote: On Sun, 25 Mar 2012 19:13:08 -0500, VanguardLH wrote: Allen Drake wrote: I have read that Belarc Advisor will show the key but as I stated that didn't work. It seems that MS should provide the answer without having to use 3rd party work arounds. Belarc Advisor will report the product key used for the install. That could be a volume install (not a volume license but a mass install of a sysprep image) and the COA sticker carries a different product key (but for the same product). These volume installs are pre-validated (the jobber doesn't have to validate and neither does the customer) but it's a special license the jobber buys to do their system builds. That's why I mentioned using the product key on the COA sticker. It isn't a matter of "which disk goes with what computer". The disc doesn't have the product key embedded within it for validation against what you enter. You can use ANY disc to do the install but need a product key that matches that product. So you could slap the COA sticker on several hosts before doing the install and use the same CD for all those installations. You just use the product key on the COA sticker. What jobbers are you referring to? I build my own systems and purchase a full version for every machine I put together. The key on the packages are for the version I bought. I am posting about a MS application or contact where you can retrieve your anytime upgrade key. But the CD doesn't carry the key! If you bought a dozen separate licenses and had a dozen COA stickers, you can take any of the dozen CDs to do a reinstall on those hosts. All the CDs are alike. In fact, you can copy them onto a hard disk and run the install from there (once you use a bootable CD to load an OS to load the setup program from the hard disk). The CD isn't locked to the product key. You have 12 retail packages of Windows 7. You have 12 CDs. You have 12 COA stickers with the product key on them. Shove 11 of the CDs in a drawer and use just one to do all the installs and when each asks for a product key then you use the one on the COA sticker. There is no key on the CD. That's why you can find licenses sold just by themself with absolutely no media. The seller is selling you the license with the product key. That's because it is cheaper to do multiple installs using just one install CD and using an individual key on each install. However, jobbers that do lots of builds don't even have to enter the key after the install since their copy is already pre-validated but there is still is a key on the COA sticker that they put on those multiple hosts. Ok, Now I get it. My bad. What I have been wondering is what keys to use if MS has no way of finding them. If I am asked if I am using that key on any other computer I can't have a way of truthful answering "No". In the end, after I do a clean install all my Win7 machines, which is 4 right now, I might end up with some that have the wrong keys. Probably that will be the case. Then when I try the Ultimate key I have in email will that key work on each machine if the original key is wrong? |
Reinstalling Windows 7 W/anytime upgrade.
On Mon, 26 Mar 2012 08:37:21 +0100, "Dave-UK" wrote:
"Allen Drake" wrote in message ... If you are currently running Ultimate then you must have an Ultimate key on your system. If you don't know what it is then run a key search tool to retrieve it: http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/product_cd_key_viewer.html As I understand it any Win 7 retail dvd contains all versions regardless of what the label says. The version actually installed is determined by a small configuration file : ei.cfg. This page describes how to choose your version at install time: http://www.askvg.com/how-to-choose-d...-during-setup/ Once you've fixed your iso image your Ultimate key will be accepted. I saw the app but it needs to be purchased and for all my systems it is a bit out of budget. http://recover-keys.com/en/order.html Now that second link looks very interesting but I will have to read it a few more times and try it and see what happens. It doesn't sound a bit shady though. Thanks. Why involve a program that you have to pay for ? I gave you a link to a free program. I'll repost it here for you: http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/product_cd_key_viewer.html It is FREE. Have you downloaded and used that app? It says you have to register to get it to work. Does the registration require payment? It isn't clear and there is a version that you have to buy. Why would anyone pay if it was all for free? I hesitate to use something that might end up being spyware or malware. I need to know if others have used it and it is legit. |
Reinstalling Windows 7 W/anytime upgrade.
On Sun, 25 Mar 2012 20:11:19 -0600, Ken1943 wrote:
I just found some emails that I have on a laptop that show 2 different keys for ultimate upgrades. I wonder if it matters which one I use. I am still missing one key for a third system. If it doesn't matter what key I use then I am all set for all three systems. If it does I will have to try both keys to see which one works for which install. I am not sure but, wrong key might screw up another machines update. Let me get a key program installed on the Toshiba and see if it shows the upgrade key or not. Will get back to you. KenW OK, Thanks. I will have to wait until tomorrow as it's way past my bed time. Thanks again Ken. regards. Al. I used this program, http://www.magicaljellybean.com/ and it found the anytime upgrade key, only. I still think you would have to know what key you used for the original install, as the upgrade key is probably tied to the install key. KenW That's what I was worried about. I might just have to try it and see what happens. I do have a clone of every system I have so it would only cost me time. |
Reinstalling Windows 7 W/anytime upgrade.
"Allen Drake" wrote in message ... On Mon, 26 Mar 2012 08:37:21 +0100, "Dave-UK" wrote: "Allen Drake" wrote in message ... If you are currently running Ultimate then you must have an Ultimate key on your system. If you don't know what it is then run a key search tool to retrieve it: http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/product_cd_key_viewer.html As I understand it any Win 7 retail dvd contains all versions regardless of what the label says. The version actually installed is determined by a small configuration file : ei.cfg. This page describes how to choose your version at install time: http://www.askvg.com/how-to-choose-d...-during-setup/ Once you've fixed your iso image your Ultimate key will be accepted. I saw the app but it needs to be purchased and for all my systems it is a bit out of budget. http://recover-keys.com/en/order.html Now that second link looks very interesting but I will have to read it a few more times and try it and see what happens. It doesn't sound a bit shady though. Thanks. Why involve a program that you have to pay for ? I gave you a link to a free program. I'll repost it here for you: http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/product_cd_key_viewer.html It is FREE. Have you downloaded and used that app? It says you have to register to get it to work. Does the registration require payment? It isn't clear and there is a version that you have to buy. Why would anyone pay if it was all for free? I hesitate to use something that might end up being spyware or malware. I need to know if others have used it and it is legit. You don't really need any help, you are just taking the **** out of people trying to help you. I'm not going to waste any more of my time with you or your imaginary 'problem'. |
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