should i upgrade or do clean install

i have 64 bit vista home premium and recently bought the full 7 os in case a clean install is the way to go, so for the best performance do i return the full os and get the upgrade or go with the clean install?

I'd say go for the Clean Install, mainly because that way you get all the speed benefits.

Hello hank775 - Welcome to w7forums

You can do a upgrade or clean install with the upgrade disk. You only need proof that you previously have an OS. Either insalled already or a previous windows disk. The full version are for users without a previous OS.

when looking at purchasing win 7 ultimate, the ad says that it is an upgrade but if upgrading from XP i would have to do a clean install. i don't want to wipe out my XP yet but use this to inslall win7 on a partition on my hard drive where XP also resides. or i put it on another hard drive too. can i do this without wipeing out XP? i want XP for awhile until i get win7 to do all that i need it to do so i may have to switch between them for awhile.

You cannot have Windows XP and Windows 7 installed to the same partition. If you decide to dual boot Windows XP and Windows 7. You will need to create a new partition for Windows 7.

Please make sure your hardware is adequate to run Windows 7. One thing that I have learned while running Windows 7 and reading the forums. If you have a graphics adapter that is over four years old Windows 7 aero features may not function properly.

sorry, i meant that i have a large hard drive and have two partitions and want XP on one partition and win7 on the other. can i do that with a win7 upgade disc or do i need a win7 clean inslall disc (whatever MS would call that). also i want to go from xp 32 bit to win7 64 bit. will that make any difference when doing a clean install?

You can clean install with the upgrade disk to a separate partition. However I don't know if the license would permit the use of the old OS with the upgraded OS installed. Perhaps someone else will know if a new license is needed in a dual boot situation.

A clean install is the only way to go

• from Windows XP to Windows 7.
• from 32-Bit to 64-Bit.

Assuming the poster has a valid XP license and had just bought W7 then there is no conflict. Each OS will hold a valid licence, the key is not shared.

Clifford this raises a question.
If you did a clean install with an upgrade disk and wipe the hard drive clean in the process, you wouldn't be able to go back later and do a full recovery if need be, because you couldn't prove a previous OS, is that accurate?

Thats true.

However with the upgrade you still need the install key for the previous OS. With the key for the previous OS, all you need is the install media for the previous OS, then you can install and activate.

There is also programs that will extract the key from the OS if you do not know the key. Usually the key is labeled on the side of the case for name brand PC's.