Upgrade disks and bit version question

Hi first off, I want know about the Windows 7 upgrade disk, if I want to format my PC further down the line can I format the drive and use the windows 7 disk to reinstall Windows? Or will it need to be installed on Vista.

If that is the case, how can I get round that.

And secondly, I have hardware and software that runs on 32bit vista, but not on 64 bit vista, I want to get 64 windows 7, but will it be the same case on Windows 7? as it was with Vista?

If so is there anyway of testing it first, by download 64 bit and 32 bit for free?

Hi there

Regarding upgrade...

With previous operating systems you could do a fresh install with an upgrade disc, then, during the installation it will ask you to insert your previous operating systems disc as proof of upgrade. I am under the presumption that the situation is the same for Windows 7

Unfortunately, Cookieman, everything that I am reading all over the net is that you would need a preceeding windows OS (either Vista or XP) on your system to then install Windows 7 using the Upgrade DVD. I am also hearing that there are unofficial workarounds for thoes with a Windows 7 Upgrade disk and no prior Windows OS disk. (ie. no Windows XP or Vista disk was supplied when you bought your computer)

I thought about posting this earlier but didn't. I had three partitions.

• First was a clean partition.
• Second was my Windows 7 RC 7229.
• Third was my Data Drive.

I rebooted and when it come time to install I removed the Windows 7 RC 7229 partition. I was expecting to be asked for a previous OS Disk. I was never asked for the disk. I have installed both 32Bit and 64Bit this way. Creating a backup image of both versions after activating them. Now that I have been using the 64Bit version. I am fairly confident I will not need the 32Bit install but just in case I have it on a backup image.

Well it appears to be a bit of a grey area, some sites say it works other say it will not. Going on information from Microsoft store you can do a clean installation with the upgrade version. I think what is not clear is how Microsoft have worded it, from what I can see draceena is right about needing a previous OS first - even for a "clean" install. The clean install must initialised from the setup stage and not meaning from a clean hard drive. The only problem with this theory is that the above post from clifford suggest otherwise lol

Clifford, when you say "I removed the Windows 7 RC 7229 partition" do you mean you did a wipe of the drive ;using Universal Boot CD or some other program to erase the drive so it would look to windows that you just put a new, unused drive in....OR did you put the W7 Upgrade disk in and do the "clean install" over the W7RC?

Deleting the partition with Windows 7 Install DVD. Leaving only the first empty partition and the third data partition. Then installed to the empty partition.

Edit:
After activating the 32Bit and making a backup image. I recreated the steps for the 64Bit which I am still operating on.

I just thought of a follow-up question: Did you do the delete from within the W7 install itself? If so, this would then mean you still need a previous Windows OS as the install sees the other Windows OS before you delete it. If not, well it's certainly confusing as to why it worked...lol

I deleted the partition from within the Install just as you suspected. I was still expecting to need an OS CD for verification. The OS I had installed was Windows 7 RC 7229 not a bought OS.