W7 upgrade???

where I work I am suggesting windows 7 upgrade.

I have only one question, can you do a freash install with a w7 upgrade or do you have to upgrade a allready installed os ?

You have an option of upgrade or clean install with the upgrade media.

The only difference is that an upgrade is legally tied to the previous OS license. Where as the full version would not be tied to a previous OS license.

what if the os license is tied to a oem account? vlk wak or other type of volume license ??

I really can't speak for anything other than the Retail. I'm not positive, but thinking the OEM works the same as Retail with the exception that OEM locks to a specific motherboard upon activation.

There is not an OEM upgrade so the only way to upgrade OEM is with Retail Upgrade media. If the OEM was returned to the previous OS, The Retail Upgrade could be moved to a new computer for upgrading the OS on that machine.

This subject was covered in MaximumPC magazine a few months back and, according to their sources, the upgrade route cannot distinguish the XP key you use. While Clifford is right in saying that the product key used to prove you qualify for an upgrade will be legally tied to the key used, there is no documentation that the product key is ever whitewashed by Microsoft. On a technical point there is nothing to stop you from re-using your old XP key on another computer. However this is a violation of the EULA you agree to when installing the upgrade version of Win 7.

The legality of it has yet to be addressed by Microsoft but it is well documented that an OEM key will work for the upgrade route. This is one of those don't ask/don't tell areas. If it works then just let it be. It makes great use of all those old dell and HP keys we all got laying around.

That's what I thought, that the upgrade was tied to the license of the previous OS. That's what I was telling someone else about the Anytime Upgrade.

OK, so right now I have a OEM version of Windows 7 installed on my desktop. Does this mean that when the next version of Windows is released, I won't be eligible for upgrade pricing?

Hello,

I recently purchased a laptop with Vista, which I upgraded to Windows 7. I have an old PC that is running XP. May I Use the same Windows 7 upgrade for the PC that I used for the laptop? It is a personal network, not a company network.

One upgrade per PC. You cant install same disc on multiple PC's. The license is only good for one PC. When XP first came out there where key generators that would give you a key code to use to do just that. Hence pirated OS and the soon to follow copy right protected disc's which effectively blocked those key generators.

Even if you could use the install disc, you must still purchase a license from Microsoft or a reputable software dealer.