Does Installing Windows 7 upgrade invalidate Vista or XP License?

[KTH]

I was wondering if installing the Windows 7 upgrade version invalidates your old XP or Vista keys? I know that when you install the Vista upgrade version it asks for your old OS key to verify that you qualify to install the Vista upgrade version of Windows and if you install Vista using this method it invalidates your old OS key so that you can't use that key to activate the older OS anymore. The way around this in Vista was to install the upgrade version in trial mode so that you don't need to enter any key. Then boot into Windows and load your Vista disc and run the install again from within Windows Vista, but this time when prompted to enter your Vista key you enter it. For the full proceedure on how to do this please see the link below. I was wondering if this proceedure would work with Windows 7 also since I don't really want to invalidate my old OS key. Of course this is if Windows 7 does the invalidate thing like Vista and I'm guessing that it does.


http://www.whatthetech.com/2007/01/31/workaround-for-clean-install-with-vista-upgrade-dvds/

[edDV]

Win 7 can be installed as a dual boot with XP or Vista. I'd hope one could at least reinstall XP with the old key and then Win7 should both get corrupted. I haven't read the new terms yet.

[DarrellS]

I was told when they offered the trial that you had to install it on a different partition because it would kill XP or Vista if you installed over it and that you had to get the trial off of your machine before April or it would slowly kill your PC and leave it unusable.

My brother already got rid of the trial to keep Microsoft from killing his machine. He already had to buy another copy of XP because when his computer broke down and he was repairing it, he loaded a copy on and old computer for temp use and he had to call MS and when he explained what happened and what he was doing, they told him he couldn't use that copy anymore. Bill Gates is the devil.

[Bjs]

No

The xp install is still valid.

And microsoft os's do not "kill" pc's ... just cripples the os in this situation ... such as beta expired, time to purchase.

[jagabo]

The way around this in Vista was to install the upgrade version in trial mode so that you don't need to enter any key. Then boot into Windows and load your Vista disc and run the install again from within Windows Vista, but this time when prompted to enter your Vista key you enter it.

There's an even better way that doesn't require two installs:

-Deleted-
I hear this works with Win7:

-Deleted-

[deadrats]

The way around this in Vista was to install the upgrade version in trial mode so that you don't need to enter any key. Then boot into Windows and load your Vista disc and run the install again from within Windows Vista, but this time when prompted to enter your Vista key you enter it.

There's an even better way that doesn't require two installs:

-Deleted-

I hear this works with Win7:

-Deleted-

you do realize that you have effectively told him how to pirate windows 7, don't you? just like he effectively was asking for information on how to pirate the OS.

personally i don't really care, i just want some consistency, if i came here and asked where i could download a copy of windows 7 with a crack, the admins would shut the thread with a warning that i was violating this forums rule. by him asking, and you telling him how, he can purchase a cheaper "upgrade" variant and use it as a more expensive "full" variant, you are advocating he "pirate" the software, after all what's the difference between turning the "upgrade" to "full" and simply "stealing" the "full" version in the first place, which is what he ends up doing anyway.

now don't get me wrong, anyone that has ever seen any of my posts on copyright and big business knows how i feel and quite frankly i think microsoft deserves to be f**ked repeatedly for ripping off their customers (hell, they sell student versions and oem versions of their software much cheaper than they do retails versions, and they sell full retail versions in china for $65), so clearly they are price gouging in the u.s. and for that i feel they deserve whatever they get, but it would be nice if there wasn't a double standard at work in this forum.

basically what i'm saying is if the op is going to go through all the trouble of "stealing" windows 7 just a little bit why not just go all the way and "steal" it completely?

[jagabo]

A mod can remove my post if he wants. Links to those web sites have appeared all over the net including some of the big tech news sites.

[deadrats]

A mod can remove my post if he wants. Links to those web sites have appeared all over the net including some of the big tech news sites.

i know, i've seen them, i can find a links to the article you linked to (and similar articles) on all the major tech sites, it's still hypocritical of them, they are still telling their users how to "steal" the full version when they only paid for the upgrade yet they wouldn't think about simply telling their readers where they can download a full pirated copy of windows 7.

as i said, i have no problem with what you posted or the op's question, and hell i would advise him if he were to "steal" an upgrade from the "upgrade" version to the "full" version he might as well just hit a torrent site and download the complete think, but i just want some consistency, either we are allowed to advocate all "piracy" or no "piracy", not turn a blind eye to "partial piracy".

[redwudz]

How about we just blank out the direct links to those sites.

Moderator redwudz

[KTH]

Deadrats it was never my intention to promote software piracy. In fact every piece of software installed on my computer was and is legally purchased. I can understand your point of view, but I'm not trying to get something for nothing or else like you mentioned I would have looked for a cracked full version of the software to download. I just want to be able to uninstall Windows 7 if I don't like it and go back to XP what's wrong with that as long as only one piece of software is installed at a time? If my XP key is invalidated (deactivated) I won't have this option anymore and the way things stand right now I'm pretty sure Microsoft wouldn't sell me another XP license. I never mentioned that I wanted to run or had any intention of running both OS's at the same time and I don't intend to. Other companies that write software will allow you to uninstall a newer version of software and reinstall an older version as long as you don't run both at the same time so what's so special about Microsoft? The fact is that I could run both pieces of software at the same time, but I don't intend to. In fact I don't think I've ever read a EULA that specifically states that I can't uninstall a newer version of software and reinstall an older version. In fact I've recently had to uninstall a newer version of my keyboard/mouse software and reinstall an older version because the newer version wasn't working correctly. So is this considered WAREZ as well? I've read that Windows 7 will allow you to install it along side an already installed version of XP or Vista. In fact I've read there are options in the Windows 7 setup program to help you do this (create a dual boot system). So is my original question really considered warez?

1) I'm not asking where or how to download Windows illegally.
2) I'm not asking where to get a illegal key for the software.
3) I'm not asking how to bypass activation.


In fact I don't feel that I am in violation of the forum rules about warez. If I am I am sorry, but let's leave it up to the moderators to decide. It light of this I will do something unprecedented and report my original post myself to the moderators and have them make the decision.


KTH

[deadrats]

Deadrats it was never my intention to promote software piracy.

i wasn't specifically talking about you or your post and quite frankly couldn't care less if you pirated every single piece of software you, furthermore i wouldn't think any less of you if you did pirate software and i would be a hypocrite if i said i had never ever pirated any software, music or movies. as i said, i personally find "big content" to be a dishonorable business establishment that rips off the general public any chance they get and i see piracy as a the only tool that the average joe has for leveling the playing field.

and i also don't have any problem with jagabo, or anyone else for that matter, with helping you achieve what you wish to accomplish.

but as i said if i provided you with a link to a torrent site where you could download the full iso of windows 7, complete with crack, the thread would be shut down and i would be reminded that this forums rules do not allow for such an action, i just wanted some consistency.

if you purchased an upgrade license, said license only allows you to upgrade from a qualifying fully licensed install, you are not allowed to do a clean install, which is where the discussion ended up going.

in so far as does the upgrade invalidate your current xp license, the answer is yes and no: yes in so far as you couldn't legally run that copy of xp on another pc while you are running the upgrade version of windows 7 on your pc, but no, there is nothing in the EULA that says you can't uninstall windows 7 and go back to xp, though you may run into an issue with wpa on xp as microsoft may see it as an attempt at a concurrent install.

personally, i think it's a lot of bullshit, if you buy the software then as far as i'm concerned you buy the software and thus you should be allowed to do as you wish. furthermore i annoys me to no end to know you probably paid about $200 for the windows 7 upgrade but oem's can buy an oem version of the OS for $50 and students can get the functionally equivalent student edition for $65, which means you have been shafted. if also annoys me that if you don't like the software and find that you have problems with it that you can't return it and it also sickens me that software is not bound by merchantability statutes, but i digress.

in so far as dual boots are concerned, you are not legally allowed to make a dual boot with an upgrade version, only a full version, even though it is possible to do so.

and no, your original question did not in any way ask about warez, but the discussion certainly did start going down that road as it has no choice but to go down, you have a legitimate need and desire to do something 100 percent legal, unfortunately microsoft has a business model that requires that you be obstructed in your goals and as such invariably it has to lead you down a road where piracy, in one form or another, becomes your only option.

it's microsoft's fault, not yours, if you make sure a man can't get a job, own a business or earn an honest living, don't complain when he starts to steal so that he and his kids can eat.

similarly, you wish to follow the letter of the law but because of microsoft's policies you will find yourself in a position where piracy may have to become an option.

i certainly couldn't blame you for what you decide to do.

[jagabo]

It was my intention to provide information. What people do with it is their business.

[deadrats]

It was my intention to provide information. What people do with it is their business.

and i had no problem with the advice you gave him, as i said all i wanted was some consistency, that's all.