what about installing a version below your upgrade key ie starter and then using your upgrade key with anytime upgrade?
Excellent thread. Now I can finally fix my girlfriends win 7 computer which is an absolute mess. (upgraded win 7 without any remaining discs). thanks a bunch!
Several reasons: 1) Wanting to use a legitimate purchased upgrade key. For example a copy purchased from student discount program, or trying to repair a customer's PC (bad news trying to install pirated software on a customer's PC). My PC shipped with a copy of Vista Home premium, SP0 with all sorts of OEM preloaded junk. I purchased a Windws 7 Professional upgrade key. I always do a clean install instead of an inplace upgrade. I'm meeting the licence qualifications of the upgrade (I have a vista licence) but I don't want to go through the hassle of installing an OS just to scrap it in the upgrade. Unlike previous versions where you could just insert the disc of a previous version as proof, I want the closest equivalent. 2) Educational reasons some people are interested in how the sytem works. I'm thoroughly intrigued to learn how the activation system works rather than leave it a mysterious black box. This is particularly useful when you're trying to help people having problems using products they paid for. 3) Unless your system came preinstalled with Win7 + SLIC 2.1 + cert you have to get involved in BIOS modding or using a loader which involves extra steps. I was interested in presenting a method that users can use their legitimately purchased key if they wish to do a clean install (either through preference or because they had a hard drive failure)
I followed the guide and managed to do a clean install with an upgrade key. I was between a rock and a hard place with no discs and the difficulties of trying to recover without knowing the OS-language (german). A clean install was much easier - no language skills needed really once again many thanks - computer works as a charm now.
I'm about to do this same thing with an upgrade key, can anyone tell me if this still works, or point me in the direction of a method that does?
Hey Guys, a newbie here. Just wondering if this workaround still works for Win 7? I have a reinstall disk and an Anytime Upgrade key and would like to do a clean install of Win 7 Home Professional if possible. Update: I have tried both methods and neither one seems to work any longer. Suggestions?