Hi Guys, First of all, my best regards for the ppl who are making this forum work... You have done a great job guys! Now to my question. I recently got a DELL Studio XPS Laptop 1640 laptop with Windows Vista Home Premium 64 Bit. I am waiting for the DELL Windows 7 upgrade disk to arrive... My queries follow - 1. Since I am having Vista Home premium pre-installed, I would be only able to install the Home premium of Windows 7 (Legit i.e.) I would like to use the Windows 7 Professional instead of Home Premium. How can I do that while using the DELL Windows 7 upgrade media? 2. How to avoid use of any loaders / hacks (if possible)? Can this be possible by just using a different serial number to register? 3. Has anyone installed the DELL version of the Windows 7 OS? Is it an OEM (DELL logo certified) or just a copy of the Windows 7 but with custom cover? 4. Please let me know the easiest and most efficient way I can install Windows 7 Professional on my Studio XPS Laptop 1640. Thanks again! And sorry if I am asking what has already been posted a zillion times CK
If you have SLIC 2.1 (if it is new enough) you can just install from generic WIN7 install and avoid the need for activation by using the DELL SLP certificate & key... If you have SLIC 2.0, you will need to either upgrade the BIOS and then do the above, or wait for your upgrade disk from Dell... That will be a normal upgrade disk with its own unique key for your machine (non-SLP) and will need to be "activated."
What I would recommend, if you would rather go the "upgrade" route, the upgrade disk from Dell will allow an in-place upgrade, you will keep your personal files and perhaps most of your software. Then if you wish (possibly even before activating online), you should be able to do an "anytime upgrade" to the edition of your choice by entering the slic serial number of your choice with the anytime upgrade wizard...and installing the Dell slic cert... 3.)No the upgrade disk from Dell has no branding, logos, etc. The drivers for your specific model are on a seperate disk ( I have used the disk..) 4.)the easiest way would be to do a clean install with a serial number and cert for Dell (serial number for the edition of your choice), but the Dell disk is set up to install the upgrade edition you are entitled to only, so if you prefer another edition (perhaps ultimate or Pro) you will have to burn the disk for the correct edition...
Thanks Danny and Yutaro... I went thru the link you sent above, Danny. So basically, I should do the following (correct me if I get it wrong anywhere...) - 1. I put in the Windows 7 DVD; 2. Choose to do a custom install (the upgrade DVD will allow this I hope....) I think since my DELL XPS 1640 is about a month old, it should be having the requisite BIOS setting? In this case Yutaro, will the Windows install be automatically validated (without modding the BIOS)? And since I will be using the DELL DVD for the same, if I use the serials for the Professional / Ultimate after installing Home Prem., would it still work?
You have to check for the latest BIOS in Dell's website and flash if there is one, if not found, you should have SLIC 2.1 with your existing BIOS. Your machine may have the possibility to come with a SLIC 2.0 bios originally. Or check with SLIC Dump Tools in the stickies before you install Win 7.
I'm always confused about Dell win7 upgrade. If a PC only has slic 2.0 bios, how upgrade works? The upgrade assistant DVD will update the bios?
I have a Studio 1640 with the latest bios that has SLIC 2.1. After installation it still asks for a key. Using the Dell upgrade dvd.
The Dell DVD will only let you install the version it was intended for.. so if Dell sends a premium disk you have to install premium, then use the anytime upgrade route afterwards, My inspiron 1010 is only a month old and came with a slic 2.1 bios, my inspiron 1545 was new in june and came with slic 2.1 in bios, yours will have it already as well! I used mine to do a custom install (over win7 RC1), all my old files and personal files were saved to a windows.old folder so, do a custom install, install your cert, (don't even activate online, don't waste the serial nummber, or use serial found on these forums), and do a "anytime upgrade" with the serial number from these forums for the edition of your choice
Anyways, I am not able to track my DELL OEM upgrade DVD... It is showing status as shipped on 30th Oct 09 on the DELL windows 7 site, but no furthur sign of it as of yet... So am looking for a genuine Windows 7 Ultimate DELL 64 bit OS ISO... Be grateful if anyone could point me to this! Regards, C Edit: Saw your comment upstairs, shakeyplace. So I can download a DELL Windows 7 Home Premium, Install it using custom options (this will allow me to repartition the HDD?) and then upgrade using abytime upgrade and a windows 7 ultimate serial from this site. Right? Does the anytime upgrade require an internet connection?
I can double check that for you, but it should I seen your post as well, if you want to go the download route, just install the ultimate or whatever you choose, no need for anytime upgrade then, these disks will definitely do the partition/reformat you want. I was simply assuming that your preference was to use the Dell disk, if you want to download a disk that changes everything..
if they have your disk status as sent but no tracking number, it might actually be sent.. btw, they use a different carrier for delivery of the upgrade disks, at least in my country.. I only got the tracking number for the package after it was delivered