Filed under: OS Updates, Windows, Microsoft
Save $80 on your Windows 7 purchase - the Upgrade does full installs, too
by Sebastian Anthony Oct 23rd 2009 at 5:15PM
Paul Thurott and a friend over at the SuperSite Blog have worked out how to perform a clean Windows 7 install using the upgrade disc. Come again?That's right: save $80 and buy the Windows 7 Upgrade disc, because you can use it to perform a clean, full-featured installation. Awesome!
The instructions are as follows:
1. Perform a clean installation using the Upgrade disc -- this should work without a hitch.
2. Make sure there are no Windows Updates pending -- if there's an orange shield icon next to the Shutdown button in the Start Menu, that means you need to reboot before attempting the next steps.
3. Open 'regedit.exe' from the Start Menu -- just type it in there, where it says: Search programs and files. Accept the User Account Control dialogue that pops up to give yourself Windows 7 superpowers.
4. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/Software/Microsoft/Windows/CurrentVersion/Setup/OOBE/
5. Change MediaBootInstall from '1' to '0'
6. Open the Start Menu again and type 'cmd' -- use ctrl+shift+enter to run it as an elevated-permissions user
7. Finally, type slmgr /rearm -- and press enter.
Your computer will now reboot and run the Activate Windows utility. Type in your product key aaaaaaand, as the SuperSite Blog says: voila! Much love, Paul.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Adam said 5:32PM on 10-23-2009
I'm confused, are you saying that you can buy the upgrade disk and use it to set up a clean copy of windows on a new machine even though you didn't have an eligible version of Windows to upgrade from? Maybe I'm missing the part about how this is legal.
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Sebastian Anthony said 5:34PM on 10-23-2009
Hm, yes, it would seem that you can do that.
Both Upgrade and 'Complete' have the same install process -- it's more a matter of activating afterward, I believe.
I think 'creative use of software mechanics' is a better description.
Money Mike said 5:46PM on 10-23-2009
I wanted to wait for someone else to comment to make sure I wasn't missing something, but I have to agree with Adam that this doesn't seem very legal. I'm not trying to judge anyone, but if doing this doesn't bother you, why not just "pirate" a copy for yourself and save even more. Does it make people more comfortable knowing they spent "something" on the product, so they can tell themselves they're only stretching the law, instead of breaking it?
Don't get me wrong, I know you can make the case that if Microsoft left the hole open and you're not technically "hacking" it that it makes it ok - and I wouldn't necessarily say you were wrong, but it certainly seems like a stretch. Like I said, if you're going to go through the trouble of infringing on a little portion of the product, why not infringe on the whole thing? (Notice I purposely didn't say "steal" or "theft.")
bwcbiz said 9:49AM on 10-30-2009
I think some people around still have trouble distinguishing between when they "can" do something and when they "should" do something. For example, I _can_ post here during working hours, but that doesn't mean I _should_.
On the other hand, I went ahead and did it anyway. So by my own standards, I'm just as ethically challenged as the folks who use this hack.
windows7full said 6:22PM on 11-07-2009
I don't think you can do that. There is a difference between Windows 7 Update and Windows 7 Full. This post talks about the Update and the Full options of Windows 7 http://tiny.cc/Win7ForU
Zman said 5:44PM on 10-23-2009
I installed the win7 pro upgrade yesterday, and before I did, I did a clean wipe of win7RC I was running, and I never did any of this registry editing they mention.
All my copies of windows I've always bought the upgrade and did a clean wipe then install and never had any problems. I never understood the difference between the full and upgrade versions.
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Adam said 5:51PM on 10-23-2009
Wasn't Windows on the PC and you stuck in the upgrade disk and selected clean install? I ask because doing it that way lets the upgrade disk see that you have a valid copy and grab it's activation/license information from the registry (or wherever it's stored) and use that to know that you are eligible for the upgrade even if you plan a clean install.
Zman said 6:05PM on 10-23-2009
I have done some like that, but others I've actually installed to a new hard drive, or did a clean install on top of Ubuntu or something, and I never remember having any issues.
David said 5:53PM on 10-23-2009
Yeah, but have you activated yet, Zman?
I wiped my Vista Business install partition before I installed W7 Home Premium. I have had no problems so far; I entered my key as part of the install, but there has been no activation reminder yet. (Will there be?)
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satriangle said 5:59PM on 10-23-2009
or do the full clean install and choose activate later. After install, control-panel > system and activate.
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Unknown said 9:57PM on 10-23-2009
Software piracy is only bad when the Chinese or the Dutch do it. It's perfectly fine for us good ol' Americans to partake.
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Sebastian Anthony said 9:59PM on 10-23-2009
It's not piracy...! It's making the most of an upgrade disc. You still need a proper installation of a previous Microsoft OS.
This isn't the same as torrenting a full release...!
But yeah, damn those Dutchies.
Kenn.keeper said 11:25PM on 10-23-2009
I love the semantics used in this post and the replies,,,,
Free is Good (only when it's offered as a true free-ware application)
Kenn.....
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Mike said 11:36PM on 10-23-2009
I'm interested in this for one reason only, I want to have a legal copy of Win 7. I have a 32 bit install of Vista on a 64 bit system. I don't want to pay full price for the full version, just because I have to do a clean install to go from 32 to 64. Do I have to??? My specific question is, can I purchase the Win 7 upgrade since I have a qualifying OS AND do a clean install with that so I can go to 64, or MUST I purchase a full version to do this legitimately?
Does anyone know for *sure*? Thanks.
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ericloewe said 6:21AM on 10-24-2009
I want to do the same thing, and you can just buy the upgrade. It scans the hard drive for an install of XP or Vista (or 7 for some reason). Then you can do whatever you want with your partitions and installs and will be able to normally activate 7. If for some reason it goes wrong and doesn't let you, just use this workaround. You had a previous version, so you're not breaking any laws or denying them profits. Before this workaround I was actually considering the full version (It's 20€ for peace of mind), but I think I'll go with the Upgrade now.
scottfrye said 3:14AM on 10-24-2009
I did a clean install (wiped hard drive) and it never asked me for anything thats related to my previous Windows install. It really didnt even check.
I didn't have to doing any regedit or any other hack to get it to activate. The difference between the Upgrade and Full version is the price (from what I can see).
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blaszta said 1:35PM on 10-24-2009
Yup, I really think that the registry hack is not necessary. Even MS told so (you have option to format the drive: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/help/upgrading-from-windows-vista-to-windows-7-custom
weirdfishes said 4:12AM on 10-24-2009
Right-click "Computer" and then "properties". At the bottom of your System Info it will have the details of your Windows activation .
After I did the legit Upgrade (clean installation), Windows 7 was not activated until I clicked the activation. It never asked me to do it yet, I just did it myself.
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JJ said 8:33AM on 10-24-2009
Am I correct in assuming that if I have two hard drives int computer I can just choose to wipe one if I want to do a clean install? I want to just move neede data over to the second drive and I'm assuming that's the case, but I want to make sure Microsoft isn't goin to do something wacky during the install like format all my drives. Hehe.
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Kek said 10:06AM on 10-24-2009
I attempted to upgrade from XP 32 to 7 64 and have been unable to activate since I wiped the hard drive. I attempted to run the fix suggested in the article but get the error "On a computer running MS non-core edition, run slui.exe 0x2a0xc002001B to display the error test."
Thanks to the author of the article and for the suggestion. I wish it would've worked as I spent four hours on the phone with MS yesterday repeating the story to each person I spoke with; totally 8 different pass-offs.
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