Upgrade path for XP to Windows 7

Rik · Feb 05, 2009, 15:33:23

El Reg reports that MS have announced that XP users will be able to upgrade to Windows 7, but they will have to do a clean install, not an in situ upgrade. El Reg seems to think that's a bad idea, but it's the way I would do it anyway.

What isn't made clear is whether this applies to OEM licences.

kinmel · Feb 05, 2009, 18:39:20

Well without that path Windows Xp would have gone on and on, for Win98SE to XP, the OEMs versions would validate updates, but re-install disks would not.

Rik · Feb 05, 2009, 18:40:48

So anyone without an OEM CD is not going to be able to upgrade?

Noreen · Feb 05, 2009, 18:45:48

Posted on American forum, don't know if it helps. http://www.neowin.net/news/main/09/02/04/microsoft-windows-xp-to-windows-7-upgrade-possible

Rik · Feb 05, 2009, 18:47:27

Much the same report, thanks, Noreen.

kinmel · Feb 05, 2009, 18:55:37

Quote from: Rik on Feb 05, 2009, 18:40:48
So anyone without an OEM CD is not going to be able to upgrade?

Anyone who can't borrow one, or download one will probably be stuck.

Once the validation was done however, XP kept no record of the OEM licence that had been used and some OEMs got used many times.

Rik · Feb 05, 2009, 18:56:47

Thanks, Alan.

Sebby · Feb 05, 2009, 19:23:55

Upgrading has always been a poor way of installing Windows, imho. Never, ever, will an upgrade run as well as a fresh install. So in that respect, I think it's a good thing. And let's be honest, do a lot of non-technical users go out and buy an upgrade of Windows anyway? I don't think so - they get the new version of Windows when they buy their next PC. More technical users, who are more likely to want to upgrade their version of Windows, would be able to do a fresh install, no problem.

Gary · Feb 07, 2009, 10:51:17

I'll wait till my laptop dies and see what happens then, vista ultimate runs fine here and updating an OS every two years is.....well ridiculous, if it was not for certain programs I use for communication which only microsoft programs offer the connectivity i need I would go for a mac and be done with it, as my net usage changes as I get older it may well be what I go for eventually, for now it works it runs that's good enough for me

Glenn · Feb 07, 2009, 11:16:35

Quote from: Sebby on Feb 05, 2009, 19:23:55
Upgrading has always been a poor way of installing Windows, imho. Never, ever, will an upgrade run as well as a fresh install. So in that respect, I think it's a good thing. And let's be honest, do a lot of non-technical users go out and buy an upgrade of Windows anyway? I don't think so - they get the new version of Windows when they buy their next PC. More technical users, who are more likely to want to upgrade their version of Windows, would be able to do a fresh install, no problem.

After doing an upgrade a pc that was running slow will still run slow with it using the same profile and accumulated files, a fresh install is the way to go, if the most daunting for some.

Sebby · Feb 07, 2009, 18:24:18

Indeed, it's certainly daunting for some, but then they wouldn't be the kind of people that would go out and buy a copy of Windows 7.

Rik · Feb 07, 2009, 18:25:56

I think you're right there, Seb. Those that buy a copy of an OS will generally know what they're about. Others will simple buy a computer with a copy of Windows on it.