Help Upgrading to Windows 7 Ultimate

W

WeApOn

New Member
So I have a copy of Windows 7 from a local college, but it's the "Upgrade" Version". I was able to install Win 7 Ultimate on a clean drive, but when I try to "Activate" Windows using the key included, it does not work.

I realize this is because the Upgrade version is only supposed to work on computers that have previously had another OS on the system.

I believe the key that I need to enter is for a full OS that is eligible to upgrade to Windows 7 Ultimate. I am willing to go buy that version and use that key, but I want to make sure I buy the correct version.

According to this article:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd772579(WS.10).aspx

I cannot upgrade from XP to 7, is this correct? What full version of Windows do I need to buy that Windows 7 Ultimate will accept the key from?

Any help is extremely appreciated.

Thanks!
 
As far as I know, if you have win7 ultimate installed now already and you only need that key to activate it. You need to buy a copy of win7 ultimate and use that key to activate it.

If you buy another version, for example Home Premium it might change it from ultimate to home premium.

Im 100% sure on this so before you buy anything let another user with expereince on this just clarify.
 
Indeed I got it from the school, and indeed it is Ultimate. I saw the option for different language support while I was installing updates.

Basically, after much research I was just about positive that I needed to buy a full version of either XP or Vista, and use that full version key when my "upgrade" was asking for a key.

However there was some confusion as to whether that had to be Professional, Home, 64-bit, etc.. To upgrade to Win7.

So I called Microsoft... and after 6 transfers I explained I just needed to know which version I needed to buy, and they had me give them my key, they generated some number for some sort of built-in support feature Win7 had, and then it had me re-input my Windows 7 upgrade key. After doing so, my key was accepted? Not sure if that was entirely legal, and didn't even think it was possible? I clearly was asking Microsoft which version I needed to buy to be eligible for this upgrade, and to make sure I bought the right version so I could use the correct key. The guy told me something about me having "corrupt activation files" because I installed the upgrade on a clean OS. I'm pretty sure this had nothing to do with corrupt files, but that it's just flat out not possible to use an upgrade key without having a previous OS on the machine.

I could be entirely wrong, and maybe that was how it was supposed to work. Doesn't help Microsoft has completely garbage instructions on how to upgrade and who is eligible to do so, etc.. All I know is I was trying to legitimately activate my copy of Win 7, and I contacted Microsoft and explained that, and they got my copy activated, so I can't complain.
 
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