Comments, Questions and Thoughts on Windows 7

Jonathan,

  I was speaking to a customer about just this issue yesterday. From what I can tell, you will need to at least acquire licenses for XP Professional in order to legally upgrade. However, there are still questions about whether XP Professional can be upgraded to Windows 7 through Software Assurance and I strong suggest contacting them to be sure - but you will definitely be required to do a clean install from XP. Please keep in mind that XP Home editions cannot upgrade to Vista Business either.

Software Assurance FAQ: http://www.microsoft.com/licensing/software-assurance/faq.aspx

Windows 7 Info Page http://home.techsoup.org/pages/windows7.aspx

Autumn

This appears the be the same problem I have.  When Techsoup first came out with the Vista upgrade they only had the home premium edition. which I used to upgrade from XP Professional.  Now it seems I can not update any of our current comptuers since they are all running WIndows Home Premium. 

Do those of us who have Vista Home Premium need to purchase windows Vista Business and upgrade before we can upgrade to Windows 7? 

Yeah, feeling a bit hosed on this one.

Hi Joseph,

  If you read my previous post, I think there are ways in which you may be able to upgrade if you first get the XP Pro license. Please read the information carefully. You may need to contact Software Assurance. 

Software Assurance FAQ: http://www.microsoft.com/licensing/software-assurance/faq.aspx

Windows 7 Info Page http://home.techsoup.org/pages/windows7.aspx

Autumn

Dear Autumn,

Thank you for all your information.  But like the other posts I saw, my orgnization is in the same Vista HOME situation - two dozen volunteers at various computers, most of whom have Vista Home Premium.  Windows 7 upgrades will not upgrade the Home versions.  I don't see how someone with Vista HOME could "upgrade" to XP Pro to then upgrade to Windows 7 Pro that is offered, because I don't think you can "downgrade" from Vista Home to XP Pro?

I've read all the FAQ and requirments about the Windows 7 Pro upgrade. It doesn't explain how to get from Vista Home to a 7 Pro upgrade.  Can you do so, please? Thanks!

Edie

Ok, this is news to me that we cannot upgrade from Vista Home to Windows 7 Pro.  I did not find the info anywhere.  Can someone provide a link to this?  I have already submitted our order and this will be a big problem.

Edit: If this is really true, can I cancel my order?

Johnny,

  Windows 7 cannot upgrade directly from any version of Home Edition. This information is on the Windows 7 product page: "This is an upgrade product. To install this operating system, you must have a licensed installation of one of the following operating systems on the device where you are installing the upgrade: Windows Vista Enterprise, Business, or Ultimate; Windows XP Professional or Tablet PC; Windows 2000 Professional; Windows NT Workstation 4.0; or Windows 98. You cannot upgrade from the Home editions of Windows XP or Windows Vista. Unless you are upgrading from Windows Vista, this installation requires a "clean install." This means that if the computer has an existing operating system, you must remove all operating system files and applications, install the system, and reinstall the applications. For complete information, see TechSoup's Upgrading to Windows 7: Steps and Checklist."

I will contact you directly about your order.

Autumn

Unfortunately the legal licensing language for the Microsoft upgrade products available through TechSoup do not allow Vista Home users to upgrade using the Windows 7 Professional upgrade product.  Although you can technically do a clean install, it's the licensing language that forbids it.

Okay, it's confirmed one can't upgrade DIRECTLY from Vista Home to Windows 7 Pro. (I now also understand it is a Microsoft "choice" as it is a legal bar, not a technical one, which restricts the direct upgrade.)

I would still like to know the "work-around" process, please, as can one order and install 1) an upgrade from Vista Home to Vista Business (or Pro, or whatever it is called), and then 2) an upgrade to Windows 7 Pro?

If so, is the upgrade to Vista Business / Pro available through TechSoup? 

Thank you.

Edie

The Windows XP pro upgrade on Tech Soup has the following restrictions for qualifying products:

This is an upgrade product. To install this operating system, you must have a valid license that is not in use on another computer for one of these operating systems: Windows 98, Windows 98 SE, Windows Me, Windows NT Workstation 4.0, Windows 2000 Professional, or Windows XP Home Edition.

Under software assurance you can then upgrade to Windows 7 Enterprise ( I checked the last XP license donations from Tech Soup on eopen that we received)

If your vista home came with downgrade rights to XP home, In my opinion that is the path I would use to get to Win7

An overriding question:   What are the business reasons to get to Windows 7?  What features do you desperately need that you must upgrade from XP or Vista to WIN 7, and it can't wait until you do a hardware technology turn?

For us, I plan to stay on XP with our current hardware,  use donated, refurbished or off lease XP pc's  for any task workstations for the next year.  I will either upgrade my personal laptop to WIN 7 on a new hard drive, or pick up a Win 7 desktop to take a look at it in the coming months, but will not plan any Win 7 deployment unless there was a funding windfall for new PCs.

Dave

Thank you Autumn.  I just didn't dig far enough.  I'm wondering, say you have a pc with Vista Home.  You buy XP Pro and the Win7 Pro upgrade.  You have the XP Pro disc in your possesion.  Can we do the Win7 upgrade install (clean or otherwise) and put the XP Pro disc in the computer to prove you have it, then do the install.  I would kinda suck to have to install XP Pro just to wipe it out moments later.

Of course I'm assuming that it's possible to buy the XP Pro software via techsoup.

I know that techsoup is working on this and will let us know.

One thing I'm still curious about, all software requirements aside.  When doing the Win7 clean install, will the install disc have a step that will format the hard drive to wipe everything out?  In years past, when installing an OS, this had been included.

Hi Edie - we've checked.  Believe me, we've checked every angle and possibilty, from getting XP Professional and then using Software Assurance to upgrade to Win 7, to getting Vista Business and using Software Assurance to get Win 7.

Unfortunately there are NO legal upgrade options to go from Vista Home to one of the upgrade products that are offered through TechSoup. This is because the Microsoft products carried by TechSoup are Volume Licensing products which have different licensing restrictions from commercial products.  I don't know if you can get a retail Vista Pro upgrade product and use that to upgrade - I'm not familiar with the commercial products' licensing rules - but that might be a possibility. 

For orgs that want to break the cycle (from the Microsoft Home line to the Business/Pro line) you'll need to either get a new pc with a professional license, or buy an OEM license and pay a little less. So if you pay $150 for an OEM Vista Business license, you can get a donation of Windows 7 Pro upgrade for $8, then you are still better off than buying retail, and you get Software Assurance benefits too.

I truely wish we could be of more help,

Cameron

When I've done installs in the past and a qualifying product was required, often the install process would be satisfied with detecting the presence of the qualifying product's install disc.  Would Win7 work this way?  I have a valid XP Pro disc and am wondering if I could use it qualify my Vista Home desktop for the Win7 upgrade?

To be 100% legally compliant, If you have have to install XP Pro on your current VIsta Home computer, then upgrade that XP license to WIndows 7 by requesting a donation and using a custom install. That Windows 7 license is now tied to that desktop, and that XP Pro license would thereby be revoked and upgraded. I would reiterate that the donations we have are Volume Licenses and are full versions, and retail upgrades and methods are not relevant. When we refer to "upgrade" we are referring to the license more so than the installation.

Can Win7 Enterprise version be used in a small office without a server?

Don

Yes, you can just Enterprise even without a server.