Move Windows 7 Upgrade to New Hard Drive? at DVinfo.net

Harry Simpson · October 28th, 2011, 10:31 PM

About three months ago I bought a three license Vista to Windows 7 Upgrade. If I retire the old computer can I install the 64bit Windows 7 on the new hard drive or do I need to buy another original Windows 7 license. Think i know the answer but thought i'd throw it out there.

Dave Blackhurst · October 29th, 2011, 12:03 PM

The license typically allows you to use on "one computer" (or three with the pack you've got). Once you've de-commissioned the old one, W7 is no longer in "use" on that machine, and can be installed on the "new" one. Typically the activation features will allow you to do this with no problems whatsoever if there's a reasonable amount of time between installs, but you can always call in to their 800 number if needed for activation.

Harry Simpson · October 30th, 2011, 01:43 PM

thanks Dave

I'll try the reinstall on the new machine. I didn't order a harddrive on the new machine....i guess I could just plug in the old hard drive into the new box?

it's been about 10 yeqars since i last built my own machine....

Dave Blackhurst · October 30th, 2011, 03:06 PM

Well, it might work, but a couple things to be aware of - W7 will probably detect the hardware change and want to re-activate... no prob there. if your W7 install is fairly recent and clean and stable, it may transfer over, I used to do that and let Windows "self-adapt" to the new hardware - most of the time it worked, except when it didn't <wink>.

And most importantly, you may want to consider if this is a video edit/rendering box, a newer/faster HDD might improve the overall system responsiveness - I've found particularly for video, each component/subsystem presents a potential bottleneck, and the more "up to date" the hardware is, the better... they keep improving things along the way and where HD wasn't "mainstream" a couple years ago, now it's expected in even a low end consumer machine, so even plain vanilla hardware is likely "better" than a couple years ago.

FWIW

Harry Simpson · October 31st, 2011, 11:20 AM

Dave

I really didn't even think about that - yup probably should get a new hard drive......I didn't realize they'd advanced much in the past few years but you gotta good point.

Thanks
Harry

Adam Gold · October 31st, 2011, 01:41 PM

Something else to think about... if you bought the "upgrade" version it's going to look for a previous OS before it will install. Most likely will refuse if it doesn't find one. At least that's been my experience. So you may have to install Vista on the new HDD first and then do the upgrade to W7.

Dave Blackhurst · October 31st, 2011, 01:47 PM

OR leave the old drive hooked up as a slave and it will either find it automatically, or you can direct it to the install...

Harry Simpson · November 1st, 2011, 10:56 AM

Well I actually have been inquiring as to whether they can just put a copy of Windows 7 Prof on a hew hard drive before they ship it to me .......

That oughta avoid the gotchas!! I wouldn't want to install VISTA on anything.....

Thanks
Harry

Steve House · November 1st, 2011, 12:56 PM

I may be mistaken but I think when you install the upgrade version, if it doesn't find a qualifying product on the disk it asks for the product key for the OS you're upgrading from. In your case you would enter the product key for your copy of Win 7 and then it would prompt you to also enter the key from your Vista CD. As long as you have a valid key for Vista, you should be good to go installing the upgrade version even without going through the 'install Vista' step. That being said, I used Vista on my laptop working about 12 hours a day for 3 years before upgrading to 7 and I never had a single malfunction I could attribute to OS quirks. Vista's bad reputation is ill deserved, IMHO.

Harry Simpson · November 2nd, 2011, 11:18 AM

Thanks Steve,

I am having white hazed app not respondings with Windows 7 but it's probably due to 3G RAM more than the OS. I did kinda sound like a VISTA hater didn't i. I work on XP during the day so when I'd go home and hop on VISTA it seemed quirky....I'm using Windows 7 on all my computers now.
Anyway I'm getting a copy of Windows 7 Professional loaded on the new system I've ordered which ought to take care of all that. I can give the old box to my son to use.
Thanks
Harry

Steve House · November 3rd, 2011, 03:38 AM

NOTE: I double checked MS technical info online and my previous post was in error. The upgrade version of Windows 7 does require and prior copy of either Vista or XP to be installed on the target machine, just the seriual number of the previous version will not suffice. Sorry about that.

October 28th, 2011, 10:31 PM	#1
Harry Simpson Major Player Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Nashville, TN. Posts: 581	Move Windows 7 Upgrade to New Hard Drive? About three months ago I bought a three license Vista to Windows 7 Upgrade. If I retire the old computer can I install the 64bit Windows 7 on the new hard drive or do I need to buy another original Windows 7 license. Think i know the answer but thought i'd throw it out there. __________________ Nashville TN using Canon 5D MK3, Canon 550D, RODE SVM mic, 70-200 f2.8L II IS, 24-105 f4L IS, 50 and 85 f/1.8, Vegas Pro 11, Zoom H4n, Blackbird, Lilliput Monitor, Lightroom

October 29th, 2011, 12:03 PM	#2
Dave Blackhurst Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Apple Valley CA Posts: 4,874	Re: Move Windows 7 Upgrade to New Hard Drive? The license typically allows you to use on "one computer" (or three with the pack you've got). Once you've de-commissioned the old one, W7 is no longer in "use" on that machine, and can be installed on the "new" one. Typically the activation features will allow you to do this with no problems whatsoever if there's a reasonable amount of time between installs, but you can always call in to their 800 number if needed for activation.

October 30th, 2011, 01:43 PM	#3
Harry Simpson Major Player Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Nashville, TN. Posts: 581	Re: Move Windows 7 Upgrade to New Hard Drive? thanks Dave I'll try the reinstall on the new machine. I didn't order a harddrive on the new machine....i guess I could just plug in the old hard drive into the new box? it's been about 10 yeqars since i last built my own machine.... __________________ Nashville TN using Canon 5D MK3, Canon 550D, RODE SVM mic, 70-200 f2.8L II IS, 24-105 f4L IS, 50 and 85 f/1.8, Vegas Pro 11, Zoom H4n, Blackbird, Lilliput Monitor, Lightroom

October 30th, 2011, 03:06 PM	#4
Dave Blackhurst Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Apple Valley CA Posts: 4,874	Re: Move Windows 7 Upgrade to New Hard Drive? Well, it might work, but a couple things to be aware of - W7 will probably detect the hardware change and want to re-activate... no prob there. if your W7 install is fairly recent and clean and stable, it may transfer over, I used to do that and let Windows "self-adapt" to the new hardware - most of the time it worked, except when it didn't <wink>. And most importantly, you may want to consider if this is a video edit/rendering box, a newer/faster HDD might improve the overall system responsiveness - I've found particularly for video, each component/subsystem presents a potential bottleneck, and the more "up to date" the hardware is, the better... they keep improving things along the way and where HD wasn't "mainstream" a couple years ago, now it's expected in even a low end consumer machine, so even plain vanilla hardware is likely "better" than a couple years ago. FWIW

October 31st, 2011, 11:20 AM	#5
Harry Simpson Major Player Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Nashville, TN. Posts: 581	Re: Move Windows 7 Upgrade to New Hard Drive? Dave I really didn't even think about that - yup probably should get a new hard drive......I didn't realize they'd advanced much in the past few years but you gotta good point. Thanks Harry __________________ Nashville TN using Canon 5D MK3, Canon 550D, RODE SVM mic, 70-200 f2.8L II IS, 24-105 f4L IS, 50 and 85 f/1.8, Vegas Pro 11, Zoom H4n, Blackbird, Lilliput Monitor, Lightroom

October 31st, 2011, 01:41 PM	#6
Adam Gold Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Woodinville, WA USA Posts: 3,467	Re: Move Windows 7 Upgrade to New Hard Drive? Something else to think about... if you bought the "upgrade" version it's going to look for a previous OS before it will install. Most likely will refuse if it doesn't find one. At least that's been my experience. So you may have to install Vista on the new HDD first and then do the upgrade to W7. __________________ "It can only be attributable to human error... This sort of thing has cropped up before, and it has always been due to human error."

October 31st, 2011, 01:47 PM	#7
Dave Blackhurst Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Apple Valley CA Posts: 4,874	Re: Move Windows 7 Upgrade to New Hard Drive? OR leave the old drive hooked up as a slave and it will either find it automatically, or you can direct it to the install...

November 1st, 2011, 10:56 AM	#8
Harry Simpson Major Player Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Nashville, TN. Posts: 581	Re: Move Windows 7 Upgrade to New Hard Drive? Well I actually have been inquiring as to whether they can just put a copy of Windows 7 Prof on a hew hard drive before they ship it to me ....... That oughta avoid the gotchas!! I wouldn't want to install VISTA on anything..... Thanks Harry __________________ Nashville TN using Canon 5D MK3, Canon 550D, RODE SVM mic, 70-200 f2.8L II IS, 24-105 f4L IS, 50 and 85 f/1.8, Vegas Pro 11, Zoom H4n, Blackbird, Lilliput Monitor, Lightroom

November 1st, 2011, 12:56 PM	#9
Steve House Inner Circle Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada Posts: 5,742	Re: Move Windows 7 Upgrade to New Hard Drive? I may be mistaken but I think when you install the upgrade version, if it doesn't find a qualifying product on the disk it asks for the product key for the OS you're upgrading from. In your case you would enter the product key for your copy of Win 7 and then it would prompt you to also enter the key from your Vista CD. As long as you have a valid key for Vista, you should be good to go installing the upgrade version even without going through the 'install Vista' step. That being said, I used Vista on my laptop working about 12 hours a day for 3 years before upgrading to 7 and I never had a single malfunction I could attribute to OS quirks. Vista's bad reputation is ill deserved, IMHO. __________________ Good news, Cousins! This week's chocolate ration is 15 grams!

November 2nd, 2011, 11:18 AM	#10
Harry Simpson Major Player Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Nashville, TN. Posts: 581	Re: Move Windows 7 Upgrade to New Hard Drive? Thanks Steve, I am having white hazed app not respondings with Windows 7 but it's probably due to 3G RAM more than the OS. I did kinda sound like a VISTA hater didn't i. I work on XP during the day so when I'd go home and hop on VISTA it seemed quirky....I'm using Windows 7 on all my computers now. Anyway I'm getting a copy of Windows 7 Professional loaded on the new system I've ordered which ought to take care of all that. I can give the old box to my son to use. Thanks Harry __________________ Nashville TN using Canon 5D MK3, Canon 550D, RODE SVM mic, 70-200 f2.8L II IS, 24-105 f4L IS, 50 and 85 f/1.8, Vegas Pro 11, Zoom H4n, Blackbird, Lilliput Monitor, Lightroom

November 3rd, 2011, 03:38 AM	#11
Steve House Inner Circle Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada Posts: 5,742	Re: Move Windows 7 Upgrade to New Hard Drive? NOTE: I double checked MS technical info online and my previous post was in error. The upgrade version of Windows 7 does require and prior copy of either Vista or XP to be installed on the target machine, just the seriual number of the previous version will not suffice. Sorry about that. __________________ Good news, Cousins! This week's chocolate ration is 15 grams!