Solved Upgrading from Vista Home to 7 Ultimate?

Hello all. I've been running Vista Home Premium for the past four years and have found it to be nothing but trouble. Recently, I have gotten a means to be able to buy 7, so I was wondering if it's possible to do an upgrade (not a complete install over) from Vista Home Premium to 7 Ultimate. Also, is it possible to do this upgrade from a 32-bit to 64-bit? Thank you for your time.

Hello Spice!

You can do an Upgrade Install to Windows 7. See full details here: Upgrade Install with Windows 7 - Windows 7 Forums

However, unfortunately, you cannot upgrade from 32bit to 64bit, and must backup your files and do a Clean Install: Clean Install with a Upgrade Windows 7 Version - Windows 7 Forums


The very best of luck,

Richard

Just to exapand a small bit on Niemiro's correct reply.
You can but should not do an upgrade even from 32 bit to 32 bit as a clean install is always the best way to go.
It will make the job a bit easier if you transfer everything, but not programs with Windows Easy Transfer.
Windows Easy Transfer - Windows 7 features - Microsoft Windows

Windows Easy Transfer - Transfer To & From Computers - Windows 7 Forums

richc46 said:

Just to exapand a small bit on Niemiro's correct reply.
You can but should not do an upgrade even from 32 bit to 32 bit as a clean install is always the best way to go.
It will make the job a bit easier if you transfer everything, but not programs with Windows Easy Transfer.
Windows Easy Transfer - Windows 7 features - Microsoft Windows

Windows Easy Transfer - Transfer To & From Computers - Windows 7 Forums

Click to expand...

Excellent additions. Thanks

Thank you everyone for your help. The reason I wish to do an upgrade rather than a clean install was because I have way to many programs and files to back up before installing. What is the main reason you suggest against it?

First it cant be done 32 bit to 64 or 64 bit to 32
If it can be done it should not, because any problems, corruption, virus etc will be carried forward to the new install
Do you want a new car or your old car; detailed, tuned up, and looking brand new?
Everything but programs can be transferred via Windows Easy Transfer. You should always back up if you are upgrading or not.

Thank you again for your quick reply. I think I will go with the clean install, so than you for saving me from a horrible mistake. As for the "Windows easy transfer," how does that work? I assume it has to be on a secondary drive, but how would it know where to put everything, or is that something I would need to manually do?

I have used Easy Trasfer and loved it. I transferred my desktop, favorites, mail, files and settings, programs cannot be transferred, but must be reinstalled.
Windows Easy Transfer - Windows 7 features - Microsoft Windows
I transferred all to a finger drive, but I did not have much. Then I transferred it all to the new OS and my new users account. It was just like I had my old System.
Before you do it, make sure you run a full AntiVirus Scan as well as one from the free malwarebytes. If one of your files is infected, it will be transferred.

You should always have your stuff backed up, be sure to back up first. I know its time consumming, but dont let all your happiness and excitement turn into sadness and regret.

After you all all set up, post and tell us how it went. Ill show you exactly how to take care of your new OS, so you will get years of happiness. Also join our other Forum Seven Forums,
Windows 7 Forums
where you can get great help, too. You may even see me there or Niemiro.

Good luck

Just one more tip - instead of buying a full Win7 retail version, get an OEM version. It costs only half the money. Only drawback is that it has to stay with the system where it first installed and cannot be moved.

You can also get an upgrade version and do a clean install: Clean Install with a Upgrade Windows 7 Version - Windows 7 Forums

Thank you everyone once again for your speedy help. I do intend on ordering an OEM from newegg next week, but for now I'll use Ubuntu to tie me over.

Just make sure you backup all your data to an external drive before you experiment - safest is "manually". I have seen many of those "tools" like Easy Transfer fail.

This thread is very old, and sorry for the necro, but thank you everyone for your help. I am now on 7 Ultimate and I still have everything from before!

So you didn't do a clean install?

No, I did. To save everything, I just backed up my profile folder to my secondary drive while in Linux, then I did a clean install. For the programs I used a batch script I had made a while back to create a list of all the programs had.