Want to upgrade to W7; getting circular messages

[hidesert47]

Greetings -

Running Vista Home Premium x64 SP2 on Dell Studio 540, and wanting to upgrade to Windows 7. Went to download Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor from Microsoft website to check system compatibility. Download stalls and I get a message that I need .NET Framework 2.0 installed to run the Upgrade Advisor. Asks if I want to download it, and I say yes. I am then told it is already installed on my system. Back to square one!

I went here How to determine which versions and service pack levels of the Microsoft .NET Framework are installed to see what I had installed, and it says to "check the value" of the reg entry but that gets past my skill level. Not that computer savvy. I can get as far as drilling down to "NET Framework Setup/NDP... and I see v2.0.50727 there. So I'm assuming it's installed but not "seen" by the system.

Goal: Get system to recognize .NET Framework 2.0 so I can download Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor.

Background: Three months ago I went to install Adobe Photoshop Elements 10 on my system, and that installation failed. Got online with Adobe Tech support, and he had me uninstalling some version of .NET Framework and doing a reg edit in order to run the Adobe software. I can't recall any more specifics than that. Is there a possibility that that issue created the current problem and, if so, how to fix it?

Goal 2: If I do change settings so system sees v2.0, and then upgrade to W7, I'm hoping not to encounter issues again running the Adobe Photoshop Elements program.

Thanks for any help, and please, if you go to techie on me, I'll be back with more questions.

Thanks!

 

[townsbg]

Oh if some adobe techie had you change the registry for a .net problem then I have almost no doubt that is the cause. Having been 3 months ago more than likely you don't have any restore points to recover the changes made. Your only hope would be if you happened to back up the registry before making those changes. As for a 7 upgrade advisory, we can help you with that without that program. First though we need the full model before we can tell you if there are drivers for 7.

 

[Allan D]

Hello Hidesert47,

In addition to what Townbg has said, you may also try installing the latest version. That is .Net Framework 4. Try installing it and check if the [FONT=Verdana, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif]Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor works. [/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif]I would also like to say that the Dell Studio 540 was introduced in 2 variants. [/FONT]Studio 540 (Regular Tower) also known as Studio Desktop[FONT=Verdana, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif] and [/FONT]Studio 540S (Slim Tower) also known as Studio Slim[FONT=Verdana, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif]. Both the systems are compatible with Windows 7 and the drivers are available on Dell Support Site. [/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif]Please write back for further queries. [/FONT]

 

[hidesert47]

Thanks for the replies!

No restore points back to Adobe issue, and no registry backup.

Allan D, yeah it's the Regular Tower type. Waiting for delivery of new backup HD and W7 upgrade software. I'm sure I'll be back after I get the full backup done and I'm ready for the upgrade. Will try .NET Framework 4 install today.

 

[hidesert47]

In addition to what Townbg has said, you may also try installing the latest version. That is .Net Framework 4.

Just attempted installation of .NET Framework 4.0, which was apparently already installed, since the install wizard only gave me options to repair or remove it. Here is the resulting log:


OS Version = 6.0.6002, Platform 2, Service Pack 2
OS Description = Vista - x64 Home Premium Edition Service Pack 2
CommandLine = C:\a53e7f0ca75aec6bf2ebe94dcf03\\Setup.exe /x86 /x64 /ia64 /web
TimeZone = Mountain Daylight Time
Initial LCID = 1033
Using Simultaneous Download and Install mechanism
Operation: Repairing
Package Name = Microsoft .NET Framework 4 Setup
Package Version = 4.0.30319
User Experience Data Collection Policy: Disabled
Number of applicable items: 5
Final Result: Installation failed with error code: (0x80070643), "Fatal error during installation. " (Elapsed time: 0 00:06:02).


Should I attempt to uninstall 4.0, as well as the installed 2.0, then re-install one or both? Or knowing already that my machine will upgrade to W7, should I just wait until I've done my full data backup, then reload/repair my original Vista HP software, then do the upgrade to W7, hoping that will fix the issue(s)?

 

[townsbg]

I wouldn't try to remove them. Because of your issues I suggest a clean install of 7 if that's the direction that you want to go. As for compatibility I have had Vista drivers work on 7 and IMO any computer powerful enough to handle Vista can handle 7. 2 gb of ram is pushing it with either system though and I wouldn't have any less. In my experience 7 uses slightly less ram which is quite possibly a first for m$.

If you are interested we have a sister forum specifically for Windows 7 run by the same guys with many of the same members. Windows 7 Help Forums

 

[Allan D]

Hello Hidesert47,

Along with Townsbg, I would also recommend a clean re-installation of Windows 7. However, you may refer to the Microsoft KB Article for the error code 0x80070643.

Hope this helps!

 

[hidesert47]

Thanks to both -

Allan D already went through the MS article re: 0x80070643 and arrived at the same conclusion both of you did ... clean install of W7.

Townsbg I'm at 6GB of ram, don't anticipate any problems there.

Since this is something I only do once every few years, can one of you point me to a good low tech walk-thru article on the install? Also, new 1TB backup HDD should appear on the doorstep today, so any hints regarding that process also helpful!

Thanks again!

 

[hidesert47]

One other question -

The W7 I have arriving is an upgrade package, not a full version. Do I need to do a low level reformat and re-install Vista HP from my original system disk so the W7 upgrade software sees the current Windows OS?

 

[SIW2]

Clean Install with an Upgrade Windows 7 Version

 

[hidesert47]

Clean Install with an Upgrade Windows 7 Version

Thanks for the great link ... question answered!

So I'm assuming that somewhere during this clean install my hard drive will be reformatted, and essentially wiped clean of any remaining cooties, correct? I feel like there's no end of corruption on this system, and I don't want any of it to carry over.

 

[SIW2]

You can do that.

The installation process is exactly the same as this :

Clean Install Windows 7 - Windows 7 Help Forums

At step 7

Click Drive options (advanced ) and partition as you wish.

 

[townsbg]

If you have 6 gb of ram install the 64-bit version or you won't be able to use it all.

 

[hidesert47]

If you have 6 gb of ram install the 64-bit version or you won't be able to use it all.

Wouldn't have it any other way.

Any recommendations on D: drive space? Current config has it at 16GB. Do I need more going to W7?

 

[townsbg]

These days that isn't very much. By the time you factor in windows and installed programs you could easily be at that. Factor in personal documents, pictures, and music or videos and you could be well over. I don't know what you have or what programs you install but I know that for me that wouldn't be enough.

 

[hidesert47]

These days that isn't very much. By the time you factor in windows and installed programs you could easily be at that. Factor in personal documents, pictures, and music or videos and you could be well over. I don't know what you have or what programs you install but I know that for me that wouldn't be enough.

I have a 600GB HDD, 580GB of which is C:, where all my data, applications, and programs are. That leaves 20GB for the D: drive. My question was, is there any reason, when I load W7, why the D: partition should be more than 20 GB?

 

[townsbg]

That depends on what it's being used for.