Upgrade the Windows 7 RC to retail

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  • edited October 2009
    Confirming this works.

    Purchased Win7 Ultimate Upgrade and was surprised it did not upgrade on its own. Google found these directions, instant fix. Did not have a box and did not want to wait for mail so used the download option which puts a Win7-U-Retail-en-us-x86 file and two .box files on your computer. When running the Win7-U-Retail-en-us-x86 file it extracts the .boxes to a directory called 'expandedSetup' then runs the Setup file inside that directory to perform the install. Same idea as the directions here, simply open that folder and its sources/cversion.ini file to make the change, using Run As Administrator helps.

    Thanks so much for this simple fix!
  • edited October 2009
    I think this has been answered, but not sure. Can step 3 only be used to upgrade Vista Ultimate to Home Premium? I don't want to pay for the extra features in Ultimate again - plus have 3 Vista computers to upgrade and I like the pricing of the 3 user Home Premium package.

    If not, will use upgraded Vista to RC (which all went very smoothly after first uninstalling antivirus first) application on the one that had ultimate on it.

    PS - 64 bit Vista upgrade to RC also worked pretty good. One applkication would not work on clean 64 bit RC install, but strangely worked on 64 bit upgrade.
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited October 2009
    You can try using step 3 for Vista Ultimate to Home Premium, but we cannot guarantee that it will work, and we take no responsibility for the consequences. :P
  • edited October 2009
    Thrax wrote:
    You can try using step 3 for Vista Ultimate to Home Premium, but we cannot guarantee that it will work, and we take no responsibility for the consequences. :P

    Thanks - will do and post results (will not be able to get to it for 2 weeks though).

    I always work from backup image, so I only risk wasting some time. Already have an RC upgrade to use with the whole process if it fails.
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited October 2009
    Sounds like you're the perfect candidate to give it a try! :D
  • edited October 2009
    Microsoft just came out with comments that using the Upgrade disk to perform this 'hack' is illegal and constitutes stealing. It's cool if you purchased a Full Version, but, NOT with Upgrade versions.. FYI..
  • edited November 2009
    Thrax wrote:
    It might be usable, but I can't guarantee you anything. I'd back up your important data before you try. Though it's best just to do a clean install, as upgrades from one OS to another are never all that great.



    1. Yes, it will work.

    2. You can do a clean install on your XP partition, but it's advisable to format the RC partition if it's being problematic. You'll get two Windows 7 entries at boot if you don't.

    3. You won't have any activation problems.


    Update: Guys it worked well, aside from the fact I had to do the hack to turn the RC ultimate into Professional so that the retail installer would upgrade it.

    I have two other problems that I'll have to start in another thread.

    Thanks,

    Randall
  • edited November 2009
    Update: Guys it worked well, aside from the fact I had to do the hack to turn the RC ultimate into Professional so that the retail installer would upgrade it.

    I have two other problems that I'll have to start in another thread.

    Thanks,

    Randall

    On second thought maybe they are relevant to the installation:

    1. Getting rid of a roaming profile that I found trying to clean up the drive for the install, when I started to delete it seems to have been the active profile.
    2. What is the "$WINDOWS" and the "$INPLACE folders in the C: drive and can I safely delete them?

    Randall
  • edited November 2009
    I loaded WINDOWS RC 7100 on a blank drive and been using for months I just got the WIN7 Upgrade do I have to use the hack or just upgrade from the dvd without the hack?
  • THETIMETUNNELTHETIMETUNNEL BuffaloN.Y.
    edited November 2009
    So if I use the hack to WIN 7 Upgrade install on my RC 7100 that I installed on a formatted drive will it wipe out all my setting and programs or will they all be intact after the install?
  • SnarkasmSnarkasm Madison, WI Icrontian
    edited November 2009
    By definition, an upgrade install does not wipe out any settings or files.

    And yes, since the RC is an Ultimate version of Win 7, you'll need to modify the registry keys before downgrading it to whatever version you purchased.
  • Jan
    edited November 2009
    Dear Robert,
    Followed the procedure, but the screen still reads Evaluation Copy, build 7100. Did I do something wrong? Client was 7077, changed to 7000.
    JK
  • Jan
    edited November 2009
    Dear Robert,

    Client was 7077, changed it into 7000. WIN 7 Homepage still reads Evaluation Copy, build 7100.
    Have I missed something?
  • edited November 2009
    I like both Windows XP Pro and Windows 7. I dont intend to spend hundreds of $$$$ for new programs to replace pinnacle Studio 12 and Liquid and Cakewalk. I hope to dump W7 RC on an external HD, format the internal HD (500Gb) and clean install Windows 7 Ultimate.I am not going to haggle over a few $ having the use of W7 RC for 7 months. Thank you Mr.Microsoft. Anyone any better ideas?
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited November 2009
    I loaded WINDOWS RC 7100 on a blank drive and been using for months I just got the WIN7 Upgrade do I have to use the hack or just upgrade from the dvd without the hack?

    You will have to use this hack if the retail version you bought is not Windows 7 Ultimate.
    So if I use the hack to WIN 7 Upgrade install on my RC 7100 that I installed on a formatted drive will it wipe out all my setting and programs or will they all be intact after the install?

    The upgrade will preserve all your programs and data.
    Dear Robert,
    Followed the procedure, but the screen still reads Evaluation Copy, build 7100. Did I do something wrong? Client was 7077, changed to 7000.
    JK

    I cannot definitively say what step of the procedure was done incorrectly, but yes, something was not done right. Make sure you have changed the correct registry entries, because the names of the keys you're supposed to change appear several times throughout the registry, but only one set of them works for this hack.
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited November 2009
    I loaded WINDOWS RC 7100 on a blank drive and been using for months I just got the WIN7 Upgrade do I have to use the hack or just upgrade from the dvd without the hack?

    You will have to use this hack if the retail version you bought is not Windows 7 Ultimate.
    So if I use the hack to WIN 7 Upgrade install on my RC 7100 that I installed on a formatted drive will it wipe out all my setting and programs or will they all be intact after the install?

    The upgrade will preserve all your programs and data.
    Dear Robert,
    Followed the procedure, but the screen still reads Evaluation Copy, build 7100. Did I do something wrong? Client was 7077, changed to 7000.
    JK

    I cannot definitively say what step of the procedure was done incorrectly, but yes, something was not done right. Make sure you have changed the correct registry entries, because the names of the keys you're supposed to change appear several times throughout the registry, but only one set of them works for this hack.
  • edited November 2009
    This is great, got plans on doing this to 3 computers later. Great write-up!!
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited November 2009
    I have no information on what will happen with an anytime upgrade disc, but it is theoretically possible.
  • edited November 2009
    Will this process work if you are trying to upgrade the WIN7 Release Candidate using a legitimately acquired "Anytime Upgrade" disc?
  • THETIMETUNNELTHETIMETUNNEL BuffaloN.Y.
    edited November 2009
    Thanks
  • edited November 2009
    Hi, I just bought Win7 Professional Online on Microsoft's student deal site (only $39 :) and so I was wondering if I had to burn a dvd or mount the image before making the changes or if i can do it once the Professional files are downloaded. I'm sure I'll figure it out but its gonna take a long time to dl so if anyone has come across this already let me know. It's really awful that we can't just change the product key and thats it...
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited November 2009
    As far as I can tell, you can edit the necessary files in the package you're downloading right now. :) No need to mount or burn anything.
  • edited November 2009
    Thanks Thrax :) 85% onyl another half hour to go... lol
  • edited November 2009
    Great workaround!

    Just to be absolutely clear about an in place RC to RTM "upgrade" using the retail version.... the process will keep all my installed programs and settings?

    Secondly, my current install of RC has the Docs and Settings folder moved to another drive (not system); will the upgrade keep my user profile details on that other partition?
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited November 2009
    The answer is definitely yes to your first question, and <i>almost certainly</i> to your second.
  • edited November 2009
    I followed all of the directions you listed for an upgrade. I get about 90% completed then on the last step 62% copying files, at file 285,638 it goes into an endless loop. Should I give up?
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited November 2009
    Do you have enough free space on the drive/partition to perform the process?
  • edited November 2009
    This worked like a charm when I converted from RC Ultimate Version to Final Home Premium version.

    Great job!
  • edited November 2009
    I just purchased Win7 with the student discount and it downloaded to my desktop in 3 files setup1.box, setup2.box and an installer. I cannot change to minimum requirements because of this. Can I just change the CurrentBuild and CurrentBuildNumber in the RC Registry to lets say 7300 then install Win7 or is this a bad idea.
  • edited November 2009
    Many thanks- followed your instructions and upgraded no problems- just had to uninstall Nero first- took about 1 hour all told and saved me hours of reinstalling programs
This discussion has been closed.