Question about Windows licenses

Main > Everything Else

(1/8) > >>

Howard_Casto:
I picked up a dual core duo 2.33 ghz for a project and it came with Vista (ugh) .... 32 bit Vista (double ugh).

It was my understanding that 64 and 32 bit licenses were interchangeable, is this still the case? It's an OEM license and I know things are kind of iffy with those. I'd really like to put a 64 bit OS on here but I don't want to have to re-install because the license won't work.

JDFan:
Yep -- 32 bit and 64 bit are interchangeable -- you just need the proper install disk or files - the license key will work with either version as long as it is the same OS (ie. business, home, pro)

That said you will have to reinstall from scratch as 64 bit and 32 bit can not be interchanged through upgrades you have to do a complete reinstall. (pretty sure you know that but wasn't sure what you meant by the "but I don't want to have to re-install because the license won't work."

IF you have a spare HDD sitting around you could remove the existing one and keep it and install the 64 bit on a different HDD just in case there is a problem with activating - that way you'd still have the old HDD to reswap in if you run into problems (shouldn't but you never know !!)

Howard_Casto:
Well it will be painfully tedious, but the plan is to first upgrade it to 64bit vista, then buy a cheap vista 2 win 7 upgrade key off the net.... THEN update to win 10 so it's current and that way I can stream from my xbox one.

Wired203:
Ok then why upgrade to 64 bit, you can have any windows 10 edition you want once you get win7 in place. Win7 keys are the same for 32 or 64 bit. Here's what I would do. Leave it be and get a Win7 upgrade license, upgrade to 7 then reserve your copy of 10. Do a in place upgrade to 10 which now makes your 7 key a proper 10 key. And since you did so many jacked upgrades, do a fresh clean install of Windows 10 with your 7 key that is now upgraded.

JDFan:

--- Quote from: Wired203 on September 25, 2015, 03:17:48 am ---Ok then why upgrade to 64 bit, you can have any windows 10 edition you want once you get win7 in place. Win7 keys are the same for 32 or 64 bit. Here's what I would do. Leave it be and get a Win7 upgrade license, upgrade to 7 then reserve your copy of 10. Do a in place upgrade to 10 which now makes your 7 key a proper 10 key. And since you did so many jacked upgrades, do a fresh clean install of Windows 10 with your 7 key that is now upgraded.

--- End quote ---

THat would also work but is going to be the same number of installs anyway !!

1- from win vista 32 bit to 64 bit (requires full system wipe to change from 32 to 64 bit)
2- from win vista 64 bit to win 7 64 bit
3 - upgrade to win 10 64 bit

or
1- from win vista 32 bit to win 7 32 bit
2- from win 7 32 bit to win 10 (will upgrade to 32 bit since it is currently 32 bit)
3- from win 10 32 bit to win 10 64 bit (requires full wipe to go from 32 bit to 64 bit)

So really doesn't matter which way he does it the result is 3 installs and the end result is having windows 10 64 bit. :cheers: (Only difference is the original method means your final build is an upgrade instead of a clean install but since it is being done off a fresh install of win 7 shouldn't create any problems with remnants from the upgrade process. )

Easier method would be to use an OEM windows 7 license rather than an upgrade from Vista to 7 (OEM 7 systems licenses can be found for about the same cost or cheaper than the Upgrade from Vista to 7 ;) ) - that would cut it to 2 installs

1- Fresh install win 7 64 bit
2- Upgrade to win 10 64 bit
:cheers:

Navigation

 Message Index

Go to full version