Can't upgrade from 32 bit to 64 bit...

[Dogsbody]

I thought I could do this (upgrading from 32 bit vista or xp to Windows 7 64 bit) by doing a custom install, but when I try the software won't accept the product key - it keeps saying that the key is wrong when I'm sure it's right (tried three times). I looked this up on the Microsoft site, and it says that this is because I'm trying to upgrade from a 32 bit system to 64 bit. Has anyone tried this, or come up with a workaround??

Thanks!

 

[MStele]

are you using an OEM disc with a retail key or vice versus? They are not compatible like they were with vista. Assuming your key is correct, make sure you have a disc that actually contains the 64-bit version( you'll can't start the 64-bit installer from 32-bit windows), boot from it, then choose custom install. See if that helps. Good luck

 

[cbliss100]

I recommend this:

http://www.winsupersite.com/win7/clean_install_upgrade_media.asp

I created a .iso from the student dl and am now dual booting xp32 and win 7 64, more or less problem free.

 

[I Saw OJ]

Are you upgrading or doing a fresh install on a clean partition? If you're going from 32 to 64 bit I believe you need to do a fresh install as an upgrade wont work.

 

[Dogsbody]

It's an OEM disk and an OEM license - the license came with the disk. Evething seems to work fine, except it won't accept the license.

I did not format the disk - it has a copy of XP on it right now. I thought that since this was an "upgrdade" copy of Windows 7 I had to have an operating sytem on it. I didn't want to try this on my current Vista system as I didn't want to mess that up if I can't get this to work!

Still trying - any help appreciated!

 

[cbliss100]

try the registry fix in the link i posted

 

[Griswold]

Its a double no-go. First of all, you cant upgrade from XP and secondly, you cant upgrade from a 32bit to a 64bit OS - theres no workaround for that. You will have to perform a clean install, which would be offered even by an upgrade edition if you were trying to upgrade from XP 32bit to 7 32bit.

However, what you can do is use the link cbliss100 posted. It will allow you to do a clean install with the upgrade disk you got. Its the best you can do without upgrading from your vista (but only if that vista is also 64bit...).

 

[Dogsbody]

Still can't get far enough to try any of the other fixes - If I try to do clean install, it still says that the program key is not correct. If I try to do the upgrade with the 64 bit disk, it says that I can't use the 64 bit upgrade on a 32 bit system.

I understand about not being able to upgrade to 64 bit on a system with 32 bit Vista, but not why Windows 7 is telling me the license key is no good, even on a clean system (I'm trying it on two different hard drives)

Thanks.