Installing 7 on a machine running XP

[deustroop]

Sorry if this is old hat-looked at the MS help pages but they not clear. Is it the case that 7 can be fresh installed on an XP machine using the Upgrade Disc and the custom installation ?

I can live with a fresh 7 install because the install is only for running DX 10/11 games on a spare system disk but also for that simple use I also want the least expensive route.

So I been looking at "upgrade" info since the Full Install is away too expensive.

 

[Steltek]

Yes - you can do a fresh install from a upgrade CD.

In fact, any attempt to upgrade an XP machine to Win7 (without upgrading XP to Vista first or which doesn't use 3rd party software, anyway) will result in a clean Win7 installation. The installation process will offer to copy your existing XP installation to a folder called Windows.old so that you can extract files from the old folder structure before deleting it.

 

[deustroop]

Thx-found oem vender and paid $ CAN 130.Used the custom option, "format" , and then the full install.

Not a build of windows that is worth having IMHO if one has either of the last 2 retail versions except for XP users who need updated DX files .

Now ready for SS, Rage, COD, etc.on a dual boot machine.

 

[SimMike2]

If you want to keep your XP copy fully functional, I recommend disconnecting the drive it is on and installing Windows 7 to another drive, using the double install trick. When it is done, you can connect up your XP drive and choose to boot to either drive with your computer BIOS, or an F key during the boot process that allows you to switch drives. Technically, while "upgrading" your XP install results in a clean install of Windows 7, it can also wipe out your XP license.

 

[deustroop]

Exactly what I did : 2 discs, 2 OS.
Had XP on both to begin with--my backup system- but needed DX upgrade.