No way to install 7 RC over 7 beta w/o a complete new install?

[flexy]

I dont get it.

I can upgrade from Vista, but i cant from W7 beta.

 

[ironxman99]

I'd like to know how to do the same. Vista is my main OS, w/ W7 beta on a small partition.

 

[flexy]

i actually use(d) W7 beta as my MAIN OS for some while...and now this complete re-install would be a major hassle.

 

[PepePeru]

Originally posted by: flexy
i actually use(d) W7 beta as my MAIN OS for some while...and now this complete re-install would be a major hassle.

...

don't test beta software, then?

 

[Modelworks]

There is a way but it is not supported so if the OS breaks you are on your own.

These instructions will be brief. Since everyone reading is a well-versed and experienced beta tester you know ALWAYS BACK UP YOUR MACHINE before running any OS installation and NEVER TEST AN OS ON YOUR ONLY COPY OF ANY DATA. Testing a pre-release product means just that?it is testing and it is pre-release. Even though this is a Release Candidate, we are still testing the product. We have very high confidence but even if an error happens once in 1,000,000 we want to make sure everyone is taking the precautions normal for a pre-release product.

One other related caution is INSTALL ONLY OFFICIALLY RELEASED BUILDS FROM MICROSOFT. It will always be tempting to get the build with the ?mod? already done but you really never know what else has been done to the build. There?s a thrill in getting the latest, we know, but that also comes with risks that can?t even be quantified. For the RC we will work to release a hash or some other way to validate the build, but the best way is to always download directly from Microsoft.

Here?s what you can do to bypass the check for pre-release upgrade IF YOU REALLY REALLY NEED TO:

1. Download the ISO as you did previously and burn the ISO to a DVD.
2. Copy the whole image to a storage location you wish to run the upgrade from (a bootable flash drive or a directory on any partition on the machine running the pre-release build).
3. Browse to the sources directory.
4. Open the file cversion.ini in a text editor like Notepad.
5. Modify the MinClient build number to a value lower than the down-level build. For example, change 7100 to 7000 (pictured below).
6. Save the file in place with the same name.
7. Run setup like you would normally from this modified copy of the image and the version check will be bypassed.

 

[Deadtrees]

I installed Windows Beta 706x thinking it was RC(7100). When I realized it wasn't 7100, I thought about doing a fresh install. However, as I've installed and tuned most of softwares that I use, the idea of doing it all over again sounded stupid.
Though I'm a fresh-install-always type of a person, I went ahead and upgraded 7060 to 7100 following the above mentioned procedure. Upgrading took quite a time, maybe even longer than the fresh install but the pain of installing and tuning all the programs weren't there so it was good. I know some people experience problems doing upgrades but in my case, everything works perfect.

 

[ahenkel]

I followed the upgrade trick to get my desktop to 7100 as well. I believe MS has improved the process for upgrades, It went stupid smooth for me.

 

[soonerproud]

Originally posted by: flexy
I dont get it.

I can upgrade from Vista, but i cant from W7 beta.

You can upgrade if you are willing to do a little hacking first. You should really just clean install, since you are not supposed to making the beta your main OS and it will help prevent unnecessary issues.

 

[flexy]

i understand why MS wants the clean install, and i understand that we're supposed to evaluate close to "real life" scenarios.

(I found the original MSDN article by the way.)

Anyway you saved me A LOT of trouble.
I actually updated it this way now - AWARE that its not a 100% sure thing. But then we're beta-testing anyway. I also read that it wont be possible to update from RC to "Final".

It would've been major, major to make a clean install and re-install everything..and so far everything looks allright. (Minus startmenu, entries are gone).
But in this case i can live with minor "inconsistencies"..i am just glad i didnt have to reinstall all my programs.
Who knows, if i am up to it i might do a 100% "new install" in the future.

Thanks!!!

Edit: The transfer of the old settings/data with the upgrade procedure takes VERY long, i think the whole procedure took me about 2hrs. From that point of view - you could probably use the same time doing a QUICKER clean install..and then spend 90mins reinstalling programs. Time-wise it would probably be the same

 

[flexy]

add: The startmenu items NOT showing is a W7 bug which also appears on a fresh install. The bug is in the fact that once the nr. of start menu entries reaches a high number the start-menu "all programs" just gets blank.

So..this issue was NOT related to the "inofficial" upgrade procedure, its a general W7 bug.

 

[soonerproud]

Originally posted by: flexy
i understand why MS wants the clean install, and i understand that we're supposed to evaluate close to "real life" scenarios.

(I found the original MSDN article by the way.)

Anyway you saved me A LOT of trouble.
I actually updated it this way now - AWARE that its not a 100% sure thing. But then we're beta-testing anyway. I also read that it wont be possible to update from RC to "Final".

It would've been major, major to make a clean install and re-install everything..and so far everything looks allright. (Minus startmenu, entries are gone).
But in this case i can live with minor "inconsistencies"..i am just glad i didnt have to reinstall all my programs.
Who knows, if i am up to it i might do a 100% "new install" in the future.

Thanks!!!

Edit: The transfer of the old settings/data with the upgrade procedure takes VERY long, i think the whole procedure took me about 2hrs. From that point of view - you could probably use the same time doing a QUICKER clean install..and then spend 90mins reinstalling programs. Time-wise it would probably be the same

You make a great guinea pig, Flexy!!!

Cheers! :beer:

 

[flexy]

MS in the original post did indeed say that *some* users experienced minor odd things after updating eg betas to RC...but then they also said that all those oddities could be solved:

>>
"From time to time we've noticed on a few blogs that people are using builds that we have not officially released and complained of "instabilities" after upgrade. Nearly all of these have been these build-to-build issues. We've seen people talk about how a messenger client stopped working, a printer or device "disappears", or start menu shortcuts are duplicated. These are often harmless and worst case often involves reinstalling the software or device."
>>

And as long as "worst case" means having to reinstall a particular driver or something i can actually live with that - i don't think the OS will explode any time soon, looks fine to me. "These are often harmless and worst case often involves reinstalling the software or device." <--- doesn't sound like "don't do it, everything will break!!"

 

[ahenkel]

I tend to think a lot of people get format happy If you're already running the beta of 7 and not up for reconfiguring reinstalling everything I have to unequivocally recommend the upgrade trick. Sure its slower to upgrade but I haven't seen any single problem with it and i've done it on 3 desktops and 2 laptops. Plus its just nice to no be futzing with getting this back to 100% productivity