Upgrading to Windows 7: frequently asked questions

You can purchase Windows 7 at retail locations, or online in some countries or regions. If you have a netbook or other PC that doesn't have a DVD drive, purchasing and downloading Windows 7 online is an easy way to get it on your PC. For more information about how to get Windows 7 in your country or region, go to the Shop webpage.

Almost all programs compatible with Windows Vista, and the majority of Windows XP programs, run well in Windows 7. If a program written for an earlier version of Windows doesn't run correctly, you can try changing the compatibility settings for the program. For more information, see Make older programs run in this version of Windows.

Many devices that work with Windows XP or Windows Vista will also work with Windows 7. To find out if a program or device will work with Windows 7, visit the Windows Compatibility Center.

For more information on Windows 7 features, visit the Windows 7 home page.

When purchasing Windows 7, you can choose either an upgrade version or full version. Both upgrade and full versions include the same features. Upgrade versions require that Windows XP or Windows Vista are installed on your computer before installing Windows 7. Full versions don't require a previous version of Windows to be installed on your computer.

Note

To upgrade an earlier operating system than Windows XP (for example, Windows 95 or Windows 2000), you'll need to purchase a full version of Windows 7 and perform a custom installation.

An upgrade installation replaces your current version of Windows with Windows 7 and your files, settings, and programs are kept in place on your PC. You can perform an upgrade installation using either the upgrade or full version of Windows 7.

A custom installation replaces your current version of Windows with Windows 7 but doesn't preserve your files, settings, and programs (it's often referred to as a clean installation for this reason). For installation instructions, see Upgrading from Windows Vista to Windows 7 (custom installation). You can perform a custom installation using either the upgrade or full version of Windows 7.

An upgrade installation of Windows 7 will keep your files, programs, and settings in place. A custom (clean) installation doesn't preserve your files, programs, or settings. If you plan to do a custom installation of Windows 7, be sure to back up your files and other information first. You'll also need to manually reinstall your programs. For more information, see Installing and reinstalling Windows 7.

Yes, you can buy the upgrade version of Windows 7, but you'll need to perform a custom installation. This means that you should back up all of your files to an external location and gather the installation discs or setup files for programs that you want to use with Windows 7. For detailed instructions, see Upgrading from Windows XP to Windows 7.

Yes, you can buy the upgrade version of Windows 7. In some cases you can upgrade directly to Windows 7, but in other cases you'll need to perform a custom installation.

If you're running Windows Vista, you can choose the Upgrade option if you're installing a corresponding or higher edition of Windows 7. The following table shows which editions of Windows Vista can be directly upgraded to Windows 7:

Notes

• If you're currently running a 32-bit version of Windows Vista and want to install a 64-bit version of Windows 7, you'll need to perform a custom installation. Also, if you're currently running a 64-bit version of Windows Vista and want to install a 32-bit version of Windows 7 (less common), you'll need to perform a custom installation. For detailed instructions on performing a custom installation, see Upgrading from Windows Vista to Windows 7 (custom installation).

• To upgrade an earlier operating system than Windows XP (for example, Windows 95 or Windows 2000), you'll need to purchase a full version of Windows 7 and perform a custom installation.

• In the European Union (including Croatia and Switzerland) and Korea, Microsoft will release Windows 7 editions that don't include certain features such as Windows Media Player and Windows Media Center. Upgrading to these editions requires a custom installation.

• Upgrading Windows Vista in one language to Windows 7 in a different language requires a custom installation.

You can add more features to Windows 7 by upgrading to another edition (for example, upgrading from Windows 7 Starter to Windows 7 Home Premium). You can buy an upgrade key either in a retail store or online (where available), then use Windows Anytime Upgrade to perform the upgrade. For more information, see Upgrade to another edition of Windows 7 by using Windows Anytime Upgrade.

Windows 7 upgrade media was designed to be used on a computer that has Windows XP or Windows Vista installed on it. You can use upgrade media to install Windows 7 on a computer that doesn't have Windows XP, Windows Vista, or any version of Windows installed on it by starting (or booting) your computer from the Windows 7 upgrade installation disc or a USB flash drive and performing a custom installation. However, you won't be able to activate Windows 7, which validates that you have a genuine copy of Windows and allows you access to all the features. For more information, see What is genuine Windows 7?

For more information about activation errors, see Windows 7 activation error: invalid product key and Windows 7 activation error: 0xC004F061. You can also find general information about how to activate Windows 7 at the Windows website.

We recommend that you install Windows XP or Windows Vista before installing Windows 7 using upgrade media. Before you attempt to install Windows 7 using upgrade media on a computer that doesn't have Windows on it, see Installing and reinstalling Windows 7.

If you purchase the full version of Windows 7, you can format your hard drive, and then install Windows 7. If you purchase the upgrade version of Windows 7 and want to format your hard drive, you'll need to start (or boot) your computer from the Windows 7 installation disc or a USB flash drive, and then perform a custom installation. You can click Drive options (advanced), and then format your hard drive. Don't use a program from another software manufacturer to format your hard drive before installing Windows 7. If you are using upgrade media and format the drive before starting the installation process, you won't be able to use the upgrade product key to activate Windows 7. For more information, see Installing and reinstalling Windows 7.

Article ID: MSW700064

64-bit operating systems can use more RAM—4 GB and up—than 32-bit operating systems. That can make them more responsive when you're running lots of programs at once. All packaged retail editions of Windows 7 (except for Home Basic) include both 32-bit and 64-bit installation discs. To find out if your PC is capable of running a 64-bit version of Windows, download and install the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor. To read more about 64-bit Windows, see Taking the mystery out of 64-bit Windows.

If your PC has a 64 bit-capable processor (CPU), you can install a 64-bit version of Windows 7, even if you are currently running a 32-bit version. However, to install a 64-bit version of Windows 7 on a computer already running a 32-bit version, you'll need to back up your files and choose the Custom option during installation. Then, you'll need to restore your files and reinstall your programs. For more information see 32-bit and 64-bit Windows: frequently asked questions.