First up, let's define what it is I'm describing.

For purposes of this discussion, a clean install--or

what Microsoft calls a custom install--is when you boot your PC with Windows 7 Setup media
(typically a Setup DVD, but with this version it could also be a specially created, bootable USB
memory device containing the Setup bits) with the intention of installing just Windows 7 on the
PC. There could be a previous version of Windows (XP or Vista) installed on the PC already. You
will either install Windows 7 to a separate partition or will wipe out the previous Windows version
during Setup. If it's the latter, please--please--be sure to backup all your data first. Please.
A clean install with Upgrade media is just what it sounds like: You will perform a clean install of
Windows 7 using an Upgrade version of Windows 7, instead of the so-called (and more
expensive) "Full" version. Upgrade versions of Windows 7 are far more common than Full
versions, both because they are less expensive and because Microsoft offered (and in some
cases is still offering) exceptionally cheap pricing on Upgrade media.
Note:One such special offer, the Windows 7 Family Pack, consists of 32-bit and 64-bit Windows 7
Home Premium Upgrade media Setup discs and a single product key which can be used to
activate three copies of the OS on three different PCs. The Family Pack costs $150, or just $30
more than a single copy of Windows 7 Home Premium Upgrade. It's kind of a no-brainer. But
rememeber what you're getting there: The Family Pack comes with Upgrade, not Full, product
keys.
But here's the paradox. While anyone with a valid, licensed copy of Windows XP or Vista qualifies
for any Upgrade version of Windows 7--and by the way, that's pretty much every single PC user
on earth--only Vista users can do an in-place upgrade, which is the install type for which
Upgrade media is optimized. If you're an XP user, there's no way to do an in-place upgrade. So
you have to perform a migration, which consists of three steps:
1. Backup your crucial data and settings using Windows Easy Transfer (it's on the Windows 7
Setup DVD) and make note of the applications that are installed, because you'll have to manually
reinstall them again after the fact.
2. Perform a clean install of Windows 7 using the Upgrade media. I describe this process in this
article.
3. Restore your crucial data and settings using Windows Easy Transfer (part of Windows 7) and
then reinstall your applications.
Put simply, there are millions of people out there who will be performing clean installs with
Upgrade media. Many people have experienced issues with Windows 7 upgrades, especially
those trying to do clean installs with Upgrade media, but if you follow the advice in this article,
you will get up and running. You will get a legally activated, legitimate version of Windows 7
installed on your PC.
Is this process bulletproof? I'm not sure yet, but I think so. In any event, here's a checklist of
things to try, in order from least painful to most painful. One of these methods will work for you.
Note:In all of these methods, you should observe one simple rule. Do not enter your product key
during Setup. Instead, you will attempt to activate Windows 7 manually after it is installed. So
you can just enter your product key later.
Understanding the secrets of clean-installing with Upgrade media
Before we get started, here are some general guidelines to help you understand what will and
won't work during Setup with Upgrade media. These tips and tricks represent the bulk of the
information we didn't have before Microsoft shipped Windows 7 to millions of people in October
2009. Each of these was confirmed by the team at Microsoft that created the Windows 7 Setup
technology.
• If you have a previous version of Windows (XP or Vista), try launching Windows 7 Setup
from that OS first, even if you want to wipe out the previous Windows verison. If you run
Windows 7 Setup from your previous OS, Windows 7 will always activate.
• If you boot your PC with the Windows 7 Setup DVD, as described below, and there is an
existing install of Windows on the first partition, Windows 7 will always activate. If the existing
install of Windows is on some other partition, Windows 7 should still activate. There are
instances in which this won't work--especially when people really muck around with directory
structures and so on, but it should activate.
 • Windows 7 Setup does its compliance checking before the phase of Setup where you
format the disc. (Unlike with Windows Vista.) This means that you can format your existing
hard drive, and blow away a previous Windows version, and not worry about activation. If it
was there, Windows 7 will still activate.
• Recovery partitions don't count. While Windows 7 Setup will look for previous installations
of Windows, it will not look for recovery partitions or use them for compliance checking.
• While I provide two workarounds for Windows 7 installs that will not activate, Microsoft's
preference is that you simply call Microsoft Support instead. The call is free, and they will get
you up and running (i.e. activated) very quickly.
Method #1: Boot with the Upgrade Setup media
Many, many readers report that they have been able to simply treat the Windows 7 Upgrade
media as if it were Full media, and that it just works. And you know what? It doesn't hurt to
simply try this method, because if it doesn't work, you can then try methods 2 and then 3, in
order, afterwards. There is no downside to trying this.
Here's what you do. Insert the Windows 7 Upgrade DVD in your PC's optical disc, reboot the
computer, boot off the DVD, and then follow the steps to install Windows 7. If you are installing
onto a computer that already has another version of Windows, be sure to back everything up
first.
After Windows 7 is set up, and you've booted into the desktop, run Windows Update, download
any pending updates, reboot as needed, and repeat until there are no more updates. Then, type
activate in Start Menu Search to bring up the Activate Windows utility. Type in your product key
and attempt to activate Windows.
If it works, you're all set. You're done. Congratulations.

Here's what
you do want
to see.
If this does
not work,
either call
Microsoft
Support and
have them
provide you
with an
activation
code, or
move on to
method 2.
 Here's what
you don't
want to see.
But don't
worry, we
can
overcome
this.
Method
#2:
Registry
hack
Note: This
workaround
is not
supported
by Microsoft
but my

understanding is that it has a 100 percent success rate. If you are nervous that performing this
workaround will lead to later complications--unlikely, but not impossible--please use Method #3,
below, instead. Method #3 is supported by Microsoft.
Open regedit.exe with Start Menu Search and navigate to:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/Software/Microsoft/Windows/CurrentVersion/Setup/OOBE/

Change

MediaBootInstall from "1" to "0". (Double-click it and then enter 0 in the dialog that appears.)
 Close
Regedit.
Open the
Start Menu
again and
type cmd in
Start Menu
search to
display a
shortcut to
the
Command
Line utility.
Right-click
this
shortcut
and choose
"Run as

administrator." Handle the UAC prompt.

In the command line window, type: slmgr /rearm
Then tap ENTER and wait for the "Command completed successfully" dialog.

Then, close
the
command
line window
and reboot.
When
Windows 7
reboots, run
the Activate
Windows
utility, type
in your
product key
and
activate
windows.
If it works, you're all set. You're done. Congratulations.
If this does not work, you can try two different things:
First, ensure there are no pending Windows Updates to install. In my experience, some of these
can cause this method to fail. Install them and reboot PC. Re-run the command line (with
administrative privileges) noted above, reboot again, and re-attempt the activation.
If that does not work, try Method #3.
Method #3: The good old "double install" method
If the above two methods fail, you can always fall back on the old "double install" method that I
previously documented for Windows Vista§. This workaround is fully supported by Microsoft. There's
already a whole article dedicated to this topic, but here's the short version since you've already
done the initial install:
1. Insert the Windows 7 Setup DVD in the optical drive if it isn't already there and choose Run
Setup from the auto-run dialog that appears. Or, if it is already inserted, navigate to the optical
drive in Computer and double-click is icon to trigger Setup.
2. At the appropriate stage of Setup, choose Upgrade (and not Custom). Windows 7 will install
as before, though you might notice that it takes quite a bit longer this time. Because you're
upgrading this time, you won't be prompted to enter your user name or most of the other
information that you need to provide during a clean install. Using the user name (and password)
you created during the first install, logon to Windows 7.
Now, activation will work. To activate Windows 7 immediately, type activate in Start Menu
Search. This brings up the Activate Windows utility. Type in your product key and attempt to
activate Windows.
Final thoughts
The methods described above will work for just about anyone and at least two of these methods
are supported by Microsoft, if you're a valid, licensed owner of a previous Windows version.
(Which is, of course, the assumption.) And remember that you can also take advantage of
Microsoft's free support line if you need or want to activate otherwise. However you do it, these
tips, tricks, and workarounds should get you up and running in Windows 7 legally, safely, and
easily. My only regret is that it took so long to get this information out to you. Hopefully, with the
next Windows version, the Upgrade process will be more well known before the product
launches.