I'm getting everything ready to install Windows 7 on my step-daughters Dell e521 desktop. I've ordered the RAM upgrade(Crucial 2GB kit) but I have one question. How do I do a clean install using the upgrade version of Win 7 Home Premium? The reason for the clean install is because Vista is completely hosed. I'm able to boot into Vista, but with errors. (system registry file missing or corrupt) and because it's a Dell with the recovery partition there were no system disks supplied with this computer. It's also out of warranty, so no help from Dell. Thanks.

If you have the upgrade version of the software here is what I did to get it installed. There might be another way that is better but this is the only way that I was able to install doing a fresh install and still have it activated.

1. Boot to DVD and install from a custom installation.
2. At some point during the setup it asks for the product key just click next (it will warn you about it but just click next).
3. Next you want to format the disk that you have the vista on currently (I am assuming that you already backed up).
4. Once in windows 7 you are going to want to run the setup again from within your fresh installation of win7. (You have to upgrade from something in order for it to activate)
5. You will now go through the whole setup again and when they ask for your product key enter it this time.

Good Luck,

uByte

Thanks for the reply. I told her when she went to buy it to get the full version and not the upgrade. She came back with the upgrade telling me the man at Walmart said it would work OK. I ask if she can take it back. She says no, beside, it was the only one in the store. Oh well, I'll give it a shot. It'll be a day or two before I install it. Waiting for the memory from Crucial.

You should be Ok. I installed the upgrade on 3 different computers and they all work fine.

uByte

Are you saying a "clean" install meaning a brand new hard drive. I am doing a new build and would love to be able to use just the upgrade for a complete new clean install. My old computer is on its last leg so I could use my XP OEM that came with the computer to "activate" the upgrade but I really don't want to install it and go through all the updates so that I can install 7 and leave all kinds of garbage behind. So if the upgrade install with no key and then upgrade install works that is huge.

bilkyb, in my case the computer has Vista Home installed but not working very well. I can boot to the desktop, but it takes a while to over come the errors. What I want to do is start the install, then format the hard drive to get rid of all traces of Vista.

You can install it on a brand new hard drive or the existing one (if you format it). The only thing that you would have to do in order to activate the upgrade license is to install a clean copy and then upgrade that clean install from within the newly created win7 install. This the only work around that I have found to do a clean install with an upgrade DVD. So essentially you are upgrading a clean windows 7 install.

Another thing that I recommend when upgrading from one version to the other is to buy another hard drive. Then put your copy of windows 7 on that. The cost of a new hard drive is less than 100 bucks for at least 1TB. Then you have 2 drives one with xp/vista and one with windows 7. I would unplug the other drive while you do the install though just to make sure that you don't hose your xp/vista install.

uByte

I,ve Googled this, but am unable to find out how to start the reinstall from within Windows. Can someone tell me how or provide a link to a tutorial or something. Thanks for all the help.

PS: received the memory today so I'll start with that first then proceed to installing Windows 7.

This will clarify it for you. Pay particular attention to doing your format. You must do it within the setup program, not from a 3rd party application.

Happy installing!

OK after the first install I'm still getting the same boot error: "Diskette drive 0 seek failure" The options are to hit F1 to continue or F2 to enter set up. I hit F1 and the reboot continues and all is OK. I thought the install of Windows 7 would solve this errorbut apparently not. Anyone no what this error pertains to? Thanks again for your help.

Update. I solved the above problem myself.(I think ) I had to make some changes in the BIOS. I'm just about done with the install. Thanks to all for your assistance.

do you have a floppy installed if you dont go into your bios and disable it i cant remember exactly where its at but its in there if you do have a floppy installed just go into the bios and set it as 3rd boot device,your harddrive as 2nd and your cd/dvd as your 1st boot device that should take care of your problem if not got the website of the manufacturer of you motherboard and see if there are any bios update and if there are follow the direction to the letter if you dont you will totally screw up your computer

I got rid of the floppy seek error by disabling the floppy via the BIOS-there is no floppy drive on her machine. That solved the problem. Everything else went smoothly and she is now a happy camper. Thanks again to all.