Simple question on Windows 7 Upgrade

[SamLee0519]

So I'm running Vista 64 Home Premium on my laptop. If I reformat my laptop (with Vista 64 still) and then upgrade to Windows 7 Home Premium 64 (with the Vista untouched), will that be the same thing as doing a completely clean install of Windows 7, retail version?

The reason I'm asking this is because I can get Windows 7 upgrade for $30 due to student discount, and I would prefer to make a complete change to Windows 7 rather than keeping my files and simply updating the operating system.

 

[KSoD]

It will not be like doing a full clean install of Windows 7 if you are doing the upgrade no matter if you have a clean install of Vista or not. Simply put, it is a upgrade. While your chances are better for nothing going wrong and things being in perfect working condition after the upgrade, it wont be the exact same thing as installing win7 itself.

 

[masteroc]

I thought that I heard of a way to use the Windows 7 upgrade as a clean install. Google around for it but im almost positive that there is a way. I heard MS frowns upon this as "illegal" (I think this is only if you don't have a legit version of vista in the first place) but since you have vista and are eligible it shouldn't be a problem...imo

 

[SamLee0519]

It will not be like doing a full clean install of Windows 7 if you are doing the upgrade no matter if you have a clean install of Vista or not. Simply put, it is a upgrade. While your chances are better for nothing going wrong and things being in perfect working condition after the upgrade, it wont be the exact same thing as installing win7 itself.

So in what ways would it be different, even with the technicalities?

 

[KSoD]

I thought that I heard of a way to use the Windows 7 upgrade as a clean install. Google around for it but im almost positive that there is a way. I heard MS frowns upon this as "illegal" (I think this is only if you don't have a legit version of vista in the first place) but since you have vista and are eligible it shouldn't be a problem...imo

Yes and no. For this to work, you have to install Win7 twice. As you have to start the process within Vista in the first place. As if you dont the upgrade disk will not work cause it will not find a qualifying product to upgrade from.

So in what ways would it be different, even with the technicalities?

Technically it is a upgraded Vista. Many of the core files are over written but no matter how you slice it, it is Vista that was upgrade to Win7. I am not going to go into details cause they are technical in terms that even i dont understand. It would be pointless for me to try and explain them cause there is no way to use any terms that anyone could understand.

It is a upgrade. It is not a install of just Win7. That is it. No other way to slice it.

 

[SamLee0519]

Technically it is a upgraded Vista. Many of the core files are over written but no matter how you slice it, it is Vista that was upgrade to Win7. I am not going to go into details cause they are technical in terms that even i dont understand. It would be pointless for me to try and explain them cause there is no way to use any terms that anyone could understand.

It is a upgrade. It is not a install of just Win7. That is it. No other way to slice it.

Right, so are there noticeable differences in performance and functionality between a "clean" upgrade (as I mentioned earlier) and full installation?

 

[KSoD]

There could be. I say could because a upgrade install could end up with some aspect of the OS corrupted, something may not work right and so on. If the upgrade goes perfectly as Microsoft says it should, you wont see any performance or functionality difference. The difference has to do with files and other things that dont need to be known about as a user.