Have Win 7 Ult 32-bit DVD, how to upgrd to 64-bit?

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flinchlock

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Apr 20, 2013
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My daughter's college DELL PC came with "Windows XP Professional".

She bought (school book store) a "Windows 7 Ultimate 32-bit x86 Upgrade: Pre-existing OS License Required" DVD. There is a product key on the DVD sleeve and it has never been installed.

I bought her a Toshiba P755-S5182 that came with 64-bit "Windows 7 Home Prem OA".

Her new job uses some kind of statistics program that only works in XP.

So, is it possible to download from Microsoft the 64-bit Ultimate DVD/ISO so I can use the Ultimate 32-bit key we have to upgrade to 64-bit "Windows 7 Ultimate" so that she can use "Windows XP Mode"?
 
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WyomingKnott

WyomingKnott

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Aug 29, 2006
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I'm not 100% sure, but I'm going to take my best guess.

The DVD that you bought is an upgrade license. It's meant to upgrade an XP or Vista or such machine to Win7. I'm guessing this because upgrading Home Premium to Ultimate is an "anytime upgrade" which does not require a disc.

I hope that I'm wrong and you can use the license key that you have. But I think that you would have to completely re-install Windows. Again, I could very well be wrong.

Have you seen this? http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/products/features/windows-anytime-upgrade
I think that that is what you need - it's an in-place change that simply unlocks features that you did not have.

I'm running an XP VM under 64-bit Win7 and it works nicely. For what one person's experience is worth.
 
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universal remonster

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Nov 23, 2011
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A Windows license key works for the 32-bit and 64-bit versions, but you cannot use an OEM volume license key (like the one that comes with your laptop) to activate a retail copy or a student version, and vice versa. Whatever kind of license it is, student, OEM, retail, can only be used to activate that kind of install. If you happen to know anyone else that has the 64-bit student version, you could easily make an ISO of the disc and then use your 32-bit key to activate it. Referring to your question about downloading an ISO from Microsoft, you can download ISO images from Digital River.

Windows 7 Ultimate English 64-bit: http://msft.digitalrivercontent.net/win/X17-59465.iso

Here is the tool to make the ISO bootable on a USB thumb drive

http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msusa/html/pbPage.Help_Win7_usbdvd_dwnTool

Again, I am almost certain that you cannot use the student key for activating a retail version (the Digital River ISO's are retail versions) but I may be wrong. Also, I do not know of any official place to download a student version ISO. You may have to find them someplace like a torrent or newsgroup. I have searched in the past and ended up having to make my own ISO from a friend's disc.
 
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flinchlock

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Apr 20, 2013
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What you said makes sense, but how could I *ever* use the 32-bit student DVD? I would think most student PCs would not have a student version installed. Why would the college sell these DVDs?

I just noticed my 32-bit DVD has a sticker that says, "Media Set: X15-70386". This looks like the link you provided.
 
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WyomingKnott

WyomingKnott

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As to how she could use it, if it is what I think it is, return it or sell it to a friend who wants to upgrade an XP machine. If it's to upgrade an earlier version of Windows to 32-bit win7, and you don't have a machine around that needs upgrading, it wouldn't be useful. That is, if I'm right, and I'm not 100% sure.
 
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universal remonster

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I would try to see if the bookstore will exchange it for the 64-bit version. My schools bookstore sells both versions, and I think exchanges are allowed but they won't do a return. I don't really know what else you could do with the disc, perhaps hold onto it incase you get a Windows 8 PC in the future and do not end up liking that OS? (Win 8 hate seems to be a common thing these days). The only reason I can think of that 32-bit OS's are still sold is for someone that has older hardware and peripherals like printers/scanners that do not have 64-bit drivers available. In fact, starting with Win 8, 64-bit is the only option now. I agree with what you said about most student PC's probably don't have a student version (OEM more than likely) but the bookstores sell them because the deal Microsoft has with the colleges make it the cheapest legit way to upgrade your OS, which is very nice for students.

I have also found that pretty much every friend that I have that also goes to college has bought Windows from the bookstore. So I'm thinking she could just ask a few friends/classmates and probably find someone that does have a 64-bit copy. Then I used a free program called ISODisk to rip the disc, and the Win 7 USB tool I linked earlier to put it on the flash drive. I think that is your best bet other than exchanging the disc at the bookstore.

I tried changing the end of the Digital River link /X17-59465.iso to the media set number you posted, but no luck.
 
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