Question about re-installing the home upgrade version

[redvandam]

I am currently running Windows XP, it was installed on the C drive and the XP disc back up was saved on a different partition. That partition has since been lost, so although I still have the CD key, I have no way of re-installing XP. If I bought the Windows 7 home upgrade, would I have any way of re-installing it if my hard drive was damaged. Would the Windows 7 upgrade require installing XP before I could install it?

 

[pinaklonkar]

You can always request another Windows XP CD since you have already paid for it. If you paid for the soft backup copy, not sure how you will go about it. You can always download Windows XP from somewhere and use your own CD key to install it if they deny you a CD copy. It won't be piracy technically then.

To answer your question - if you want to go with Windows 7, you do NOT need any OS installed before. All you have to do is buy Windows 7 DVD, put it in your DVD drive, start the computer, go into the BIOS, change the boot up sequence to check for DVD first and start installation, choose partition and take it from there. Make sure you have compatible hardware and available drivers for Windows 7 before doing all this.

 

[Jonmor68]

"the XP disc back up was saved on a different partition."
Do you mean that this is an OEM system (Dell, Acer HP or such) and XP was on a recovery partition? or do you have a non genuine copy?
If it's an OEM system and you install Windows 7 on it, to have a backup you can use W7's own tools to create an image of the hard drive (both partitions) to an external drive, or you can use one of the other disk imaging programs like Acronis or Clonezila.
That way if you drive fails you can restore it to the new one from the backup.