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Anytime upgrade and 64 bits

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Last response: in Windows 7
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Little context here. I have a netbook that came preinstalled with Windows 7 Starter (therefore 32 bits), but after upgrading RAM from 1GB to 4GB, I also got an Anytime Upgrade license (for a steal) to use more than the 2GB limit of Starter (and have a few other features as well). Now everything worked, I now have a 32 bits Windows 7 Home Premium. However, I would like to use a 64 bits OS to have full access to all the 4GB of RAM and I am not sure how to get there.

I know I cannot "upgrade" from 32 to 64 bits, I need a clean install. I also know that a license is good for both 32 and 64 bits of the OS. What I'm wondering is if I can use my Anytime Upgrade key to do a fresh Home Premium 64 bits install?

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Windows 7 Authority

You can use Windows Anytime Upgrade to upgrade from a 32-bit version of Windows 7 to a 32-bit version of Windows 7 and from a 64-bit version of Windows 7 to a 64-bit version of Windows 7, but you can’t upgrade from a 32-bit version of Windows 7 to a 64-bit version of Windows 7 or vice versa.

So you can't use that key to do a 64 bit install of any type!

Quoted from Microsoft.com

SR-71 Blackbird said:
You can use Windows Anytime Upgrade to upgrade from a 32-bit version of Windows 7 to a 32-bit version of Windows 7 and from a 64-bit version of Windows 7 to a 64-bit version of Windows 7, but you can’t upgrade from a 32-bit version of Windows 7 to a 64-bit version of Windows 7 or vice versa.

So you can't use that key to do a 64 bit install of any type!

Quoted from Microsoft.com
That's what I feared, but I'm only loosing ~500MB of RAM and it's no big deal on a netbook. I knew no upgrade were possible between 32 and 64 bits, but I was wondering if it was possible to use the Anytime Upgrade key to do a fresh install.
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SR-71 Blackbird said:
I wish you could but the keys are specific for what bit you are running! :hello: 
Actually they aren't, a 32 bits license will activate for 64 bits as well as long as it's the same "version" (Home, Pro, ...).
Windows 7 Authority

Zenthar said:
Actually they aren't, a 32 bits license will activate for 64 bits as well as long as it's the same "version" (Home, Pro, ...).


Correct. Keys are not *bit* specific. As long as they match up with the same edition, they will work fine.

Getting to the question though, the short answer is no. Anytime Upgrade was not designed to work in that fashion. You're going to have to wipe it out and reinstall from scratch regardless. All Anytime Upgrade does, is takes the key you feed it for the higher edition of 7 and unlocks features. It doesn't replace any files at all... everything is already there. What you have access is to purely determined by the license you paid for.

Ok, spent a few hours trying every "upgrade" path I could think of.
  • Do a custom install of Home Premium from a DVD with Win 7 Starter already installed and providing the key at installation time
  • Do a custom install of Home Premium from a DVD with Win 7 Starter already installed and providing the key only after install
  • Do a custom install of Home Premium from a DVD with no previous install and providing the key at installation time
  • Do a custom install of Home Premium from a DVD with no previous install and providing the key only after install
  • Do an upgrade install of Home Premium from a DVD with Win 7 Starter already installed (simply cannot be done at boot time, x86 to x64 or not, upgrades need to be executed from within the OS)
  • Do a custom install of Home Basic x64 from a DVD with no previous install and providing the key through the Anytime Upgrade utility (the base OS need to be activated for that to work and I don't have a valid Home Basic license so ...)
  • Do a custom install of Home Basic x64 from a DVD with no previous install and providing then trying to upgrade from the DVD providing the key when asked
  • Tried the "clean install from upgrade DVD" method found here

    If any of you are inspired and have another idea you would like me to test, feel free to tell.
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