W7 upgrade from XP corporate license

aermeus

February 28, 2010 11:12:19 PM

Just wondering how this is going to go. Right now my comp is running XP Pro which i obtained from my IT department. Im a federal employee so the disc i have is a federal corporate license. Today i purchased W7 Pro and a new 1Tb hard drive. Im goint to make my old hard drive backup storage and put the W7 OS on the new drive. Whats the best way to go about it? When i install the new hard drive and boot from the W7 disc is it just going to prompt me to put in the XP disc? Or does it just ask for a valid XP license key? Everytime i have installed this XP on a new comp it never asks me for a CD key...i think it has something to do with the fact it is a government license and is unlimited regarding the number of comps it can be put on. If i need a key i guess ill have to wait till i get back to work and get one from the IT department.

More about : upgrade corporate license

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isamuelson

Windows 7 Expert

March 1, 2010 2:03:46 PM

I'd be careful with that XP DVD. Are you allowed to go and just install it on your personal PCs at home? Because those are usually volume licenses purchased by companies and unless you have an agreement with Microsoft to allow employees to install it on home PCs (which I know they used to have agreements like that), then what you're doing is illegal. And, if you purchased the upgrade Windows 7 with the notion of using the XP disc from work, that's illegal as well because if you're not allowed to use the XP disc at home, then you are violating the license agreement with Windows 7 as well.

I just wanted to let you know about this since you are a government employee. I would check with your IT department to make sure what you are doing is within the license agreements they have with Microsoft. Usually, volume licenses are for business use only, not personal use.

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JessicaD

March 8, 2010 3:50:34 PM

Aermeus,

Please note that when migrating from Windows XP to Windows 7 you will not have an "in place upgrade" option. You will however have the option to select "custom" install when prompted. The Windows 7 install process will then copy all of your data in "My Documents" over to a Windows.old folder within Windows 7 itself. All applications and documents stored in other locations will have to be reinstalled / transferred manually.
For more information on the Windows 7 Upgrade, please go here: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Installing-...

For additional assistance with the migration of Windows XP to Windows 7, please go here: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/ee150430.asp...

Jessica
Microsoft Windows Client Team

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