Students Reporting Problems With $29 Windows 7

can't they do a clean install with this

No problems here. Installed just fine.

LOL

It is just silly that Digital River doesn't let you download an iso. Especially since you can use Microsoft products to create an iso from the executable that you download.

I am pretty sure on MS's site they say you can do a clean install, so I don't even understand how this is an "upgrade" disk...

I had no problems at all with this deal, but I also installed it over a working OS. The deal was very specific about it being an upgrade only without a physical disc shipped to you. I downloaded it at work (1.4Mbps on our fat pipe), extracted the files to a USB stick, and once I got home I double-clicked Setup.exe to get started.

I was able to do a semi-clean install, moving all my stuff to a Windows.old folder to blow away later, so you aren't forced to do an in-place upgrade with all the potential problems that brings. My Win7 beta was running really slow so I ended up doing a clean XP install first with a re-format then immediately installing Windows7 over the top of that.

If you absolutely must have a bootable DVD to use, you can either download the Windows Automated Install Kit to make your own custom DVD or you can follow the shortcut directions at this link:

http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/22/how-to-make-a-dvd-of-that-student-only-windows-7/

After all the comments this week claiming how much smarter Tom's Hardware readers are than the average Joe, a few work-arounds shouldn't be any problem, right?

I've had some issues but after doing some research this:

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/30470-make-bootable-iso-student-d-l.html

looks like its going to solve the issues, though I havent tired it yet to make sure.

This is why I never have and or will upgrade..Clean install only for the win.

Upgrade makes no sense because most likely you'll carry on the baggage from the previous install to this upgrade install.

story is very vague. not much specifics.

I had problems yesterday because they don't let you download an iso. I couldn't do a straight upgrade because I was moving form Vista(32) to Win7(64) so I needed to to a clean install which the downloaded file did not support. After following the instructions it extracted into a folder which I then tried to burn to a DVD. This doesnt work for trying to make a bootable disc even though it has boot folders and files.

To fix this I went to http://www.mydigitallife.info/2009/10/23/how-to-create-and-make-bootable-windows-7-iso-from-exe-plus-setup1-box-and-setup2-box-files/ and followed the instructions to use the command promt to convert the files into an iso that would produce a bootable DVD.

They made it a pain when they could have made it easy by providing an iso from the start. I wasted time doing unnecessary problem solving before I came to this fix. I could have just spent the extra $13 and waited for a physical copy, but then again I thought I was getting an iso like the RC version of Win7.

Worked fine for me. I did a clean install onto the unused partition of my hard drive so now I have both XP and 7

The problem is people trying to open the file they downloaded on a 32 bit operating system. I have xp 32 trying to upgrade to windows 7 pro 64. Couldnt open it on my xp, but I had a RC windows 7 installed as well, so I just opened and installed from that. Worked just fine. You just have to have a 64 bit os to open the files from. Not saying that is acceptable, but I worked around it and have windows 7 goin now.

i got the deal and i am having trouble with it....but just so happens that i built a windows 7 retail 64 bit machine for family and so i took my digital river download and unpacked it on that other machine. go figure!
so if you know someone with 64 bit machine just take your download to them and unpack there...then you can ISO and install!

but it's been over 24 hour and nothing but silence from microsoft. they should have fixed this in an hour or less!

Uh oh, it's not a good sign seeing problems the day after launch. I'm sure a lot of casual computer users will always have problems with a new OS though, regardless of how good the software is; but I expect most of Tom's members will be able to work around this issue.

my wife downloaded and istalled 32 bit on a Accer AOA150 yesterday. She downloaded the installer to the netbook, did a fresh install from XP. It went smooth as silk, much to my amazement. I didn't think you could to a complete install on the same partition and drive. Blew me away.

What a rip off, I can get win7 ult. upgrade (32 or 64 bit) for 8 bucks XD....and im going too  

PS: the copy im getting is a disc not a d/l

ive never upgraded an os, i use apps like rain, too much room for incompatibility