Clean Install Windows 7 With Upgrade Media and Product Key on Formatted or Empty Blank Hard Drive
Retail version of Windows 7 has two main primary type of licenses – full or full package product (FPP) and upgrade, where the most obvious differences between full and upgrade versions are different prices for full and upgrade license, and customers have to possess an existing Windows license to be eligible for upgrade license.
Officially, Windows 7 Upgrade version only allow an user to “upgrade” from a previous version of Windows operating system, via “in-place upgrade” or custom install, which replaces old Windows. Even if upgrade path from some versions of older Windows cannot perform “in-place upgrade”, and require user to perform a custom clean install, but it only means that user has to start the Windows 7 installation from within an existing Windows, and choose “Custom Install” during the course of Windows 7 setup.
Windows 7 Upgrade license wants to see an installed and activated copy of Windows XP or Windows Vista before installation is allowed. As Windows 7 setup does not ask for an existing CD or DVD disc of Windows, thus if user full formats and wipe XP or Vista installation so that the drive is empty and blank before using the upgrade disc, setup no longer able to see any existing installation, and will return “Invalid Product Key” error message.
Tip: User is allowed to create or delete hard disk drive or partition during the setup through Custom (advanced) -> Drive options (advanced) option (note: a 100 MB system reserved partition may be created by Windows 7 Setup), or let Windows 7 install wizard backup the existing Windows files to Windows.old directory, and then delete and wipe clean the whole partition volume prior to install Windows 7.
Many people believe that Windows 7 FPP (full version) disc media or ISO is different from ISO image or disc media of Windows 7 Upgrade version. In fact, the Windows 7 Upgrade disk and Windows 7 FPP disc may be similar, if not completely the same. Only product key represents the actual version of license bought, and Windows 7 will validate against the product key, as shown by Microsoft Product Key Checker.
Not everybody has a PC readily installed with a Windows for upgrade. And more people does not have time to install an operating system especially the time-consuming Windows Vista just to install Windows 7 Upgrade version. Good news is that Windows 7 upgrade media or ISO image and product keys can be used to perform clean install or custom install on a blank and emtpy PC without any prior OS installed. With the following clean install hacks or custom install tricks, which not only save the headache of users who need to install on a new or clean computer system, but also mean everybody just need to purchase an Windows 7 upgrade license, which costs up to $100 cheaper over a Windows 7 full edition price.
How to Clean Install Windows 7 with a Upgrade DVD Disc or ISO Image
Note: User who has downloaded Windows 7 boxed ESD installation files should follow these steps to create a bootable Windows 7 ISO image from unpacked Windows 7 installation files and burn to DVD prior to follow guide below.
- Boot up the PC with the Windows 7 Upgrade DVD disc media into DVD-ROM drive.
Note: May need to change boot sequence or boot order of device in BIOS, and/or press any key to boot from CD/DVD drive.
- Follow the Windows 7 Install Wizard to install the operating system on the blank, empty and clean system.
- During installation, when prompted for a product key, DO NOT enter the upgrade version product key.
Tip: This step is to prevent “Invalid Product Key” error. User can try to input the serial number to check if setup accepts the key. If it’s accepted, all the rest of steps can be skipped.
- Unselect and untick the Automatically activate Windows when I’m online check box during the installation process.
- After Windows 7 is installed, boot up to desktop, and manually enter the Windows 7 upgrade product key to activate online or activate via phone.
Steps above, which is practically how to perform clean install with a Windows 7 full version media and product key, should work for some, if not most, users. On system that the system still does not accept an upgrade version product key, or face activation failure error code of 0xC004F061, try one or more of the following workarounds to get Windows 7 activated:
Workaround 1: Use SLMgr Commands to Insert Product Key and Activate
- Open an elevated command prompt as administrator.
- Use the following command to install product key:
slmgr -ipk <upgrade product key>
- Activate Windows 7 with the following command:
slmgr -ato
Steps above have also been used to clean install Windows Vista Upgrade version. To check activation status from command line, use slmgr -dlv or slmgr -dli.
Workaround 2: Clean Install Windows 7 Upgrade with Double Installs
- After starting up the just installed Windows 7 system, allow system to boot to desktop.
- Insert the same Windows 7 DVD media into CD/DVD optical drive tray to start Install Windows wizard again. Alternatively, mount the Windows 7 ISO image to a virtual CD/DVD-ROM drive, or directly run setup.exe from the unpacked Windows 7 installation files.
- Reinstall Windows 7 once again (both Upgrade or Custom Install should be OK), enter product key during installation so that Windows 7 can be automatically activated when user first online after installation is done.
Steps above is originally used as a workaround to clean install Windows Vista with upgrade media, and is less commonly used as it’s time-consuming.
Workaround 3: Clean Install and Activate Windows 7 with MediaBootInstall Registry Hack
- After booting up, ensure that no Windows Updates pending task which requires a system reboot to finish installing.
Tip: Normally, an orange-colored shield icon will be displayed next to Shutdown button in the Start Menu Power Button or at notification tray area if a restart is required.
If reboot is required, restart the computer to allow any pending updates is installed.
- Run Registry Editor (RegEdit).
- Navigate to the following registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup\OOBE
- In the right pane, change the value data for MediaBootInstall from 1 to 0.
Alternatively, just download and execute MediaBootInstall.reg to merge the value into registry.
- Open an elevated command prompt as administrator.
- Run the command below to reset Windows 7 activation status:
slmgr -rearm
- Reboot the computer.
- Run the Activate Windows utility (accessible from bottom section of Control Panel -> System and Security -> System, or type Activate Windows into Start Search), type in the upgrade product key and activate Windows.
Related Articles
- Windows 7 Installation Fails and Hangs At 62% When Upgrade from Vista
- The Product Key Is Not Valid Or 0xC004F061 Activation Error On Windows 7 Upgrade
- Hack to Install Windows 7 Build 6956 Directly from VHD File
- Unable to Clean Install Windows Vista with Upgrade Edition Product Key
- Workaround to Upgrade from 32-Bit (x86) to 64-Bit (x64) Windows 7 Operating System
- Hack and Workaround to Clean or Fresh Install Windows Vista with Upgrade License DVD
- Windows Vista In-Place Upgrade from Windows XP Support Matrix and Options
- Trick to Buy and Install Full Retail Windows Vista at Upgrade Price Even Without Existing Old Windows CD
- Download Folder Vanity Remover to Remove and Clean Up Empty Folders from Windows System
- Fast Empty Folder Finder to Clean Up Your Desktop System
Entries (RSS)
December 23rd, 2009 22:52
[...] Microsoft has a handy guide here : Microsoft Store: Download Manager Help and the tool here : http://images2.store.microsoft.com/p…B-DVD-tool.exe – here's a handy guide too : Creating Bootable Vista / Windows 7 USB Flash Drive at Kevin’s Blog However, it's an UPGRADE version so you probably paid less for it. it's designed to UPGRADE a current windows OS – if you don't it'll fail at the licence activation screen. Have a read here : Clean Install Windows 7 With Upgrade Media and Product Key on Formatted or Empty Blank Hard Drive My… [...]
December 22nd, 2009 05:37
again, number three worked like a charm. thanks alot.
one question though – do i need to change the reg value back again, should i not? does it matter?
any ideas
December 19th, 2009 07:54
Workaround 3 worked great. Exactly as stated.
Thanks,
Curt
December 14th, 2009 11:35
I upgraded from Vista on a new hard disk –> activation error. The double install method worked very well. Thank you.
December 10th, 2009 06:30
Using the Windows 7 Pro upgrade disc, workaround 3 worked…but not as stated.
My value was already set to 0
I changed it to 1 (like you aren’t supposed to do) and ran the command and restarted.
I then changed it back to 0, ran the command, and restarted.
That worked.
December 8th, 2009 01:30
Great tips, ironically the 3rd step is what MS themselves did when I allowed them to remote access my desktop during the trouble call. I gave them a sob story about the other drive I had with XP tanking and they went to work with the registry edit and running the scripts at the command prompt. One reboot later and VOILA Win 7 PRO activated on a clean install.
December 2nd, 2009 22:04
Thanks so much! I had to buy a new hard drive after mine packed up and decided to get Windows 7 at the same time. Bought the upgrade version and was dreading having to install Vista first and then upgrade.
I had to use Workaround 3, but it worked a charm!!! Thanks for saving me LOADS of time!
December 2nd, 2009 18:49
Thank you so much! Workaround 1 didn’t work for me but #3 work perfectly. Youve saved me so much time and hassle and im extremely greatful. Thanks again
Binsy
November 25th, 2009 12:04
how do i install windows 7..i have windows xp pro..is there a link i goto to install windows 7 for free…iam confused i keep seeing all these different window 7 stuff..HELP
November 25th, 2009 08:21
Awesome i tried option 3 as option 1 wasnt working for me. youve just saved me MANY hours. thanks so much!!!!!!!!!!!!
November 24th, 2009 07:04
Thanks very much for posting this!
After a load of emails to microsoft (digital river student deal) which were ‘answered’ (unanswered) by an autobot, I was very glad to find this.
I used #3 as most people seemed to find this to work – and it worked for me too.
Thanks again author!
November 22nd, 2009 07:52
Thank you so much for this!
#3 worked for me as well…woke up this morning and my hard drive had failed (Seagate, only a year old) with my newly-upgraded Windows 7! This saved a ton of time & hassle.
November 21st, 2009 04:34
Workaround 3 solved my problem.
November 20th, 2009 03:45
Wow Thanks… Workaround 3 saved the day for install on new hard drive. Old hard drive dead. Ordered Win7 Pro upgrade for Vista on Sony vgn-cr120e. Invalid key activation. Followed steps in workaround #3 and then did the activated dance around office!!!!
Thanks Thanks,
Dmack