how to install 64-bit OS from retail disc by using OEM Windows 7 HP product key

[Ashish Goenkar]

Some time back I purchased a dell computer with and got a Windows 7 free upgrade. They supplied me the 32 bit os with it but I wanted the 64 bit Windows 7 version. So therefore I purchased a retail upgrade of 32 bit and 64 bit upgrade discs. So I was wondering whether I would be able to install 64 bit over the 32 bit OS or not. Also I wanted to know whether I can have the 64 bit operating system with my 32 bit product key working or not. Thanks.

[newtech]

I think that with the OEM product key the retail install disk is not going to work. At the time on activation, the product key will be rejected. You will need a third party tool if you want to install from your install disk. And therefore you can download a tool called Isobuster that can be used to create isofile disk image. Follow the below steps to create one disk:

1. First create ISO image of the install disk
2. Then Locate the file ei.cfg which is in the \sources folder on the disk
3. Afterwards, you will have to alter the entry value for 'Channel' from Retail to OEM
4. Lastly you can burn the altered ISO image to disk, to create a new install disk which will work with your OEM install key

[Big Fish]

Yes, you cannot activate the retail version of Windows 7 if you will try to install on the OEM machine. Microsoft disk will be altogether different with the version of the disk supplied from the OEM version. The product should be activated by the specified BIOS instead of a real license key and the the key provided by the OEM manufacturer should be only the public installation key. The OEM version offers different features according to their product lines. Hence only these procucts can be activated on OEM machines only.

[EINSTEIN_007]

You can choose 2 options, either Installing or reinstalling Windows 7:

1. Upgrade option replaces your current version of Windows with Windows 7, and keeps your files, settings, and programs in place on your computer.
   
2. Custom option replaces your current version of Windows with Windows 7, but doesn't preserve your files, settings, and programs. It's sometimes referred to as a clean installation for that reason.

More information here: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/w...ling-Windows-7

[Zachary]

Can you please tell us the installation procedure that you will be using? You will first need to backup all your files at the time of Windows 7 installation choosing the Custom option if you want to move from a 32 bit OS to a 64 bit OS. After that you can always try to restore the files and again reinstall every other programs that you want. From the above link described you will get a better idea.

[Calvin K]

In the past, I have activated Windows 7 which was installed by me using a MSDN copy of Windows OS version by the Dell OEM keys. After about 4 weeks Windows was installed with no key at that time and when I got the upgrade discs, I used it and entered its key in the activation dialog which worked fine for me. You should also know that once the OEM key used to activate a copy of Windows, then it will work to that computer only and cannot be used any more on different pc.