Re: Dell's free upgrade to Win7 for recent computer purchases

>
> Just now (2 days later) I again checked the site for status and see
> that it's scheduled to be shipped November 4th--to me, I hope!
>
> Seems like we're not all being told the same story about this thing!!
>
> Thanks again, guys!
>
> --John Wells

No sooner had I responded with my response that the ship date was listed for
December when I went back in the next day & it had changed to November 3rd.
Since my daughter has been using the laptop for less than 3 months I believe
a clean install would be the way to go. Is it my understanding that this
upgrade disk will simply give me the option to choose a custom (clean)
install or is there some kind of workaround needed to "trick" the
installation into a clean install & just reinstall her applications from
scratch?

Thanks,

Rich

"Rich" <> wrote in message
news:raOGm.6092$...
>
>>
>> Just now (2 days later) I again checked the site for status and see
>> that it's scheduled to be shipped November 4th--to me, I hope!
>>
>> Seems like we're not all being told the same story about this thing!!
>>
>> Thanks again, guys!
>>
>> --John Wells
>
> No sooner had I responded with my response that the ship date was listed
> for December when I went back in the next day & it had changed to November
> 3rd. Since my daughter has been using the laptop for less than 3 months I
> believe a clean install would be the way to go. Is it my understanding
> that this upgrade disk will simply give me the option to choose a custom
> (clean) install or is there some kind of workaround needed to "trick" the
> installation into a clean install & just reinstall her applications from
> scratch?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Rich

I just realized you answered this question earlier & that a custom install
was possible. I though that I had read somewhere on the net that there was a
step-by-step process to accomplish this with an upgrade
purchase......something about not entering your serial number on initial
installation & waiting until you upgraded your initial custom installation
or something like that.

Rich

"Rich" <> wrote in message
news:ufOGm.6139$...

> I just realized you answered this question earlier & that a custom install
> was possible. I though that I had read somewhere on the net that there was
> a step-by-step process to accomplish this with an upgrade
> purchase......something about not entering your serial number on initial
> installation & waiting until you upgraded your initial custom installation
> or something like that.

I used an upgrade disk for a clean install and had no problem activating it.

Good reading here:

http://www.winsupersite.com/win7/cle...rade_media.asp

Bob

"Bob Levine" <> wrote in message
news:hchlc4$pa3$...
> "Rich" <> wrote in message
> news:ufOGm.6139$...
>
>> I just realized you answered this question earlier & that a custom
>> install was possible. I though that I had read somewhere on the net that
>> there was a step-by-step process to accomplish this with an upgrade
>> purchase......something about not entering your serial number on initial
>> installation & waiting until you upgraded your initial custom
>> installation or something like that.
>
> I used an upgrade disk for a clean install and had no problem activating
> it.
>
> Good reading here:
>
> http://www.winsupersite.com/win7/cle...rade_media.asp
>
> Bob


Thanks Bob. That's the site I was looking for. Did you use "Method #1" &
were not prompted for a product key, run Windows Update after installation
then activated with your product key at that time?
Please excuse my ignorance. I have not needed to upgrade a Windows OS since
the pre-activation era of Windows98. Since then I acquired 1 new OEM XP
computer & 2 OEM Vista computers which required no activation. I'll be
upgrading with a 15 year-old daughter breathing down my neck as I mess with
her new laptop. While I have extensive experience with Windows computers
since WFG 3.11, I don't want to subject her to a user-induced all-day
Microsoft fiasco (& God forbid I should need to call support). In
preparation I have already upgraded the firmware for the DVD & flashed the
BIOS to A12 as I have read there may be issues.

Thanks,

Rich