Win7 32 to 64?

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camaroguy1998
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Win7 32 to 64?

Post by camaroguy1998 »

Trying to figure out if I can load Win7 64bit over Win7 32bit using the same product key!
The original Win7 offers both 32 and 64bit versions and only 1 product key provided!
It is an Upgrade Version!

Trying to revive an old system and would like to max out the memory!
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Re: Win7 32 to 64?

Post by KnightRid »

You might not be able to "upgrade" from 32 to 64, you might have to reinstall.

Best way is to put the disc in and go through the menus like you are upgrading and see if it lets you. Windows will tell you if you can or not as Windows is god lol
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Re: Win7 32 to 64?

Post by camaroguy1998 »

KnightRid wrote:You might not be able to "upgrade" from 32 to 64, you might have to reinstall.

Best way is to put the disc in and go through the menus like you are upgrading and see if it lets you. Windows will tell you if you can or not as Windows is god lol
Ok, been doing a little research and found a youtube video of a guy loading 64 over 32 as an upgrade install, but it does not say/show if he used the same key! :(

On a related issue, I tried to use a new SSD to load XP Pro just so I could load Win7 64 on top of it and XP would not install properly! Could not access OS when the install was done! I tried with 2 different versions of XP. :cry:
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Re: Win7 32 to 64?

Post by KnightRid »

As far as I remember with Windows 7, all installations could be installed 32 or 64 bit with using the same key but you could not use the same key twice. That may be the biggest thing with what you want to do since the key is already in use....

I still think that backing up and reinstalling will be your best bet.

Also, backing up and trying the upgrade to see what happens could be fun too....trial and error!!!!

You do notice the BACKUP theme running here.

I think I only ever ran into 1 installation of windows 7 that was 32-bit and it was on a low end system and running OEM software which did not allow both versions for the same key. I fixed the entire problem and made it super fast, very easily.....I installed LinuxMint :mrgreen:
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Re: Win7 32 to 64?

Post by bubba »

The key works for both.

I would backup and fresh install. Will prevent most driver issues.
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Re: Win7 32 to 64?

Post by camaroguy1998 »

bubba wrote:The key works for both.

I would backup and fresh install. Will prevent most driver issues.
The only problem with that is, its an upgrade version.

I tried to upgrade 64 over 32 and it would not let me run the software.
It gave me a not compatible error, to check with manufacturer to see if they have a 32 bit version! :evil:

I did do a clean install onto a SSD and could not activate windows with the key I have.
I called MS and was told to install XP and then install Win7 over that!
I dont know why but XP was not accessible after the install process.(see earlier post)

I'm trying to do this with minimal investment and I've already invested more time then I figured!
I'm about ready to just let this go and move on! ](*,)
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Re: Win7 32 to 64?

Post by bubba »

If you have a working 32 bit key, all you need is a comparable level 64 bit disk. So say its a 32bit oem home key, you need a 64 bit oem home disk.

Install the 64bit version, with the 32bit key done.


Edit: if this on something like a Dell, that is a bulk key. Those can be tricky to do, tracking down a Dell 64bit reinstall image for your system type (optiplex, latitude. ect...), it should activate itself. The trick is, that board may top out at 4GB, Dell was a little stingy on some systems like that.
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Re: Win7 32 to 64?

Post by camaroguy1998 »

bubba wrote:If you have a working 32 bit key, all you need is a comparable level 64 bit disk. So say its a 32bit oem home key, you need a 64 bit oem home disk.

Install the 64bit version, with the 32bit key done.


Edit: if this on something like a Dell, that is a bulk key. Those can be tricky to do, tracking down a Dell 64bit reinstall image for your system type (optiplex, latitude. ect...), it should activate itself. The trick is, that board may top out at 4GB, Dell was a little stingy on some systems like that.
Ok what I have is both 64 and 32 bit discs!
The Mobo is an Asus M3A78-em. I built this system over a decade ago with XP as the original OS.
When 7 first came out I went the cheap route and bought an Upgrade version(so a clean install is not an option)
It came with both discs(64 & 32) For whatever reason I originally upgraded to 32bit(Dumbass move) I was still young and unaware of my stupidity!

EDIT: I originally built this system Nov. 2008
It still runs pretty good. Thought an SSD & 8gb of memory would make it nice for web access and Bluray playback.
Guessing I thought wrong a second time!
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Re: Win7 32 to 64?

Post by KnightRid »

No idea why your key did not work when you installed as it should, unless there were major hardware changes.

You are going to have to wipe the drive. I do not see a way around this. Unless you stick with 32bit and 4gb. Of course I could always be wrong but everything I have read says you need to do a clean install. Suck it up buckaroo and get on with it :supz:

Just use the windows 7 upgrade disc and boot from it. Follow it through the install procedure and DELETE the partitions then let windows make one again. If it gives a problem with already having windows installed, format the drive first then run the windows dvd.

https://www.wikihow.com/Clean-Install-W ... rade-Media - registry stuff and cmd line things to use after install if you have problems wit the key - nothing illegal.

Another article that says the same thing as above in METHOD #2 - http://www.itprotoday.com/windows-serve ... rade-media
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Re: Win7 32 to 64?

Post by camaroguy1998 »

KnightRid wrote:No idea why your key did not work when you installed as it should, unless there were major hardware changes.

You are going to have to wipe the drive. I do not see a way around this. Unless you stick with 32bit and 4gb. Of course I could always be wrong but everything I have read says you need to do a clean install. Suck it up buckaroo and get on with it :supz:

Just use the windows 7 upgrade disc and boot from it. Follow it through the install procedure and DELETE the partitions then let windows make one again. If it gives a problem with already having windows installed, format the drive first then run the windows dvd.

https://www.wikihow.com/Clean-Install-W ... rade-Media - registry stuff and cmd line things to use after install if you have problems wit the key - nothing illegal.

Another article that says the same thing as above in METHOD #2 - http://www.itprotoday.com/windows-serve ... rade-media
Ok, let me run through what I've done(as quickly as I can :O) up to this point.
My sad results is why I'm here looking for help! Some of whats happened I understand, some I dont!
I started with an attempt to install win7 64 on an SSD.(The SSD is the only new hardware) This was successful except, the key was for an upgrade and that is where this all began to fall apart! The key was rejected because I did a clean install. I called M$ and told them the original HDD failed and was just trying to get the system back up and running. I basically received a too bad attitude! Install XP then 7 on top of that or Purchase 10! I then asked if my hardware would work with 10 and received a Probably not but uncommitted answer! I did a search for 10 drivers for my Mobo and found none(I would trust).
M$ showed zero love for my older hardware! :evil:

I then decided to go ahead and do the XP install on the SSD and upgrade to 7 64bit. This part is what I havent figured out yet. I tried 3 times to install XP Pro, 1)Over the previous install of 7 64(that I could not activate) this was unsuccessful, OS was not accessible after the install process! I kind of go that, so..2) I wiped the drive clean and did the install process again for XP, this time it could not install some files during install about 20 files(I didnt keep count) and again the OS was not accessible! I figured the missing files to be the issue, so..3) I wiped the drive clean again and used another disc to install XP again and at the end on the process I received the same OS not accessible error. Thats when I really started getting frustrated!

I did a little research and found articles and a video of win7 64 being installed as an Upgrade over 32 and being successful, so I tried that. It wouldnt even let me try to install the 64bit at all. I tried to go through Windows and do the install and also booted from the disc and tried to that route with an error both times that the software I was trying to install is not compatible with the software currently on the HDD!
So I decided to use the original HDD and UPGRADE to 64bit, but was unsuccessful because of a 32 and 64 bit incompatibility.

Thats pretty much it(not in a nutshell)!
This is not my first Windows Rodeo, but it is the first time I've hit a wall I couldnt get around, through or over!
I have a hard time letting something like this get the better of me! [-X


BUT, as of yesterday I was told I could have a system that I built for a friend some yrs ago, back, since I built him a new system a couple months ago! Its been so long and part of a list of systems I've built for friends and family that I dont remember what parts I used. I do know its Win7 and hoping its a 64bit version!


Edit: I just read the second link you provided Knightrid.
I am going to try the Double install and see if that works!
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Re: Win7 32 to 64?

Post by KnightRid »

Thinking about the xp problem on the ssd - could it be the bios setting for the drive being set to the (oh my god brain fart.....ummmmm) AHCI rather than the regular IDE? Did XP work with AHCI?

Trying my friend, I am trying :partyman:

With MS telling you to stuff it, yea, they want everyone on 10. 10 is ok once I got rid of the stupid menu crap with ClassicMenu and disabled all of the spying. You could try calling back again and see if you get a nicer rep and tell them you added more memory so you need to install the 64 bit version now but it tells you the key is not valid....play it that way and see how it goes.......
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Re: Win7 32 to 64?

Post by camaroguy1998 »

KnightRid wrote:Thinking about the xp problem on the ssd - could it be the bios setting for the drive being set to the (oh my god brain fart.....ummmmm) AHCI rather than the regular IDE? Did XP work with AHCI?

Trying my friend, I am trying :partyman:

With MS telling you to stuff it, yea, they want everyone on 10. 10 is ok once I got rid of the stupid menu crap with ClassicMenu and disabled all of the spying. You could try calling back again and see if you get a nicer rep and tell them you added more memory so you need to install the 64 bit version now but it tells you the key is not valid....play it that way and see how it goes.......
I'm going to check, but I believe AHCI is enabled.
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Re: Win7 32 to 64?

Post by KnightRid »

camaroguy1998 wrote:I'm going to check, but I believe AHCI is enabled.
Disable it and set it to the standard IDE/whatever your bios has and try installing again.
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Re: Win7 32 to 64?

Post by camaroguy1998 »

KnightRid wrote:
camaroguy1998 wrote:I'm going to check, but I believe AHCI is enabled.
Disable it and set it to the standard IDE/whatever your bios has and try installing again.
Ok, if the dbl install process fails that will be my next step!
Life has taken over for the moment, puter's on back burner for the time being!

Thanx KnightRid! =D>
What you have done so far is very much appreciated! :partyman:
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Re: Win7 32 to 64?

Post by KnightRid »

No problem, just throwing out ideas. Life always comes first!!!!
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Re: Win7 32 to 64?

Post by camaroguy1998 »

KnightRid wrote:No problem, just throwing out ideas. Life always comes first!!!!
As I expected, the double install failed.
I really didnt see the logic in the process anyway.
:(

AHCI is next, when time allows.
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Re: Win7 32 to 64?

Post by camaroguy1998 »

So I've had a bit of success and failure. :(

I was finally able to install XP Pro on to the SSD! YeeHaa!
Took me 3 hrs to activate it and AGAIN M$ showed ZERO love for my older hardware!
I got lucky using the automated process!
It immediately asked me if I wanted to upgrade, I said yes!(just F'ing with the system)
Sorry, our site is down for maintenance. We cannot perform your request at this time! :vom:
No big deal I have a Windows DVD! Yeah right.
I still get a compatibility error! The disc you are attempting to use is not compatible with the OS you are currently running
DUHHHHH!!!!!!!
Restart your computer and boot from the same disc and choose Custom Install to do a clean install!

Which I have done and could not activate!
Vicious cycle!
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Re: Win7 32 to 64?

Post by camaroguy1998 »

Well....
I went through the Win7 install on top of XP and with the ACTIVATED XP was able to complete the 7 install and ACTIVATE Windows 7 64bit!!!!!!
To M$ :axe:


KnightRid...Thank You for your time and effort! :supz:
I greatly appreciate it, more than you know! =D>
:partyman:

P.S. Ignore my last post! :)
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Re: Win7 32 to 64?

Post by KnightRid »

SUCCESS!! Glad you got it man!!!
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Re: Win7 32 to 64?

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*Hooray!* ^^^^
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