Windows 'Upgrade' Media

[egparadigm]

Hi All,

I have a self-built PC with a spare HDD and I'd like to install Windows 8 on it. I recently started a new job and we can buy Windows for ?6. The snag is that all they sell are upgrades, meaning I need an existing Windows 7 installation to build on top of.

If I could get my hands on a Windows 7 disc, would my 8 license supersede the Windows 7 license? I.e. would my friend's Windows 7 license be in use once I've installed 8 on top?

Secondly, is there some software I could use to make a Windows 8 installation disc or partition out of the two separate media? I anticipate having to re-install Windows at some point and would prefer not to have to do two installations or copy a friend's Windows 7 disc.

Thanks for your time!

[randombs]

Sorry I've no experience of windows 8 but for Windows 7 one 'quick' way around it is to remove a file from the DVD which then lets you use any licence key and it'll install the appropriate version. This is what I do with my student/teacher windows 7 upgrade licence.

If that doesn't work, the longer windows 7 work-around is:

1) download a regular retail windows 7 install DVD
2) install it but don't enter a key(it lets you do this)
3) once installed, run the installation again. It'll find the current windows 7 install and the key will work

I think sj33 posted about it on here.

Regarding your friend's licence: if you follow the steps above but use your windows 8 install file/DVD in step 3 you'll be fine because you haven't actually entered their licence key or activated windows.

I'll have a look if windows 8 works the same way.

[randombs]

Lol I should've just googled first:

http://lifehacker.com/5984278/how-to-do-a-clean-install-of-windows-8-with-an-upgrade-disc

[egparadigm]

Thanks, I'll have read later!

[egparadigm]

Well after all the fretting, my update disc installed Windows cleanly and there were no issues. Why even call it an update disc?

Oh well, I'm happy.