windows 7 key question

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candy76man

Weaksauce
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Jun 9, 2003
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I got a copy of 32 bit windows7 pro upgrade from the digital river when they were running their deal for 30 bucks. I also just bought a retail copy of home premium upgrade and it has both 32 and 64 bit disks. My problem is I would like to run 64 bit on both my pc's now. My question is, will the key I got with the win7 pro 32 bit copy of windows from digital river work on the retail 64 bit home premium I just bought?

If not is there any way any one can think of that I could install 64 bit on both pc's using the two keys I currently own? Maybe if I "found" a copy of win7 pro 64bit somewhere?

Are the keys tied to a particular version of windows 7 and would the digital river key be any different from the key in a retail box that I already know will work with either 32 or 64 bit windows?

Hope that was clear enough.

Thanks!
 
Tawnos said:
Yes, it should, a key works for 32 or 64 bit.
Click to expand...

Ok, thats good..... do you think my windows7 professional key will work on window7 home premium 64bit? I have a feeling it won't but figured its possible since it's a lower version.
 
It won't let you install professional out of the box, but if you make an iso of your 64-bit disc, remove the ei.cfg file and burn it back you can chose which version you want to install.

edit: or better yet use the usb method on the sticky and just remove the ei.cfg file. It'll install a lot faster that way too.
 
Correct, you don't need to go download any new ISO, just edit/manipulate your current disc/image and install whatever version you need. The keys are only tied to the particular flavor of Win7, not the x86 vs x64 variant of it. WinToFlash is a pretty idiot-proof way of getting the install disc unto a flash drive.
 
Impulse said:
Correct, you don't need to go download any new ISO, just edit/manipulate your current disc/image and install whatever version you need. The keys are only tied to the particular flavor of Win7, not the x86 vs x64 variant of it. WinToFlash is a pretty idiot-proof way of getting the install disc unto a flash drive.
Click to expand...

ok, I just thought of another possible issue...I already installed the 32 bit win7 pro on my wifes computer. If I changed the disc so that I could install 64 bit I would want pro on my computer and I would install home on my wifes computer...will MS allow me to do that? I'm not clear on the rules like that for windows 7.
 
candy76man said:
ok, I just thought of another possible issue...I already installed the 32 bit win7 pro on my wifes computer. If I changed the disc so that I could install 64 bit I would want pro on my computer and I would install home on my wifes computer...will MS allow me to do that? I'm not clear on the rules like that for windows 7.
Click to expand...

As far as I know, that should be okay, so long as you have one key per computer.
 
well, just for the record, the edu discount key for win7 pro 32bit I bought will not work with 64bit win7 pro. Not sure why (it makes sense to me that it would) but it says the key doesn't match the product skew or something like that when I try to use it on pro 64bit.
So I guess im stuck using home premium 64 bit on my system and my wife will have to use 32 bit pro. I really wanted 64 bit on both systems as they both have 4 gigs of ram :mad:

thanks for the tip on usb install though, that is much faster.
 
candy76man said:
well, just for the record, the edu discount key for win7 pro 32bit I bought will not work with 64bit win7 pro. Not sure why (it makes sense to me that it would) but it says the key doesn't match the product skew or something like that when I try to use it on pro 64bit.
So I guess im stuck using home premium 64 bit on my system and my wife will have to use 32 bit pro. I really wanted 64 bit on both systems as they both have 4 gigs of ram :mad:

thanks for the tip on usb install though, that is much faster.
Click to expand...

It will work on 64-bit... but not if you are using a "retail CD".. you have to do it like an upgrade version... the version you bought.

Some people have no proeblem getting it to work as a full install... others do.

If all else fails, install it without the key, and then do an "upgrade" install on top of it. The key should work fine then.
 
The copy of 64bit pro I used was a retail upgrade disk and I am pretty sure the edu key was for an upgrade?
 
That's correct... wife jumped on the wagon with the same deal. It was the upgrade version.

Sounds like you should download the ISO from DR and proceed installing as you originally would with the upgrade media, but with the 32 bit key.
 
hbidad said:
That's correct... wife jumped on the wagon with the same deal. It was the upgrade version.

Sounds like you should download the ISO from DR and proceed installing as you originally would with the upgrade media, but with the 32 bit key.
Click to expand...


Do you know a way to do that? I couldn't find any way to download the 64 bit version (or any other version) from Digital river anymore, that would definitely be the best way if you happen to have a link?
 
Why not edit the x64 disc that you used to install on your system, and then install Pro on your wife's system? Once the install is done and you are happy with it, pop in your Pro key and activate it.
 
because he has a retail CD and a upgrade KEY. Sounds like all that is lacking is the upgrade media. That's assuming that you can edit the cd to allow an Upgrade key to work with the retail media.

Unfortunately I do not have a URL to give you since they where customized for each user (I think and probably for tracking purposes). However, The DL link should still be available from your DR account? I don't have my login details handy to check, but swore it said it would available for a year. I could be wrong about that.
 
hbidad said:
because he has a retail CD and a upgrade KEY. Sounds like all that is lacking is the upgrade media. That's assuming that you can edit the cd to allow an Upgrade key to work with the retail media.
Click to expand...
I've been able to mix and match keys, but I don't remember if I was able to do the same exact combination as the OP. I would still think the double-install method would work, but I haven't actually used an upgrade disc as of yet. I have been able to install fresh using my TechNet retail media, and activate using an OEM key (on various OEM laptops) or my MAK upgrade key purchased for my company. In both cases, even with the upgrade key, activation went through online successfully.
 
if you have the original emails the download links still work. (I had picked up x32, now downloading x64 after reading this thread).

also note, although you cannot use the keys on an incompatible DVD you can plug it in via anytime upgrade (i did this to move from home to professional)
 
candy76man said:
well, just for the record, the edu discount key for win7 pro 32bit I bought will not work with 64bit win7 pro. Not sure why (it makes sense to me that it would) but it says the key doesn't match the product skew or something like that when I try to use it on pro 64bit.
So I guess im stuck using home premium 64 bit on my system and my wife will have to use 32 bit pro. I really wanted 64 bit on both systems as they both have 4 gigs of ram :mad:

thanks for the tip on usb install though, that is much faster.
Click to expand...

Depending on the installation process it may give you that message, but trust us, you CAN get it to work... You may need to install it twice over tho, once w/o activating then another time by performing an "Upgrade Install" on top of that un-activated install... Your issue isn't 64-bit vs 32-bit but trying to install an upgrade key as a clean install (do-able, you just have to jump thru hoops).

I had to walk my uncle thru this over the phone, lemme see if I can find the site I used which had very clearly marked screenshots (so that it was impossible for him to mess up). Edit: Here ya go, this site should give you some options from the double install method to the registry hack method, tho it's not the one I was looking for w/the clearly labeled step-by-step screenshots. I'll see if I can find it later...
 
jiminator said:
if you have the original emails the download links still work. (I had picked up x32, now downloading x64 after reading this thread).

also note, although you cannot use the keys on an incompatible DVD you can plug it in via anytime upgrade (i did this to move from home to professional)
Click to expand...

I tried that but the link in my email just sends me to a blank page that says "Sorry,
It is too late to download this file. You were allowed to download within 30 days.
If you have any questions, please contact Digital River Customer Service at [email protected]."?

Plus the link is only a direct link to get the 32 bit version I originally ordered? Any chance you would be willing to pm me the link your using to download the 64 bit version of pro?
 
hbidad said:
because he has a retail CD and a upgrade KEY. Sounds like all that is lacking is the upgrade media. That's assuming that you can edit the cd to allow an Upgrade key to work with the retail media.

Unfortunately I do not have a URL to give you since they where customized for each user (I think and probably for tracking purposes). However, The DL link should still be available from your DR account? I don't have my login details handy to check, but swore it said it would available for a year. I could be wrong about that.
Click to expand...

Let me clarify, I have the 32 bit pro disk I made from the digital river download and the retail cds I have are actually home premium upgrade media I bought in a store (for my wifes computer) and made a iso out of it and removed the ei.cfg file so I could install any version, which worked. So I guess the problem I'm having is because I was useing the modified upgrade disk I made to do a clean install of pro 64bit on a blank drive rather than starting the install from within a working copy of windows?
 
sorry, the d/l link is a hash that probably embeds the install key or otherwise links to my purchase.
The final file is X15-65805.iso
You can search for it and pick it up that way since they have been widely available anyway.
 
He really shouldn't need to re-download anything to do what he wants unless he wants to avoid doing a double-install on one system (worst case scenario if none of the other methods work).
 
jiminator said:
sorry, the d/l link is a hash that probably embeds the install key or otherwise links to my purchase.
The final file is X15-65805.iso
You can search for it and pick it up that way since they have been widely available anyway.
Click to expand...


thanks man!, that's all I needed:D

I would prefer to avoid the double install so I'm downloading the iso.
 
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