Windows 7

[#1]

Update Oct 25 2009: I figured out the solution - I DIDN'T have to reinstall windows 7. All I had to do was follow instructions http://www.winsupersite.com/win7/clean_install_upgrade_media.asp and it works like charm. I didnt have to touch my upgrade media at all (I received the upgrade media yesterday)..

More info on my blog at http://bubhutsa.blogspot.com/2009/09/clean-install-windows-7-rtm-home.html

Have fun!

Hi,

I have L305-S5919 - came bundled with Vista Home Basic.

I am planning on installing Windows 7 (x64) - Have " pre-order"ed a Windows 7 Home Premium.

Before waiting till Oct 22, I want to play around with Windows 7 so I can just activate my copy whenever the vendor ships me the Windows 7 (on/after Oct22)

Now my question is ---- Can I just overwrite the c:\ (other partitions are intact - recovery/another one i dont remember) and type in the product key whenever the windows 7 disk arrives

(OR)

Do I have to re-install Vista Home Basic (from my recovery disks) and (re)install windows 7 again (whenever that disk is shipped) as it could be a upgrade disk and it always checks for a preinstalled and activated version of vista???

thanks

[#2]

Sorry, your questions is a direct support question for which you should wait for Toshiba to provide you with a Best Practices supportable path for going to Windows 7.

I performed a an upgrade and not clean install and it worked perfectly for I did the right things about Toshiba updates, Microsoft updates and backing up my system before the jump.

Everything I did and everything since that I am doing can be found at my blog on same

E105-S1402 ( Windows 7) upgrade Q & A ( Started:7-August-2009)

Hank Freeman

Senior Data/System/DBA(DW) Architect.

end.

[#3]

I'm 99.999999% certain that you won't be able to use the COA Key that comes with your Windows 7 Disk from Toshiba to activate any of the versions that you will download now.

You might want to read this entry from Paul Thurott's Windows Super Site about installing and upgrading Windows 7.  It might answer some of your questions.

[#4]

@Hfreeman,

i read through your post - I am looking for x32 vista home basic to x64 win 7 home premium. perhaps you are correct - i need to wait for toshiba's suggested practice to migrate from vista to win 7 and still have all the toshiba tools installed in the new os (but i purchased win 7 upgrade from walmart.. so i dont know if toshiba will have any thing to say..)

@cee_64, i went through paul's site you referred to where he says-

"So if you stuck with a 32-bit version of Windows Vista but are ready to take the plunge into 64-bit for Windows 7, you will need to do a clean install and then migrate your settings and data over with Windows Easy Transfer. (This is possible with the Upgrade versions, though the details of the process are unknown until I and other reviewers can get our hands on the actual upgrade packaging to test it.)"

that's exactly what my scenario is... i suppose i will have to wait some more time to see how the upgrade editions differ from the retail edition (which is what i have installed now)

[#5]

Your acceptance of your position is correct. With the clean install you will have to have all the drivers on a thumb drive ready to go...

Remember I tooks a HP pent 4 system on Vista 32 Business to Windows 7-32 Ultimate via the UPGRADE path and all I had to do was load the missing XP driver I needed which I had at the ready... Also remember that this HP system was never qualified for Vista, but I did it anyway.. B-Cause, I could and I was really done with XP due to all its issue prior to SP3 and I still do no like it anymore... (Personal).

If this is your primary system WAIT... If this is as Doc Brown would say "A science Experience" then consider going to Window 7-32 and find out what drivers you need before you do by looking at what Toshiba has already posted as downloads for Windows 7-32 FOR YOUR SYSTEM SPECIFICALLY.  You may enjoy what you learn..

After you have considered it start a blog about YOUR model just like I did for my E105-S1402 on the experience and I and I am sure others like CEE-64 will watch, learn and contribute.

His contribution (below) from a previous post is good but from Date 22-Aug-2007 so it is a good reference whose content may well need to be updated by the author as experiences change.

REMEMBER !!

Whatever you do, we can only help you but so much, you are basically cut loose from the dock to sail or run aground.  If your decision is made then so be it, if you have a change of heart, I look forward to reading your blog on same.

Hank Freeman

Windows 7 Review Part 3: Installing, Upgrading, and Migrating 

end..

[#6 · Accepted solution]

1) I believe this post may have answered my question. ( I will confirm this soon after I get my 'upgrade' media)

2) My blogpost has instructions for Windows 7 clean install on vista home basic for L305-S5919

I am yet to decide on the hidden partitions on my toshiba (will do after Oct22 and/or after hearing toshiba's instructions)

Keep watching

PS1: so far, i am impressed with the performance of my laptop with Win 7.

PS2: Last week I installed Microsoft Security Essentials. That looks/works fine too.

[#7]

Microsoft Security Essentials may look and run fine, but it doesn't actually protect any better than Windows Live One Care did, and that didn't do squat.  A MUCH better free solution is Avast Home Free or Avira Free.

[#8]

thanks for the info - i believe i will go for avg 9.0 suite (i read elsewhere its free as microsoft crashed its party)

and, is there a comparison study for MS Security essentials vs other vendors... ??

[#9]

There are some, but I can't temember where. 

Unfortunately AVG Free is even worse than MIES in that it doesn't provide REAL TIME Protection.  It only scans when you manually scan the system.  It doesn't scan anything when you download a file, open an archive, or go to a website with infectious code.  That's why I mentioned the two that I did as they DO provide REAL TIME protection.   I make a good percentage of my income fixing systems that have AVG on them and are so infected with virus, trojans, and other malware.  I rarely get an infected system that has Avast or Avira on them, and then only because they have either turned off real time (Resident) protection or stopped updating it.  In many ways running AVG Free is worse than not running anything as it gives one a false sense of security protection. 

[#10]

I concur with you - I I tried AVG sometime ago on my (old) XP and it was not completely satisfactory. I was hoping AVG 9.0 might have improved since then..

Anyhow, I will try avir or avast one of these days.