I currently am using Windows XP 32 bit, but am upgrading to Windows 7 on the 22nd. I built a new computer for this, and want to go 64 bit with the upgrade. Microsoft says the upgrade will do either 32 bit or 64 bit.

I realize that some of my softwares will not work on 64 bit, but I have everything installed now in my XP. I would like to partition my HD (1 TB) to run the XP in 32 bit, and migrate everything to the Win 7 partition. The problem as I see it, is that I can't just partition without doing a whole reinstall. So I bought Paragon Virtualization, and Paragon Drive backup. The problem with the drive backup is the software sees 931.5 GB, when in reality, only 14 GB of my drive is being used. The drive backup wants to burn an ISO of the whole drive, and shows 8 hours and 19 DVDs.

Is there an easier way to do this, so that I can have XP 32 bit and Win 7 64 bit on the same disc, without having to reinstall everything? Win 7 says it can migrate all of my programs in about 30 minutes. What could possibly go wrong?

For one thing you can't upgrade an XP machine to Windows 7. You'll need the full copy of Windows 7 not an upgrade copy.

See this tutorial:
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/8057-...ndows-7-xp.html

Jacee, from what I've been reading, you can use an Upgrade version of Windows 7 but you have to do a Clean Install during the installation, you canot take the upgrade path as it is not even offered. This MS Technet article is pretty straight forward I think: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library...K_UpgradeFromXP

This post has been edited by Ztruker: Oct 20 2009, 04:25 PM

The article says "Migrate", but it doesn't say using an upgrade Windows 7 installation disc. Isn't this confusing, though!?

Okay, found this:


A 'clean' ( choose Custom) install is required for Windows 7. I would suggest a dual boot:

Another article to add to the confusion (however, I believe that I was wrong about an upgrade disc)
http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums...b-b82938e63f94/

Now add in the OEM version and complete chaos reigns.

Windows 7 Pro OEM 64 bit)

That's what I decided to go with after a lot of reading and asking questions on the Windows 7 Misc forum

I also read recently that both the 32 and 64 bit discs are in the retail box of all versions (including OEM), but I wonder if that means Upgrade too? I don't think you can upgrade from 32 bit to 64 bit though. I'm pretty sure you need to do a clean install.

Why does this have to be so confusing?????

Watcherduck,

Please note that when migrating from Windows XP to Windows 7 you will not have an "in place upgrade" option. You will however have the option to select "custom" install when prompted. The Windows 7 install process will then copy all of your data in "My Documents" over to a Windows.old folder within Windows 7 itself. All applications and documents stored in other locations will have to be reinstalled / transferred manually.

For additional assistance with the migration of Windows XP to Windows 7, please go here:
Jessica
Microsoft Windows Client Team

Why am I not so surprized that a Microsoft OS is such a puzzle?

I was assured that I could upgrade from XP to Win 7, so that's what I bought. I also have Almeza Multi set, which will allow me to make an application kit CD which will install all my applications unattended ( what can possibly go wrong?). I guess the thing is whether I can install a 64 bit, when my XP is 32 bit. I tried to purchase a 64 bit XP, but nobody, including Microsoft sells it any more. That's what prompted me to lose my senses and purchase Win 7.

I wanted to do a dual boot with XP 32bit, and Win 7 64 bit, so if Win 7 filled up my sack, I could bounce over to XP. Maybe I should buy a Mac, and turn into a vegetable.

I will decide after I read all the assignments you people have so kindly found for me.

Thank you!!

This is perfectly feasible.

Done it several times with the Beta and RC.

Simply choose to install to a new partition or hard drive.

Windows 7 will install a Boot Manager which will prompt on boot to load Windows 7 or a Previous Version of Windows (XP).

See this tutorial about dual booting XP with Windows7
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/8057-...ndows-7-xp.html

This is exactly what I was looking for. Thank you!!
Thanks to all of you. I will come back some time this weekend and give you a report of how it goes.

G'day.

If I've got it right, all the replies and links above are telling me that Win7 is native in 64bit as most new computers are capable of supporting 64bit OS's. To my understanding, and PLEASE CORRECT ME if I am wrong, the process of going to Win7 is the Upgrade, therefore a 32bit disk is included for those that have older hardware.

I also seem to be finding a lot of comments that indicate that you can dual boot your system and run XP32bit or XP64bit and Win7-64bit on the same machine (this I need more opinions on though).

I am also fairly certain that dual boot will only work if your liscence(product key) of Win7 is the one commonly sold with the few hundred$ price tag. 'tis perfect marketing sense really, when you think about it.....but for what ever reasons I might speculate; financial or programming; its pretty clear that an in-place Upgrade is only available if you own Vista, but not XP or XP64.

So this is my understanding of the problem:
1) It doesnt matter which version of XP you have, you will have to do a custom install - IF you have the 'cheaper' Liscence, your XP will be written over.
(what I don't yet know is if after that installation, can you reinstall XP on a separate partition, to utilise a dual boot system.)

2) If you own Vista, it does not matter if it's 32 or 64 bit, you can do an 'in place' installation.
3) If all else fails, you can start from scratch with new HDD's - and do a new install of Win7 - if you own the 'Full Version product key', reinstall XP and then do a custom installation of the cheap Win7 (use your old HDD as an external), Or buy a new Mac and runXP64 as a virtual machine and laugh really hard at the irony....
...maybe.