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MrFixit1
join:1999-11-26
Madison, WI

MrFixit1 to Gem

Member

to Gem

Re: [WIN8] Questions about the Win8 digital upgrade...

There is this
"Will it be possible with Windows 8 to upgrade from a prior Windows 32-bit version to a 64-bit version?
It is not possible to upgrade from a 32-bit to a 64-bit OS through the Windows Upgrade Assistant. "

Not absolutely positive that you could not download via a 64 bit os and then use that to upgrade a 32 bit , since I have not tried yet .
Will be trying it after Xmas , but with a store purchased disc , ( love black Friday deals )
Don't think it will work , but since it is an XP home install anyway , am prepared to throw enough of a 64 bit install on it for the upgrade to take
Gem
Premium Member
join:2005-09-10

Gem

Premium Member

said by MrFixit1:

It is not possible to upgrade from a 32-bit to a 64-bit OS through the Windows Upgrade Assistant. "

Not absolutely positive that you could not download via a 64 bit os and then use that to upgrade a 32 bit , since I have not tried yet .
Will be trying it after Xmas , but with a store purchased disc

Have you tried that yet? Did it work?
MrFixit1
join:1999-11-26
Madison, WI

MrFixit1

Member

Did work and even offered to save personal data . Since everything was backed up , just let it clean install .
Am kind of wishing that we had tried to make a dual boot work
Yes I am fully aware that would not be licensing compatible !
Gem
Premium Member
join:2005-09-10

Gem

Premium Member

Let me be sure about this, did you upgrade a 32bit version of Windows to a 64bit version of W8 using the $39 downloaded upgrade program from MSFT?

That's what my objective is. I've got a bunch of Windows Operating Systems here, but most are the 32bit versions....
MrFixit1
join:1999-11-26
Madison, WI

2 edits

MrFixit1

Member

OK to go over it again
1 I Migrated 32 bit XP home to 64 bit Win8 using a RETAIL upgrade disk ,not a downloaded version . Was $29 after rebate so was the cheapest way
The retail upgrade disk has both the 64 and 32 bit versions
Notice I said migrated and not upgraded ! If you go from 32 to 64 , you will have to reinstall everything !
The only way to do what everyone calls a upgrade is from 32 bit 7 to 32 bit 8 , or 64 bit 7 to 64 bit 8 .
.
2 If you download , you will get only whatever you download with . If you download using a 32 bit os , you will get the 32 bit version. If you want 64bit , you MUST download using a 64 bit OS ! If you do not have access to a 64 bit OS , there are some work-arounds , but I do not feel comfortable detailing them . Google is your friend

3 Make sure that the systems you want to upgrade can take 64 bit , and make use of it . In some cases , it is best just to stay 32 bit .

Am assuming that you are planning to burn the downloaded system to a bootable disk and then booting from that . I think I could almost guaranty it will NOT work if you try to boot to the upgrade program from within the old OS !
Gem
Premium Member
join:2005-09-10

Gem

Premium Member

Thank you very. That's extremely informative.

Using the correct terms, it seems my goal is to "migrate" from 32bit systems to W8 64bit version.

Would you please post a link to where you were able to purchase the Retail upgrade disk for $29 after rebate? Please PM that if not comfortable with posting the link.

Buying the disk to upgrade sounds like the best bet. I prefer a full reinstall in any event.

Thanks.

alt2541
join:2001-12-31

alt2541

Member

»www.newegg.com/Product/P ··· 32416562

Believe this was the promo item from newegg that i bought just b4 christmas for 30.00 with the discount--has both 32 and 64 bit discs...back to 70.00 now tho
MrFixit1
join:1999-11-26
Madison, WI

MrFixit1

Member

Actually , it was an OfficeMax Black Friday deal
Does not really matter . There were several deals running in Nov and Dec where you could buy the retail disk for the same or less than the download price .

To the best of my knowledge, there are NO such deals currently in effect !

The best price for legit keys is currently the Microsoft download program .

I do not know if you could buy 1 full disc set ($69) and then just buy as many download keys as you need ( believe there is a 5 key limit on downloads ).
Also not sure if the download keys are the same for 64 as 32 . Have a feeling they are not , since the key is what determines the os that gets downloaded to you

Remember that the special price is only until the end of the month !
Also remember that the media extender deal ends Jan 31 !
Gem
Premium Member
join:2005-09-10

Gem

Premium Member

What is the "media extender" of which you speak?
MrFixit1
join:1999-11-26
Madison, WI

MrFixit1

Member

Should have said Media Center not media extender

If you were not aware of it , Microsoft removed Media center capabilities from Win8 , unless you paid extra .
There is a window of opportunity to restore it for free .

»www.techrepublic.com/blo ··· ait/6928 explains things .

This is the page to get the Media Center key
»windows.microsoft.com/en ··· re-packs

If you think things are interesting now , wait till all the people buying computers with Win8 installed find out that they got Win8 core , and to do what they were able to on their old computers will have to pay for an upgrade !

tcg
Premium Member
join:2003-09-12
Lubbock, TX

tcg to MrFixit1

Premium Member

to MrFixit1
Yes, the keys will work with 32 bit or 64 bit - with every version of Windows since Vista.

sekim
MVM
join:1999-08-17
Saint Petersburg, FL

sekim

MVM

Will the win8pro upgrade key work if I install win8pro via the RTM .iso ? I've installed it several ways on my april purchased Lenovo budget laptop and always it has an open handle and lots of errors when win7 image maker runs. Run system cleanup and then SFC shows errors on some kb update to a cannon printer that I don't even have. Hoping RTM will install best.
Gem
Premium Member
join:2005-09-10

Gem to tcg

Premium Member

to tcg
Are the key codes the same for the 32bit upgrade and the 64bit W8 upgrades or do they have different keys?

sekim
MVM
join:1999-08-17
Saint Petersburg, FL

sekim

MVM

Same key works 32 or 64 bitz

tcg
Premium Member
join:2003-09-12
Lubbock, TX

tcg to sekim

Premium Member

to sekim
It should. You may have to fool Windows into thinking you used the right method to install...

Edit: In fact, I know it will. For every college student that has brought their machine in for me to install the (nearly) free Windows upgrade on, I've used the Technet media and their key. Didn't need to do anything special at all.
Gem
Premium Member
join:2005-09-10

Gem to sekim

Premium Member

to sekim
Nice!

tcg
Premium Member
join:2003-09-12
Lubbock, TX

tcg to Gem

Premium Member

to Gem
I thought that's what I said!
Gem
Premium Member
join:2005-09-10

Gem

Premium Member

said by tcg:

I thought that's what I said!

Almost.

You said "keys" which led me to wonder if there were two different keys for 32 and 64 bit installs. Gather now that you get a single key that will work with either version.

tcg
Premium Member
join:2003-09-12
Lubbock, TX

tcg

Premium Member

said by Gem:

said by tcg:

I thought that's what I said!

Almost.

You said "keys" which led me to wonder if there were two different keys for 32 and 64 bit installs. Gather now that you get a single key that will work with either version.

Hmmm. I was responding to a post that used the word "keys" so somehow it seemed appropriate. I still fail to see the difference. But that's okay. Glad the confusion is cleared up for you!

The same thing is true for Office, btw.
Gem
Premium Member
join:2005-09-10

Gem to MrFixit1

Premium Member

to MrFixit1
said by MrFixit1:

Should have said Media Center not media extender

If you were not aware of it , Microsoft removed Media center capabilities from Win8 , unless you paid extra .
There is a window of opportunity to restore it for free .

»www.techrepublic.com/blo ··· ait/6928 explains things .

This is the page to get the Media Center key
»windows.microsoft.com/en ··· re-packs

If you think things are interesting now , wait till all the people buying computers with Win8 installed find out that they got Win8 core , and to do what they were able to on their old computers will have to pay for an upgrade !

A quick heads up to anyone trying to add windows media player to W8.

You'll need to get a key to do so from Microsoft. When I tried to get the key using the Firefox web browser, MSFT in its all knowing wisdom, refused to send the key.

To work around that problem, contact MSFT using Internet Explorer. They will then send you the key with no problems.
robman50
join:2010-12-14

robman50

Member

How much is it? Is media player free if I have W8 Pro?
MrFixit1
join:1999-11-26
Madison, WI

MrFixit1

Member

Free until the end of the month ( must be installed by end of month )
Gem
Premium Member
join:2005-09-10

Gem to robman50

Premium Member

to robman50
said by robman50:

How much is it? Is media player free if I have W8 Pro?

As MrFixit1 said, Media Center Player is Free until the end of this month.

Getting the key and adding Media Player by following the instructions in the links posted above was very easy.

My key arrived in only a minute or two. The Upgrade took place in the space of ten to twenty minutes.

Thumbs up to MrFixit1 for the good tip and for posting the links showing us exactly how to get the key and how to do the upgrade.

Just to it in IE rather than a highly secured Firefox browser. ;>)
robman50
join:2010-12-14

robman50

Member

I got the key in about 5 minutes. It installed its self no trouble at all.
Gem
Premium Member
join:2005-09-10

Gem

Premium Member

Good deal. Glad it worked for you.
robman50
join:2010-12-14

robman50

Member

How many times can I reuse those product keys?
Gem
Premium Member
join:2005-09-10

Gem

Premium Member

I believe the rule is we are allowed to use only one key per upgrade and only on one computer. Even changing the components of that one computer may cause windows to refuse to boot, requiring a call to MSFT, where we ask "mother, may I". If the mood strikes, MSFT may deign to allow us to change the components of our computer or perhaps even to move the OS to an entirely different computer, but that's up to them.

To summarize: One key on one computer and only that computer forever more unless MSFT says otherwise.

If that wasn't your question, and if you were asking how many times can we reinstall the upgrade on the same computer - I don't know.
robman50
join:2010-12-14

robman50

Member

I swapped the HDD with an SSD and now I want to do a fresh install so the partition size matches the SSD. Not like 500GB -> 120GB and everything goes crazy.
Gem
Premium Member
join:2005-09-10

Gem

Premium Member

Well...

Try it and see what happens. If W8 balks on you, call Microsoft and ask their permission, which they will very likely grant if their present policy is similar to what it was back in the XP days.

If MSFT's rep says "NO", simply ask to speak to a supervisor and keep escalating until you get someone who says "YES".

============================================

Don't know what software you are imaging and restoring with. I use the Seagate Acronis free version of what appears to be True Image. It has done a lot of successful imaging here from larger drives down to much smaller drives with no problem.

What seems to matter is the size of the used space on the drive more that the total drive size.

I also use at least two partitions on almost all drives. One (or now two) for the Operating System and a second much larger partition for data files.

Most of the time it is the OS partition(s) that are restored or moved from drive to drive by imaging. True Image has handled that very well, IMO.
robman50
join:2010-12-14

robman50

Member

So an +1 for Seagate Disc Wizzard. I use that all the time when I need to restore the O/S.