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Upgrading to Windows 8.1 Pro x64 from Windows 7 Ultimate x86

Anonymous
2017-09-11T14:05:24+00:00

Hello.

I want to install 64-bit Windows 8.1 Pro on my PC which runs Windows 7 Ultimate 32-bit since the time of purchase at a retail store. Will the Windows 7 product key work for the new version? I downloaded the Windows 8.1 iso file from Microsoft website.

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Licensing and activation

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  1. Anonymous
    2017-09-11T20:31:04+00:00

    Hi,

    The Windows 7 Product Key will not work for 8.1.

    Windows 8.1 does not come for free; you have to buy it.

    Microsoft no longer sells Windows 8/8.1.

    Try amazon.com.

    Cheers.

    5 people found this answer helpful.
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  2. Anonymous
    2017-09-11T21:53:15+00:00

    Hi,

    The Windows 7 Product Key will not work for 8.1.

    Windows 8.1 does not come for free; you have to buy it.

    Microsoft no longer sells Windows 8/8.1.

    Try amazon.com.

    Cheers.

    Okay.. How about installing Windows 7 Ultimate x64 and activating it with the same one (swapping it for the x86 version I've always had)?

    Anyway, I got the whole OS ready for install from a bootable drive I made myself, I was just wondering if the product key will work for that one too.

    BTW, if you can't use the same product key, what even is the use of the Windows images we download for free?

    You can install either Windows 7 x86 (32bit) or 64bit, but not have both installed at the same time.

    @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

    People have actually paid for Windows 8.1 as preinstalled on their computer or bought a retail license and they want to reinstall it after the recovery partition has been damaged or the hard drive failed, or they want to refresh their already paid for Windows 8.1 and the media is damaged.

    That's some of the reasons why there is a download.

    "Create installation media for Windows 8.1"

    http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-8/create-**reset-refresh-**media

    2 people found this answer helpful.
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  3. Anonymous
    2017-09-12T20:33:01+00:00

    If it does require phone Activation, do not follow the Auto Prompts, but hold on for a real person to explain to as to what has been done for re-installation purposes

    "How to Activate Windows 7 by Phone"

    http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/18715-activate-windows-7-phone.html

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  4. Anonymous
    2017-09-12T13:47:04+00:00

    Does that mean that the x64 version of Windows 7 Ultimate will be able to be activated with the same product key I have?

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  5. Anonymous
    2017-09-11T20:59:50+00:00

    Hi,

    The Windows 7 Product Key will not work for 8.1.

    Windows 8.1 does not come for free; you have to buy it.

    Microsoft no longer sells Windows 8/8.1.

    Try amazon.com.

    Cheers.

    Okay.. How about installing Windows 7 Ultimate x64 and activating it with the same one (swapping it for the x86 version I've always had)?

    Anyway, I got the whole OS ready for install from a bootable drive I made myself, I was just wondering if the product key will work for that one too.

    BTW, if you can't use the same product key, what even is the use of the Windows images we download for free?

    0 comments