If I buy a new pc or laptop with Windows Vista on it and an offer to upgrade without costto Windows 7 later.Can the Windows 7E version be used to sucessfully upgrade Vista with IE8 to Windows 7E without IE8?Old Mig15 pilot. Using Windows 7 RC Vista that works.

Davy - No. That's why there's no upgrade version for Windows 7E. It's a full retail edition.

Davy - No. That's why there's no upgrade version for Windows 7E. It's a full retail edition. OK. What good is the promise to upgrade to Windows 7 then? Are you given a full set of installation disks here in the UK? Or is the promise worthless?Old Mig15 pilot. Using Windows 7 RC Vista that works.

No. As Wolfie said, you are given a full retail version instead of an upgrade version. That means, you can keep your Vista installation and install Windows 7 on another computer - if you like - because a "full version" doesn't need a qualifying previous Windows version to be validated. The only thing you can't do is an "in-place" upgrade of Windows 7 "over" Vista, as that would require a special upgrade disk with an in-built mechanism to remove IE from your current installation. You'll have to do a clean install instead - but you keep your Vista license. That's good, not bad.Mobile AMD64 3000+, VIA Apollo K8T800 chipset, 1 G RAM, ATIRadeonMobility 9700, 20x DVDRW, C:XPSP3 (55G),D:WIN7 (25G),F:DATA (250G)

Davy-I doubt it would be worthless. A promise is a promise - even if the definition of "upgrade" isn't quite what you expect - and there would be heck to pay if they didn't come through.I'm not 100% sure how exactly this isgoing to work as I don't believe we've ever seen a situation quite like this before - and each manufacturer may do their own thing. But... If I was a betting kind of guy, I'd have to say there would be two likely ways they could handle the situation.1.) They would provide a customized installation DVD (like Dell currently does) for Win 7E. It will feature the vendor's support information and will likely have any specialized drivers for that vendor's hardware. In addition, they may also provide a crapware disk with bonus utilities and such that would normally come preinstalled (Like Dell's support applet and other stuff).2.) They could also provide a standard preinstalled image (in the way HP likes to do it). It will be like restoring any other OS from one of their CD/DVDs. Depending on image size, it may take up any number of configurations - a single or multiple single layer DVDs or a dual layer disk. Either way - it would likely mean a backup of your data before whichever means completely nukes and paves over whatever you had installed.

Wolfie,the whole thing may be different from manufacturer to manufacturer. But when I'm reading the warnings for Windows 7-E users on Acer's website -"Please understand that the clean installation of the Windows 7 upgrade is a technical procedure required by Microsoft that will remove any software and data previously stored on your computer's hard drive. Accordingly, if you choose to proceed with the Windows 7 Upgrade Option Program, you shall do so at your own discretion and risk. Acer in no way warrants the above installation procedure. Acer specifically disclaims any liability with regard to your decision to install the Windows 7 upgrade media (including, without limitation, any incidental, indirect, special, punitive, exemplary, or consequential damages), nor shall Acer be responsible for any loss of data or software from your computer or any associated failures (including any inability to run certain software on your computer after the Windows 7 upgrade), malfunctions, losses or damages caused by or arising from the application of the above installation procedure." -,that doesn't sound like a very customized solution.Mobile AMD64 3000+, VIA Apollo K8T800 chipset, 1 G RAM, ATIRadeonMobility 9700, 20x DVDRW, C:XPSP3 (55G),D:WIN7 (25G),F:DATA (250G)

Sanmartin - Hmm.. Reads like a standard Cover Your Backside disclaimer. But that doesn't mean they can't - or won't modify the Win 7E disk image to put their own stamp on the disk before they ship it out. It would seem they are likely to provide an actual install DVD as opposed to a preset disk image.

Wolfie,one nice example of customization is this one:"The Windows 7 E version does not include the Microsoft Internet Explorer 8. On June 29, 2009, Microsoft announced they will not be shipping Microsoft Internet Explorer 8 to countries in the European Economic Area (EEA), Croatia, and Switzerland. However, HP will be including Microsoft Internet Explorer 8 as part of the HP Windows 7 Upgrade Kit." (from HP Windows 7-E Upgrade FAQ)Much ado about nothing.Mobile AMD64 3000+, VIA Apollo K8T800 chipset, 1 G RAM, ATIRadeonMobility 9700, 20x DVDRW, C:XPSP3 (55G),D:WIN7 (25G),F:DATA (250G)

Davy-I doubt it would be worthless. A promise is a promise - even if the definition of "upgrade" isn't quite what you expect - and there would be heck to pay if they didn't come through.I'm not 100% sure how exactly this isgoing to work as I don't believe we've ever seen a situation quite like this before - and each manufacturer may do their own thing.Either way - it would likely mean a backup of your data before whichever means completely nukes and paves over whatever you had installed. Wolfie,Firstly I'm relieved to hear that in your opinion Microsoftwill adhere to its promise of allowing EU Vista purchasers to [upgrade to] install Win 7E without cost.Secondly I understood that in the EU, upgrade to = install Win 7E; but I just wanted your confirmation of it.Thirdly, I simply cannot believe that Microsoft will allow EU citizens to keep their Vista licences and get a Win 7E licence. It would seem more likely that somehow the installation negates the old Vista licence as it installs the new Win 7E licence.Finally it would appear to me that Microsoft have made a rod for their own back with this? Separately and individually having an EU edition of Win 7 sans IE8 & promising to EU customers that they can [upgrade to] install Win 7E from Vista sound reasonable. But jointly they appear to be fraught with problems, both for the computer manufacturers and Microsoft.I just hope that it wasn't an attempt by Microsoft to antagonise the EU, because it has all the elements of a pyrrhic victory. Managing to offend everybody and achieving nothing.Old Mig15 pilot. Using Windows 7 RC Vista that works.

At a guess, the European upgrade *license* will work like the one in the USA, but there simply will be no option for an upgrade-in-place. (Only a custom install, which is basically a clean install.)I suppose that the fate of the license for the qualifying OS will be the same as in the USA. I don't know what that is, either. I have read claims that when XP was upgraded to Vista, that the XP key was invalidated. I never checked that.

Wolfie,Firstly I'm relieved to hear that in your opinion Microsoftwill adhere to its promise of allowing EU Vista purchasers to [upgrade to] install Win 7E without cost.Secondly I understood that in the EU, upgrade to = install Win 7E; but I just wanted your confirmation of it.Thirdly, I simply cannot believe that Microsoft will allow EU citizens to keep their Vista licences and get a Win 7E licence. It would seem more likely that somehow the installation negates the old Vista licence as it installs the new Win 7E licence.Finally it would appear to me that Microsoft have made a rod for their own back with this? Separately and individually having an EU edition of Win 7 sans IE8 & promising to EU customers that they can [upgrade to] install Win 7E from Vista sound reasonable. But jointly they appear to be fraught with problems, both for the computer manufacturers and Microsoft.I just hope that it wasn't an attempt by Microsoft to antagonise the EU, because it has all the elements of a pyrrhic victory. Managing to offend everybody and achieving nothing. Old Mig15 pilot. Using Windows 7 RC Vista that works. Davy - By allowing EU Vista owners to "upgrade" - I meant "upgrade" in the same sense that XP owners can "upgrade" to Windows 7. It'll be a "clean install". Secondly - my "confirmation" is merely my 2 cents worth on the issue. I don't work for Microsoft, nor am I an MVP. I'm just assessing the situation and using a bit of logic to deduce what options are available based on past experience.Third - Eh.. I tend to doubt the old Vista license would be negated. Two reasons for that.A.) Unless I'm seriously mistaken, ALL OEM licensed installations share the same OEM key. My last Dell repair job invovled installing Windows XP SP 2 from a Dell restore disk. It never once asked me for a product key. Once the installation portion was complete and it rebooted, I had a clean installation of XP SP2 - preactivated, and ready to go. It did prompt me for a user name, location and the usual setup criteria and the only real indication that it wasn't a standard retail XPinstallation was the Dell logo on the properties page when you right click on My Computer and the Dell wallpaper. The individual license stickers stuck on the side of each computer therefore go unused. IF Microsoft were to negate the OEM Vista license, it would then, therefore render ALL OEM licenses from that manufacturer null and void. And that would NOT be a good thing.B.) So there you are, you've got your Windows 7 box, you've upgraded but something isn't quite working out - yet. You need to go back to Vista. If that license were null and void, you would be up the proverbial crick, without the proverbial paddle. Fourth - Not entirely sure of the phrase "made a rod for their own back"... But keep in mind, any upgrade (be it an upgrade where files are simply replaced, or a clean install) has the makings for a lot of problems and issues. As far as the situation in the EU... It probably will antagonize a few members of the EC... By jumping the gun and creating Windows 7E, Microsoft is trying to avoid two things it really would rather notbe forcedto do - namely bundle Opera, Firefox, Chrome, Safari as well as IE 8 on the installation DVD with some ballot mechanism and giving the EC a shot at their bank accounts with yet another ludicrously huge fine. Remember, not too long ago, the very same EC levied a monsterously huge fine on Intel for their anti-competetive behaviors. Fines like that will only mean higher prices because you just KNOW that Microsoft would simply pass on the cost to consumers.

Please review: Installing E editions of Windows 7Carey Frisch

All I was curious about were the people in the EU that bought a computerwith Windows Vista installed with a promise with it to get a free "upgrade" to Windows 7 when the OS ships to the public.As far as I remember when some people "upgraded" from XP to Vista they found that the old XP licence was "invalidated" installing Vista and that customers held one licence only. So I wondered what will actually happen.What I really wanted was someone like Carey or a Microsoft Tech to simply confirm how it will actually work. I know that this will not take place until the end of October; but there must be a lot of people wishing to buy computers with Vista on in the EU who want to know now what will actually happen in October and not have to wait until then and possibly be disappointed.Old Mig15 pilot. Using Windows 7 RC Vista that works.

All Windows Vista E licenses will be "full Licenses" and will require a "custom installation" which is essentially a "clean install". Those users that purchase a new computer that came with OEM Windows Vista preinstalled, and are eligible for the free upgrade to Windows 7, will no longer be able to use the original OEM Windows Vista license after installing Windows 7 E.Carey Frisch

Thank you for clearing that up Carey. There is one person in my family who wants to buy a laptop and is happy with that knowledge.Old Mig15 pilot. Using Windows 7 RC Vista that works.