Will I be able to simply install the full Windows 7 over my Windows RC2 version and not lose any programs settings etc? Regards,

Phil - No. Depending on if you get an upgrade version or the full retail package, you'll need to either install Vista or XP first and then install Windows 7 as an upgrade or in the case of the full product, you'll have to do a clean install. Either way, you can't install on top of the release candidate code. There are two primary reasons for this:1.) If you do install on top of the RC code, there will likely be a number of potential glitches that can pop up and Microsoft isn't going to be tracking them down. 2.) The RC is currently installed as Ultimate. Most likely you will either be buying Home Premium or Professional for the final version. There isn't any way to "downgrade" from Ultimate to Home Premium or Professional. You can certainly go the other way - upgrade FROM Home Premium to Pro or Ultimate, but it doesn't work the other way around.

Depending on if you get an upgrade version or the full retail package, you'll need to either install Vista or XP first and then install Windows 7 as an upgrade or in the case of the full product, you'll have to do a clean install. Either way, you can't install on top of the release candidate code. There No matter if you have an upgrade or a Retail you can do a clean Install. If you have an Upgrade you will simply be asked to insert a disk with a qualifying product.

Jens - Actually... That's not how the Windows 6.x installer works. In order to do an upgrade to Windows 6.x (Vista and Windows 7) you have to insert the DVD into the system while you're running a working copy of some qualifying OS. From there, the installer will check the WGA system on the existing installation to see if it's a valid copy of Windows. If it finds it as such, it will then go ahead and flag the hard drive in such a way so then when you reboot, and it starts loading the installer from the DVD, it will see that the version of Windows on the hard drive is upgradable. At that point, you can do one of 3 different types of installations:1.) Clean install - complete "nuke and pave" 2.) Upgrade the previous OS3.) Non-destructive clean install (Moves the old OS files to C:\Windows.OLD while installing a clean copy of the new one)Note: option #2 above is only available for Windows 7 if your existing OS is Vista. From XP, it's option 1 or 3.

Right So I should be able to do it as option s above when initiated from run from running Windows 7 version. Many thanks.

Phil - Um.. NO.. Windows 7 RC is not a qualifying OS for the upgrade. There's a couple of reasons why...1.) It may be a release candidate but it still falls in the catagory of BETA. Upgrading can and probably will lead to a LOT of problems - ones that Microsoft isn't likely to track down if you were to install Windows 7 RTM on top of the RC. It will likely cause problems you may not like...2.)The RC version is Ultimate edition. Don't know which version of 7 you were planning on getting, but odds are it's not Ultimate. You can't downgrade from Ultimate to Home Premium or Professional. On the other hand, you can always ADD new features and upgrade from Home Premium to Professional or Ultimate, but it only goes one way. The only qualifying upgradable OS's out there are Windows XPor Vista. I'm not sure if Windows 2000 is valid, but it should be.

Ah OK, right. I was going for "if I ask lots of times perhaps the reply will change!" routine. OK it's clear many thanks for your time to write a reply. Cheers,

There is another point here that should be included regarding why there is no upgrade path Win7 RC to GA (retail box)or XP to Win7.Vista was not built on XP. It was groundup new, clean slate. Whereas Windows 7 is built on Vista, a progression; no progression from XP. Hence no upgrade path XP > 7Now RC > Final Release. Yes, could be bugs or whatever in the RC that is, indeed, a betaand nobody wants any risk of 'carry over'. But... y'all were able to get Win7 RC for free!! Operating Systems are not free!! W/ an existing XP or Vista, you bought that so now just buy Upgrade media. W/ RC you have no purchased basis for an Upgrade... It was pretty mucha free trial. If you decide you like it enough to keep w/ it then, next step is go buy it. Simple as that.ThanksDrew MS Partner Pres. Computer Issues

Drew - Good point - tho I gotta add one more thing to it... When Vista came out - you actually DID have an upgrade path from XP to Vista. But the result was anything but pretty... More like Phyllis Diller in the morning, without makeup, breaking the bathroom mirror'pretty'...Microsoft decided this time around to simplfy things. To have it do an upgrade from XP would have required a TON of work getting that all to work reasonably well. Had they chosen to go that route, we might still have been waiting for the Beta version to be released.