Windows Vista to Windows 7 Upgrade Promotion
- I recently bought a Windows Vista laptop with 4GB of ram which was covered by the free upgrade to windows 7 promotion. I have sent off for and received the Windows 7 media. After this I learnt the difference between 32 and 64 bit operating systems and discovered I have a new laptop which can't use all the RAM it was sold with. The Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor shows the laptop only able to use 3.1GB of the installed RAM!
Who should I contact to get a 64 bit version of Windows 7 so that my laptop can use all of its installed RAM? There is no mention of receiving the 32 bit version of Windows on Amazon where I purchased the laptop.
Alternatively can I use the product key I have received with the 32 bit media for a custom install with borrowed/"purchased and then returned" windows 7 64 bit media on my laptop (Acer Aspire 5536G)? Is there any legal technical or moral reason not to do this? I have checked the Laptop with the windows 7 upgrade advisor and it says my laptop meets all the technical specifications.
As a final resort I would return it as not suitable for purpose as it has been sold with an operating system which can't use all the installed RAM. I expected a laptop to be sold in a state so that it can use all installed RAM. Are there any other options open to me short of returning the laptop as I am not willing to pay for a second licence to use windows 7 – especially as all information I have found published by Microsoft states that both versions 32 bit and 62 bit would be supplied.
All Replies
- If you can obtain a 'generic' OEM 64-bit Windows 7 install disk to use (i.e. an OEM System Builder one or a retail RTM install disk which has had the ei.cfg file altered to have the 'Channel' setting set as 'OEM') then your product key will work with it to successfully install. The install keys can (functionally) work with either install disk.
The laptop manufacturer is responsible for providing you with installation media, so if the manufacturer doesn't offer a 64-bit install disk for your particular laptop upgrade then you're not really entitled to order one. Sorry, but it's OEM licensing!
You can seek legal advice to verify if you wish, but I hoghly doubt that you'd have a valid case, under consumer protection laws, to expect exchange or refund on the basis that the laptop "doesn't meet stated purposes". Under 32-bit Windows, your laptop actually IS 'using all of the 4Gb RAM installed'. It's simply reserving some of it for hardware addressing, and using the rest of it for operations.
Do not expect to get any significant performance improvement from having 64-bit Windows installed, by the way. Unless you are actually running 64-bit software programs, the performance improvement would be negligible.
Some other things to consider:
* As a result of the OEM licensing, it is debatable whether or not you'd be legitimately licensed if you choose to source a 64-bit install disk from elsewhere and use that to install.
* If you do so regardless, you'd definitiely not be entitled to product support for the installation from either Microsoft or the laptop manufacturer.
Cheers. It'll 'work' if you can obtain an install disk, but you're on your own for locating device drivers etc etc if you choose to go that route. And all for negligible gain.- Proposed As Answer byTechwrighter Sunday, November 08, 2009 1:13 AM
- Thank you for your response but I think I am now more confused than before!
I am confused as to what you mean about not being entitled to 64 bit media due to OEM licensing. If I had bought an upgrade from Microsoft would I not be allowed to use the 64bit version they ship and be forced to use the 32bit operating system due to having a 32bit OEM install despite having a 64bit capable laptop. If not how is this different to the upgrade promotion Microsoft were promoting prior to the release of windows 7 where they explicitly offered a free upgrade?
If for example I had purchased the windows 7 upgrade and received the upgrade media does this overwrite the OEM licence with a differently licensed product key thus allowing me to use the 64bit version and then transfer the software to another laptop?
I don’t want an unlicensed version of windows 7 but I DO want the 64bit version – I bought a laptop with 4GB of RAM & a graphics card with 512MB RAM so I could play games on the laptop as well as do other tasks. I expected an operating system that can take full advantage of the laptops capabilities.
Is the ultimate answer that if I want windows 7 64bit on my current laptop legitimately licensed I will need to buy a second Windows 7 upgrade which will come with both versions (32 & 64bit)? Instead If I can successfully return this Laptop I could buy a different one preinstalled with an OEM version of windows 7 at no additional cost to the laptop!
If this is the case was I just an idiot to buy a laptop with OEM windows Vista 32bit installed on it as I cannot upgrade this to windows 7 64bit with the upgrade offer even though the laptop will support windows 7 64bit?
- The maker of your computer made some kind of deal with Microsoft about upgrades. I don't know industry practices but it's quite possible that there was a pricing structure that limited the manufacturer to distributing 32-bit upgrades. Call the OEM, if they have 64-bit upgrades available they should be happy to give you a 64-bit activation code. The "If I had bought this from Microsoft . . . " speculation is irrelevant. You didn't buy it from Microsoft, you're getting an upgrade -- just what you were promised -- from you OEM (original equipment manufacturer).
If you get a new computer there is no guarantee that it will be running a 64-bit system even if it's capable of doing so. 64-bits is not necessarily a win win situation. Some programs will not run on a 64-bit system. Drivers are a particular problem and I think games can be problematic although I'm not a gamer. And, finally, even if you do get a 64-bit copy of Windows 7 to install you will not be able to do an "in place" upgrade. Yo will have to remove all your personal data from the computer, install the new 64-bit operating system, re-install your personal data on the new system, and reinstall any programs you want.
This link goes to Microsoft's FAQ on 32-bit / 64-bit questions.
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/32-bit-and-64-bit-Windows-frequently-asked-questions
