Windws 7 preexcisting OS reinstalling.

[jasperav]

Yes. The Windows 7 Upgrade disc prompts for a valid XP or Vista key if there is no existing Windows Installation on the computer.

EDIT: You can get the Product Key for an existing OS installation using tools like described. However I do not believe there is a way to get the XP key you used for the upgrade when running Windows 7.

Aaah thats to bad! so i think i need to buy a whole new windows 7 disc.. to bad

[Geek-9pm]

Why not borrow a Visa or XP disc and do a install, then install Windows 7 on top of it.
Later return the CD to its owner. After  Windows 7 is installed the XP CD is no longer needed.
BTW: In which region are you? In the far east?

[BC_Programmer]

Why not borrow a Visa or XP disc and do a install, then install Windows 7 on top of it.
Later return the CD to its owner. After  Windows 7 is installed the XP CD is no longer needed.
BTW: In which region are you? In the far east?

The Disc is not what is needed, it is the key. As per the EULA, I don't believe you can use a XP or Vista disk for an upgrade installation and then use that Product key for a installation of the original OS elsewhere.

[Geek-9pm]

The Disc is not what is needed, it is the key. As per the EULA, I don't believe you can use a XP or Vista disk for an upgrade installation and then use that Product key for a installation of the original OS elsewhere.

I understand your point. In all installs I have done, I was never asked for the key for the older product.

This machine has Windows 7 as an update to Vista, but I did not have to install  Vista! Not sure how that happened.

But world-Wide MS has a number of different policies that differ from North America and Western Europe.

IMHO This whole product-key thing is a big annoyance. One would think that MS would just burn the key into the original CD or DVD so that each one is unique.

Also, it would help if we could kn ow what are the policies of MS in different regions. Users  all over the globe come here for help. And we don't understand and the problem.

[Salmon Trout]

One would think that MS would just burn the key into the original CD or DVD so that each one is unique.

Have you thought what would do to the cost of producing the disks?

[BC_Programmer]

IMHO This whole product-key thing is a big annoyance. One would think that MS would just burn the key into the original CD or DVD so that each one is unique.

Aside from cost... the CD/DVDs are not "burned". In fact it is part of the fact that they are stamped that it would be so expensive
The logistical implications would be excessive. Currently, the keys are generated using some undocumented (for good reason) algorithm, probably involving encryption and base64 or base-32 or something to that accord. Entering a key it merely ensures it is valid by "reversing" it in a sense.

Actually, one could use the same logic for phones. "Phone numbers are just a big annoyance. You would think phone companies would just burn the phone number into the bottom of the phone".

[Geek-9pm]

Have you thought what would do to the cost of producing the disks?

Yes, less than the hologram they print on it.

[BC_Programmer]

Yes, less than the hologram they print on it.

No. It would probably double or even triple the costs involved. Each disc is not "burned". They are duplicated via disc stamping. having different information on each disc would require the creation of a new stamp master for each disc. Either that, or they would have to manually burn every single copy using a DVD-writer, which would be both silly and uneconomical.

The holograms are all the same on every single disc. The cost per unit price decreases as more duplicates are made, because you only make the original once, and the only additional cost is for materials, which are cheap, particularly when purchased in bulk. Your suggestion would mean the elimination of this built in reduction of per-unit cost of production.

[Geek-9pm]

...No. It would probably double or even triple the costs involved. Each disc is not "burned". They are duplicated via disc stamping. having different information on each disc would Your suggestion would mean the elimination of this built in reduction of per-unit cost of production.

The technology is already available. The cost is comparable, but requiems an additional  process.It takes a laser less that 20 seconds to burn a product key in a  very small area of the DVD. Very very small era.
Besides, the DVDs they make are not all the same anyway. They have many different plates for what would seem to be the same version of Windows.  The cost is not a big deal.

[BC_Programmer]

It takes a laser less that 20 seconds to burn a product key in a  very small area of the DVD. Very very small era.

Are you talking about as part of the top label, or as data on the disc?If the latter, well... they don't use lasers in the current process. I don't think they involve lasers for the top label.

Besides, the DVDs they make are not all the same anyway. They have many different plates for what would seem to be the same version of Windows.  The cost is not a big deal.

Even if we assume that Basic, Home Premium, Pro, etc had different data- which they actually do not- that is still only 6 different masters.

As compared to several tens of millions masters as would be required to put the product key as data on the disc itself.

[patio]

Sometimes Geek just doesn't get it...

Yet he can find an Article that is designed to refute Logic...

[Geek-9pm]

Sometimes Geek just doesn't get it...

Yet he can find an Article that is designed to refute Logic...

Sometimes Patio does not get it. Microsoft will do it soon.

[Salmon Trout]

Windows 7 only has one kind of install disk for 32 bit and one for 64 bit - whether you get Upgrade, OEM or Full Retail, Home Basic/Premium, Professional, Business or Ultimate depends on the licence key you use. So any idea of associating one key (only) with one disk would be impractical.

[Geek-9pm]

Windows 7 only has one kind of install disk for 32 bit and one for 64 bit - whether you get Upgrade, OEM or Full Retail, Home Basic/Premium, Professional, Business or Ultimate depends on the licence key you use. So any idea of associating one key (only) with one disk would be impractical.

I will stop here, because the thing is precocious  at this time.
In the future the serial burn after press technology will be  used for  security, convince, and multiple versions. Yes, it does multiple versions. Only a very, very small area has to be over written. Expect it to be in use in 2014, if the industry wants it.

[patio]

Call me in 2014...