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If I purchase the full Windows 8 OEM disc, can I use it to upgrade a Windows 7 installation... as opposed to doing a clean install?

I'd like to have the full version of the OS, but at this point only want to upgrade a windows 7 installation. If I rebuilt the machine I could then use the disc for a clean install.

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  • Given the low price of the upgrade download, I'd use that to upgrade and then only buy the full version when you actually need it.
    – ChrisF
    Oct 30, 2012 at 13:29
  • Isn't the OEM version price expected to increase next year? If that's the case I'd rather buy the OEM version now.
    – John
    Oct 30, 2012 at 14:16

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Yes it is possible, it works like any installation of Windows 8 even though it comes from a disc.

Here's a step by step process for how to upgrade Windows 7 to Windows 8 and keep all Windows settings and files.

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If I purchase the full Windows 8 OEM disc, can I use it to upgrade a Windows 7 installation... as opposed to doing a clean install?

Yes, of course you can.

If I rebuilt the machine I could then use the disc for a clean install.

Only on the system you install it to the first time.

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  • Thanks. I have already installed the downloadable upgrade on a different machine, and due to no retail version I was concerned about the oem version.
    – John
    Oct 30, 2012 at 13:41
  • Your last sentence seems to be incorrect. "If you buy a new PC with Windows 8 already installed, your OEM Windows license is permanently bound to that computer. The only way you can transfer the license to another person is to sell or give away the computer itself, with its copy of Windows. ... If you buy a System Builder copy, you can move (not share) that license from an old PC to a new one." Source (Also see here).
    – Karan
    Oct 31, 2012 at 0:49

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