I will soon be buying a replacement laptop, and I am wondering whether I can move my current Windows 7 Pro (32 bit) license to my new computer since it is a 64 bit? Will I have to get a new version because the old is 32 bit and the new is 64 bit ?

I bought the copy from the digital river student promotion about 1.5 years ago. It came with a product key and I got the backup disk.

3/19/2011 11:10:31 AM

They are different licenses. You only get the 64bit license if the oem PC came with it or if you buy a retail copy of windows 7.

You might check digital river and see if you're entitled to am64bit license from that promotion

3/19/2011 12:33:07 PM

Thanks for the insight, Noen.

I just visited the digital river website and I'm only presented with the option to re-download my 32bit installer. However, I read on these sites:
http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/1311946
http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-windows_install/is-a-windows-7-license-key-valid-for-both-32-bit/70d546cd-b6e3-44d8-a6c8-fd7feb7d1915

and they seem to indicate that the same key can be used for both. Could I just find a 64-bit install disk and enter my 25-digit product key at that point? Or are the disks and keys tied together?

Note: digital river says in its FAQ that the version of windows 7 I bought was a retail version

[Edited on March 19, 2011 at 1:35 PM. Reason : note]

3/19/2011 1:34:11 PM

Yep if its a retail key, you just need the 64bit installer, looks like you're good to go.

I posted the digital river download links for the various versions of Windows 7 in another thread on here somewhere, or you can pretty quickly google it up.

3/19/2011 2:33:30 PM

ok, will do. Thanks again!

I can just find a 64-bit installer as an ISO and burn to dvd to make my own install disk, correct?

3/19/2011 3:18:17 PM

not sure what format the digital river downloads come in, but yes you should be able to make a bootable cd/dvd

3/19/2011 3:27:15 PM

Does this look legitimate?
http://techpp.com/2009/11/11/download-windows-7-iso-official-direct-download-links/

Should I be concerned that it says it's: "Note that the Windows 7 ISO image is of RTM build 6.1.7600.16385."

3/19/2011 3:36:31 PM

imo you should find links with SP1 slipstreamed in if possible

3/20/2011 3:40:14 AM