If you purchased the 64-bit version of Windows 7, you will be given the choice of two download types.
The EXE download is for users who are running Windows Vista 64-bit prior to installation. This is the simplest method of installation.
The ISO download is for users who are running Windows XP or Windows Vista 32-bit. This can be a more complex installation, but is required when moving from a 32-bit operating system to a 64-bit operating system. To use the ISO download you should review our upgrade information page located at the following link. http://drh.img.digitalriver.com/store/mswpus/ContentTheme/pbPage.Upgrade
Cookies are placed on your browser for your convenience, and the Commerce System used is cookie dependent. When you place an order, information is written onto your hard drive. The next time you place an order the system recognizes who you are and automatically enters your information into the form.
No. Because cookies read information on your hard drive, some think this means they give access to all the information on your computer. Our commerce system encrypts all cookies and they cannot be read by any other web page. The cookie actually contains no personal information, just a unique identifier for our system to recognize this browser.
PCs designed for Windows Vista should run Windows 7 very well. To double check your PC’s capabilities, you can download and run the free Windows Upgrade Advisor. How you upgrade will depend on the edition of Windows Vista on your PC, and the edition of Windows 7 you want to install. You’ll either do an “in place installation,” which keeps your programs, files, and settings in place, or you’ll do a custom installation, which will set up your PC from scratch.
If you’re thinking about upgrading a PC from Windows XP to Windows 7, please download and run the free Windows Upgrade Advisor to see if your PC can run Windows 7 acceptably.
If you decide to install Windows 7 on a PC running Windows XP you’ll need to do a custom installation. This is sometimes called a “clean install” because it will erase your hard drive and set up your PC from scratch. To avoid losing anything, you’ll need to make copies of all the files, photos, and other information you want to keep. You’ll also need to have installation disks for all the programs you want to use. If you have an external hard drive, you can use it with the free Windows Easy Transfer program to help back up your files and information, then transfer them back to your PC after Windows 7 is installed.
Upgrading a PC with Windows XP to Windows 7 is an involved process. If you’re at all uncomfortable with it, please consider having the upgrade done by a local PC or electronics retailer.
If you purchased Microsoft Office as a download (e.g. from Microsoft Store of Office Online), you should visit the online store where you made your purchase to re-download and install.
If you purchased a box product, please contact Microsoft Customer Service to get a replacement disk or product key.
Before you take advantage of this offer, please check the PC you want to upgrade. The Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor can help you determine which features and editions of Windows 7 will run on your computer.
For quick reference, here are the Windows 7 System Requirements:
1GHz or faster 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor
1GB RAM (32-bit) / 2GB RAM (64-bit)
16GB available disk space (32-bit) / 20 GB (64-bit)
DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM 1.0 or higher driver
These additional requirements are needed to use certain features:
Internet Access (fees may apply)
Depending on resolution video playback may require additional memory and advanced graphics hardware
For some Windows Media Center functionality a TV tuner and additional hardware may be required
Windows Touch and Windows Tablet require specific hardware
HomeGroup requires a network and PCs with Windows 7
DVD/CD authoring requires a compatible optical drive
BitLocker requires TPM1.2; BitLocker To Go requires a USB Flash Drive
Music and sound require audio output
Windows XP Mode requires:
Additional 1GB of RAM
Additional 15GB of available disk space
Processor capable of hardware virtualization, with Intel-VT or AMD-V turned on
Product functionality and graphics may vary based on your system configuration.
If you’re thinking about upgrading a PC from Windows XP to Windows 7, please download and run the free Windows Upgrade Advisor to see if your PC can run Windows 7 acceptably.
If you decide to install Windows 7 on a PC running Windows XP, you’ll need to do a custom installation. This is sometimes called a “clean install” because it erases the contents of your PC. To avoid losing anything, you’ll need to make copies of all the files, photos, and other information you want to keep. You’ll also need to have installation disks for all the programs you want to use.
If you have an external hard drive, you can use it with the free Windows Easy Transfer program to help back up your files and information.
After Windows 7 is installed, you’ll need to reinstall your programs and use Windows Easy Transfer to move your files and information back onto your PC.
Upgrading a PC with Windows XP to Windows 7 is an involved process. If you’re at all uncomfortable with it, please consider having the upgrade done by a local PC or electronics retailer.
PCs designed for Windows Vista should run Windows 7 very well. To double check your PC’s capabilities, you can download and run the free Windows Upgrade Advisor. How you install Windows 7 will depend on the edition of Windows Vista on your PC, and the edition of Windows 7 you want to install.
You’ll either do an “in place upgrade,” which keeps your programs, files, and settings in place, or you’ll do a custom installation (see related FAQ) which will set up your PC from scratch. Here’s how to tell which kind of installation you’ll need to do:
Important: In a custom installation, your files, settings, and programs will not be transferred to Windows 7. You should back up your data before installing Windows 7.
To install Windows 7:
Run Windows Upgrade Advisor to see if there are any known issues that might affect the installation and whether you should install the 32- or 64-bit version of Windows 7.
Back up your existing files and settings by saving them to an external hard drive, CD, DVD, USB flash drive or other media. Use Windows Easy Transfer and an external hard drive to make this process easier. Windows Easy Transfer is included in Windows Vista, here’s how to use it. If you’re running Windows XP, you can download Windows Easy Transfer for free at http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?displaylang=en&FamilyID=2b6f1631-973a-45c7-a4ec-4928fa173266
Locate the original installation disks for the programs currently on your computer.
Insert the Windows 7 DVD and follow the instructions for a custom installation by selecting the Custom (advanced) installation option.
Reinstall your programs and your backed up files and settings. If you used Windows Easy Transfer, launch Windows Easy Transfer in Windows 7 (in the Start menu, click All Programs>Accessories>System Tools) and follow the instructions.
The Digital River Windows 7 Offer provides upgrade licenses and upgrade product keys. If you receive this error when entering your product key during the final stages of installation, you have probably installed your upgrade copy of Windows 7 on a computer without a qualifying copy of Windows XP or Windows Vista. To verify, leave the product key field blank and allow setup to finalize and reach the desktop. For more information about this issue, see the following Microsoft Help & How-to article: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=169009
