Windows 7 Upgrade Option Q&A Part 1

Q: Which Microsoft operating systems will be qualified for the Windows 7 Upgrade Option Program?
A:  To be eligible for the Program, a new PC with a valid Windows VISTA Home Premium, Windows VISTA Business, or Windows VISTA Ultimate COA attached must be purchased between June 26th 2009 and January 31st 2010. Additionally, qualifying PC’s must have Microsoft Windows VISTA SP1 or SP2 OR a Windows XP Downgrade with Service Pack 3 installed to be qualified for the Windows 7 Upgrade Option Program.

Q: What is the goal of the Windows 7 Upgrade Option Program?
A: The main goal of the Windows 7 Upgrade Option Program is to stop PC sales from stalling prior to the Windows 7 OS launch by provide users a free or low-cost path to upgrade their eligible Windows VISTA PCs to Windows 7.

Q: Does Windows XP Downgrade qualify a system for the Windows 7 Upgrade Option Program?
A: Yes a Windows XP Downgrade System will be eligible for the Windows 7 Upgrade Option Program. Technically the upgrade option in the setup will be disabled but the user is able to do a clean install.

Q: Will be a 32bit customer able to order a Windows 7 64bit media through his OEM?
A: Yes.  An OEM can ship 64-bit media to a 32-bit user upon request, but they cannot REQUIRE that the user upgrade to 64-bit. 32-bit upgrades need to be offered to 32-bit users primarily and 64-bit media can be delivered on an exception basis.

Q: Will be an upgrade from a 32bit Windows VISTA to a Windows 7 64bit supported?
A: The answer is no. An in place upgrade from a 32bit Windows VISTA to Windows 7 64bit will be not supported. But the user is able to do a clean install with the Windows 7 Upgrade Option Program Media.

Q: What is the status on WINRE?
A:  WINRE will be enabled by default. Please see the Windows 7 OPK Help for detailed information.

Q: Which languages are available for the Windows 7 Upgrade Option Program?
A: Please click here for the complete list of available languages. The release schedule includes 7 Waves of languages.

Q: Will a Windows 7 cross language upgrade be blocked by the SETUP routine?
A: Yes, a cross language upgrade will be not supported and blocked by the SETUP routine. Just a cross language Data transfer will be possible and supported by the Windows Easy Transfer. A clean install of Windows 7 will be allowed and supported as well.  

Q: What is the recommendation on the DVD media format for the Windows 7 Upgrade Option Program DVD?
A: In general the recommendation is using a DVD5 media to keep the effort and the investment to create such a media really small.

Q: If a user has a Windows Vista system with an English Base OS and on top multiple Language Interface Packs or Language Packs installed (example : German, French and Spanish), which language or languages need to be available on the Upgrade Option media?
A: The OEM need to ensure their end users are receiving the same Windows 7 Base OS. In our example above, the Base OS is English, so the Upgrade media need to have English as the Base OS. Further if the end user in our sample will still have German, French and Spanish available so these languages must be also available in addition to the English language. If these languages are not available on the Upgrade Option Media, then the Upgrade process will delete them.

Q: Were installed Language Interface Packs and/or Language Packs that were installed on Vista automatically transferred over to Windows 7? Or will the OEM need to create a Windows 7 Master with the right Base OS, but also the Windows 7 Language Interface Packs/Language Packs?
A: The answer is no, the language packs are not automatically transferred over to Windows 7 if they are not available as languages on the Windows Upgrade Option media.

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