Datasheet

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Part I: Surviving Setup
Figure 1-1: When you’re buying a new PC, be sure to get the Windows 7 version you really want.
As you’ll see in a moment, the cost of upgrading to a better or more expensive Windows 7
version is almost always lower if you do it at the time of the PC purchase. But regardless
of the cost, it will always be easier to upgrade during the purchase process because the
PC maker will install and configure the OS for you.
Retail Boxed Copies
If you were to walk into an electronics superstore like Best Buy, the versions of Windows 7
you would see are what’s known as retail boxed copies of the software. You will see
both Full and Upgrade versions of the software, and you should see a version of each for
Windows 7 Starter, Home Premium, Home Premium x64, Professional, Professional x64,
Ultimate, and Ultimate x64. Disregarding the obvious differences between 32-bit and
x64/64-bit versions, here’s the difference between each:
Full version.
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A full version of Windows 7 can be used to perform a clean install
of Windows 7 only. That is, it cannot be used to upgrade an existing version of
Windows to Windows 7. Full versions of Windows 7 are more expensive than
Upgrade versions.
Upgrade version.
♦♦
An upgrade version of Windows 7 can be used to perform a clean
install of Windows 7 or upgrade an existing version of Windows to Windows 7.
Upgrade versions of Windows 7 are less expensive than Full versions because you
must be an existing Windows customer to qualify for Upgrade pricing.