Question : Can I upgrade a "30 Day Trial" version of Windows Vista to a full Version of Windows 7?

Dear Experts.  I am about to bite the bullet and upgrade my OS from Windows XP Professional.  I have currently set my sights on Windows 7 Ultimate as my OS of choice.

I fully understand that I can purchase the Win 7 U/G and perform a clean install over my XP Pro.  The problem is my system is a mess.  It needs sorting, of that there is no argument  But in the short term, while I can dedicate a couple of days to a system upgrade I don't have the spare time to sort through all the files, some of the programs that I constantly use have had their disks lost or damaged through time and a house move and I would be therefore unable to re-install without buying anew (something I cannot afford to do).

To that end I am in a dilemma.  I wish to do an in place upgrade because I don't trust the "Transfer State" program to catch everything I need (my system is in a real mess).

Now I know the official upgrade path does not allow this.  I am therefore looking at upgrading to Vista to upgrade to 7.

Here is the deal, I have a Vista Ultimate disk for my laptop which I can use, so long as I don't activate it.  And I have found out that with Vista, you could install the OS as a 30 day trial and use that for the in place upgrade to work around buying the full version if could could not meet the upgrade path requirements.

The question is, will Windows 7 upgrade of the Vista 30 day trial, or does it need to be activated?

I don't really want to have to buy a Vista licence if I can avoid it.  I have legitimate software that follows the U/G path for 7, all be it not for an in place U/G and I will never be using Vista on this machine.

So is this possible.

Please note I am fully aware of the benefits of a clean install, but at this moment in time that is not an option.

Kind regards.

Answer : Can I upgrade a "30 Day Trial" version of Windows Vista to a full Version of Windows 7?

Hi -

The Vista "30 day trial" is offered to everyone via using a full retail version of Vista to install and as you said - no activation.  Since no activation/ validation there is nothing to upgrade from.  

You cannot upgrade from licensed copy of XP Pro (OEM or retail) to non-activated Vista then to a to-be activated Windows 7 as the Vista trial is "non-genuine".

I would highly suggest that you bite the bullet and clean install Windows 7.  The installed apps on your XP system now may have boot or kernel mode drivers that are OLD and would very likely conflict with the new 2009 Windows 7 drivers which could possibly end up in your having to seek additional assistance for a BSOD epidemic.

Regards. . .

jcgriff2