[tiroshii]

I had Windows 7 Home 32bit installed. My PC was completely mashed up so I decided to do a HDD reformat and complete reinstall. As I was reinstalling I decided to install a 64bit version. I used a friends Win 7 Pro 64bit CD and installed windows. I then bought a Win7 Pro Upgrade CD key as I was told this would work, but it doesn't.

What are my options? Obviously buying a key for Windows 7 Pro 64bit is out of the question due to the price tag...

Is there a way I could upgrade from my previous Home Premium 32bit to a 64bit version using an upgrade?

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if you bought Windows 7 Retail, you'd have had the 32-bit and 64-bit disks. In that situation the keys are interchangeable between the disks.

In theory for OEM installations the keys should be interchangeable as well, although quite why you'd want to do this is another matter. The keys between OEM and Retail are not interchangeable so if you want to keep that Pro 7 upgrade you need a new licence for it. A cheaper option may have been to simply purchase an OEM licence.

[Neil Jones]

if you bought Windows 7 Retail, you'd have had the 32-bit and 64-bit disks. In that situation the keys are interchangeable between the disks.

In theory for OEM installations the keys should be interchangeable as well, although quite why you'd want to do this is another matter. The keys between OEM and Retail are not interchangeable so if you want to keep that Pro 7 upgrade you need a new licence for it. A cheaper option may have been to simply purchase an OEM licence.

[tiroshii]

I bought the computer with Windows Vista Home (32bit) pre installed. The computer also came with a free upgrade CD to Windows 7 Home (32bit).