Hi there -

I have been chasing after a copy of MS Windows7 Ultimate 64-bit FULL VERSION. (I believe the full version contains both the 32-bit and 64-bit CD’s).
Most of the shop assistants at Pantip Plaza “insist” that the upgrade version is a full version, yet only available at 32-bit.
MS Thailand is impossible to get in touch with … is there anyone out there with a suggestion how and where to obtain a copy of MS Windows7 Ultimate FULL VERSION in Greater Bangkok.

Many thanks in advance to all.
esbkk

You can buy it online direct Microsoft.

amazon.com

I believe if you try to buy it online from Microsoft you will struggle... as they will only ship to the US - i havent tried the digital download however.

Amazon is one idea, but again they might not want to ship it to Thailand.

Personally, i would steer clear of Pantip Plaza for any original software titles, as i really really struggled to find any originals when i was looking and the only ones i could find were OEM versions of stuff at the same price as the full versions! Try some of the online stores mentioned in the stickies at the top of this forum. Someone also mentioned some of the big IT shops had some copies of Windows 7. Another good option would be goto the store "I27" in MBK - he usually stocks only games, but he has a sister company/shop in Singapore and he might be able to help getting a copy from there.

When i approached a different supplier, he replied with "Only 32bit OEM versions are available in Thailand right now" - so i have asked a friend in Singapore to help me get hold of my Windows 7 disks.

As i understand it, the 32bit and 64bit installs are included with Windows 7 - and from a Technet blog it has been said that if you buy the 'upgrade' and boot from dvd - it will do a full install and can be activated using the 'upgrade' key - with no check for previous versions installed or previous versions of cd-keys etc

Hope that helps

correct, I tried it both and it doesn't work with a Thai shipping address!

I purchased my copies yesterday at IT City in Pattaya. Reliable supplier in my books. Try also on Saturday and Sunday the special MS sale at Siam Paragon.

Thanks Wolfie -
I'll try store 127 at MBK and hope for the best.
Another option might be a quick visit to Singapore.

Don't know why people suggest MS when they state clearly: US ONLY and most of us know that AMAZON do not ship to Thailand.

...ah well ...

Simply buy a dodgy copy. Try to register it and it will give you the option of " Resolve now " Simply then give MS your details and you get a number via email and a legit disc a week or so later. EASY. It is how I got my XP and VISTA Ultimate

Why suggest it? Very simple, you download it, no hassles with delivery and you don't have a plastic box that you don't need collecting dust.

But they have to accept your order and payment before you can download and that seems to be a problem. I have ordered and downloaded from Microsoft in the past but attempts to do so for Windows 7 (during pre-release) got nothing but run around in the payment process using 2 names and 3 different cards (all valid). The only thing I could guess was they were not accepting card on basis of my IP address - but they never said that - and did not provide any other option. I tried this for 3 days running so was not a one time fluke.

I use a Thai Credit card with Amazon in USA all the time. But then I have whatever I buy shipped to a USA address for a friend to hand carry or pack with other stuff to forward to me by post.

CS

I was talking about US credit cards not being accepted - and one I had used several months earlier to buy another Microsoft program for download.

If there is only media for 32-bit version, I suspect it is OEM version. In Singapore, I asked, and all the uprade and full packages included both the 32-bit and 64-bit DVDs.

However, the Challenger store in Funan had a display chart saying that Vista Business could only be upgraded to Windows 7 Professional and that Vista Home Premium could only be upgraded to Windows 7 Home Premium. I have Vista Business and want to upgrade to Windows 7 Home Premium, and the chart and the sales people agreed that cannot be done. Hmmm....

Microsoft actually made a small program that tells you what version of Windows 7 you can update to based on your current OS: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/thankyo...;displayLang=en

I ran the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor from Vista Business, and on the 32-bit report tab it says: "You can upgrade to 32-bit Windows 7 Professional, Ultimate or Enterprise," which does indicate no upgrade to 32-bit Windows 7 Home Premium.

On the 64-bit report tab it says: "You'll need to perform a custom installation of 64-bit Windows 7 and ten reinstall your programs;" it gives no "Upgrade options available" section.

Would an upgrade from 32-bit Vista Business to 64-bit Windows 7 Home Premium be permitted?

In Microsoft parlance does "upgrade" mean "in-place upgrade, which imports all settings and files from Vista" and does "custom installation" mean "start from scratch by wiping clean the previous installation"?

If so, do you think I could buy an Upgrade box for Windows 7 Home Premium and install it on my computer that currently has Vista Business via a "custom installation" just not via an "upgrade"? When you boot from an upgrade DVD for a "custom installation," does Windows 7 verify the previous version of Windows that it's wiping out?

OR...

...can you use Windows 7 Upgrade DVDs in the same manner as Vista Upgrade DVDs: Do a clean install but not enter the product code, then run the Upgrade DVD a second time and upgrade again, this time using the product code?

I'm clueless at choosing effective search words/phrases in Google, and yes, I did try to find answers to my questions posted in #14 above. Thanks to some help, I've found answers to my questions:

My guess about Microsoft parlance was correct regarding working definitions for "upgrade" and "custom installation," and you *can* upgrade from Vista Business to Windows 7 Home Premium via a custom install, although the results from the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor may not indicate it. See the following chart (supposedly from Microsoft, but I can't find it on microsoft.com) posted in a blog article by Walter Blossberg:



And, there are ways to use the Windows 7 Upgrade DVD to do a clean install on Paul Thurrott's blog. Note that he emphatically states that Method 3 "is fully supported by Microsoft."

For What it is worth

I did a full install of Windows 7 Home Premium (upgrade not full retail) and i was never asked to provide information about my previous version of Windows. I just put the DVD in the drive and rebooted the machine and let it boot from CD/DVD.

Yes it is (I upgraded to a lower version). However, you can't do an in place upgrade from 32 bit to 64 bit - you have to do a clean install (it will blow your old 32 bit install away), which is a good idea anyway). Custom install actually means 'clean install'.

Good idea to make a full image of your drive before you try to upgrade anything, and backup your files onto a separate physical disk. Having your user data on a separate partition is good idea too - so you don't have to move anything.

I believe the restriction is on the in-place upgrade process, and that there is no restriction if you do a clean install (with manual reinstall of applications etc.)

Ok i got my keys from England today and applied them to my Win7 (clean) install - it rejected the key, muttering something about upgrade and full licenses - however "option 2" on Paul Thurrott's blog worked a treat- i was never asked to input my original Vista key during the whole process