I installed the trail Win 7 Ultimate last year, which expires tomorrow, and requires me to install a fresh, legal copy of Win 7 – which I have – but it's such a ballache reinstalling – does anyone know how to get the trial to morph into a regular installation ?

http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/3075/how-to-upgrade-the-windows-7-rc-to-rtm/

No idea if it works.

A quick google suggests you can – but you still have to insert the full win7 version cd and run set-up:

Upgrade from trial to full

Scroll down to the section 'How do I get the upgrade key to activate?' and read through that section. I'd give that a try and see if it works.

Last week tried upgrading from outlook 2007 trial (downloaded) to full version (bought on CD) and it wouldn't accept the valid full version key, so I had to do a fresh re-install of Outlook. Then the PC had a conflict as it hadn't morphed the trial version into the full version (despite setting default clients), so I had to uninstall the trial version. But maybe it's different with a full O/S…

Edit: in response to thread answer above, see also this but I think it relates to the situation where you've bought one flavour of win7 which is different to the trial flavour.

cheers 🙂

didn't work 🙁
though it might have been because I tried to install Win 7 N(on Internet Explorer)

thanks Drac, I did an upgrade using the trick mentioned, and after some 15 reboots I have my existing installation without the expiration!

It always surprises me when I see people advocating a clean install, as I have at least 100 programs installed, many with complex configurations, and having to reinstall each one would take ages!

Cool glad it worked. Yeah frustrating doing clean installs sometimes.

I'm so glad I don't repair PCs for a living anymore…

It always surprises me when I see people advocating a clean install, as I have at least 100 programs installed, many with complex configurations, and having to reinstall each one would take ages!

I think there's a way you can create an installation disc image which will install complete with all your software etc?

I used to end up reinstalling the OS every few months on Windows – yet another advantage of using Macs now. 🙂

I think there's a way you can create an installation disc image which will install complete with all your software etc?

isn't that called a "backup" 🙂 ?

I've been told by a fellow rider that the 'upgrade' path I've taken leads to long term problems and you end up having to do a clean install – I shall wait and see. I have one outstanding problem that my Avira firewall doesn't work and won't reinstall – which obviously urgently needs fixing.

I don't think the full expiry is till june anyway.
Well, I'll see when I turn on my PC tonight :/

Your pc will shut done every 2 hours.

So you don't enjoy fixing pc anymore because they brought out a new os.

Can't you use the Easy Transfer facility in Windows? I understood it copied data, programs and settings, and then reinstalls on the new system

Can't you use the Easy Transfer facility in Windows?

hmm, good point – I'd forgotten about that! I'll test it tonight 🙂

[edit]"Can I transfer programs? No. Windows Easy Transfer transfers only program settings, not the programs themselves. To use the programs from your old computer, install them on your new computer, and then transfer files and settings for those programs."