Extending Windows 7 with Window Anytime upgrade

Often, users who do not have the skills necessary to independently install, update or configure the operating system, buy a computer or a laptop with a certain version of the operating system already installed by the gadget manufacturer. True, the almost always installed OS is a trimmed edition of Windows 7 - Initial, Home base or Home Premium. Functionality of this edition is limited, and it may not always be enough for comfortable work. In this case, to change the current release to a more functional one, you can use a special utility called Window anytime upgrade (WAU).

Definition of the current version of Windows

The very first step is to determine the version of the operating system installed on the PC, its version and bit depth, as well as the features that this edition provides to the user. To do this, go to "System Properties" by right-clicking on the desktop shortcut "My Computer" and selecting the "Properties" menu item. Here you can see the type of installed OS, its version and other necessary data. With the functionality of each of the editions it is offered to familiarize on the official site of Microsoft company in a special section that tells in detail about the existing versions of Windows.

Limitations of the utility Window anytime upgrade

Those who decided to use the WAU operating system extension utility should know that it has several significant limitations:

- with the help of the program, you can update the edition of the operating system only within one bit: 32-bit to 32-bit, and 64-bit - to 64-bit, respectively;

- initially the utility does not work in the Maximal and Corporate editions of Windows 7 (however there is a way to bypass this limitation, which you can find out below);

- The utility is designed to perform updates only between releases of Windows, and with its help it is impossible to update from previous versions of the OS.

Windows editions can be conditionally divided into levels according to the available functionality in each of them:

• 1st level: Initial, or Home Basic.
• 2nd level: Home Enhanced.
• 3rd level: Professional.
• 4th level: Maximum.

The increase is made on the increase of the functional. Thus, for example, the Initial Edition can be updated to any of the following, more functional, and Professional - only to the Maximum.

It is also worth noting that in the process of updating there is only adding additional functions, which is unlikely to affect the speed of the PC, and an extended version will not increase its performance.

Windows 7 anytime upgrade: get new features OS

Before using the utility, you need to make sure that you have all the necessary updates from Windows Update, as well as the latest "Service Pack."

The WAU utility will require a stable Internet connection, as well as the availability of the Window anytime upgrade key, purchased through a retail store.

To start the program, go to the "System Properties" through the control panel or the context menu of the "My Computer" icon and select "Get access to additional features by installing a new release of Windows 7". Next, the system will ask you to enter the WAU key, suggest that you read the terms of the license agreement and display the "Update" button, which you should click on. The upgrade process can take up to half an hour, during which the OS will reboot several times. As a result, the required version of Windows 7 will be installed on the computer.

Downgrade Windows 7

One of the main reasons for lowering the publication may be the transition from a pirated "professional" edition to a licensed one. It can be more truncated, but the transition does not lose user settings and updates. Windows anytime upgrade allows you to do this, but you will need to perform some additional actions, because the installer checks the revision before updating.

In order for the utility to successfully pass the compatibility test, you must use the Registry Editor to change the value of the installed version of the OS.

In the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE section, go to SOFTWARE \ Microsoft \ Windows NT \ CurrentVersion and change the EditionID parameter to the corresponding installed edition: Starter, Home Basic, Home Premium, Professional, Ultimate, or Enterprise.

Then, using the Window anytime upgrade utility, you must select "Update." Change the edition of Windows 7. " After the update process is completed, a new version of the operating system will be installed on the PC, with all the applications and settings of the previous one saved.