From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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| Developer(s) | Microsoft |
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| Initial release | November 30, 2006; 16 years ago |
| Operating system | Microsoft Windows |
| Successor | Settings in Windows 10 |
| Type | Utility software |
Windows Anytime Upgrade (Add Features to Windows) was a service by Microsoft introduced in Windows Vista that facilitated upgrades across successive editions of Windows Vista.[1] Prices for upgrades purchased through Windows Anytime Upgrade were lower than prices for upgrades purchased at retail.[2][3]
Windows Anytime Upgrade is included in Windows 7 to allow users to upgrade to Windows 7 editions. In Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 it was rebranded as Add Features to Windows and was used to purchase an upgrade license for the Pro edition or to add Windows Media Center to an existing Pro installation. Support for this feature was discontinued on October 31, 2015.[4]
History[edit]
Windows Anytime Upgrade was in development prior to the development reset of Windows Vista, then known by its codename «Longhorn.» A preliminary version of the feature can be seen in build 4093.
On February 26, 2006, Microsoft announced the editions of Windows Vista to be released to retail and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).[5][6] After this announcement, various technology-related outlets reported that Anytime Upgrade would enable users to upgrade to successive editions.[1][7][8]
Overview[edit]
Windows Vista[edit]
All editions of Windows Vista (excluding Enterprise) are stored on the same retail and OEM optical media—a license key for the edition purchased determines which edition is eligible for installation.[9] When first announced, Anytime Upgrade enabled users to purchase a digital license from an online merchant to upgrade their edition of Windows Vista. Once a license had been purchased, a user’s product license, billing and other information would be stored within a user’s digital locker at the Windows Marketplace digital distribution platform; this would allow a user to retain this information at an off-site location for reference purposes and to reinstall the operating system, if necessary.[10] A user could then initiate an upgrade to the edition for which the license was purchased either through components stored on the hard drive by the OEM of the personal computer, through an Anytime Upgrade DVD supplied by the OEM, or through retail installation media compatible with Anytime Upgrade.[11] If none of these options were available, Anytime Upgrade provided an option for a user to purchase a DVD online and have it delivered by mail.[2][3]
Microsoft also released retail packaging for Anytime Upgrade. The retail products were made available during the consumer launch of Windows Vista on January 30, 2007.[10] The initial version of these products included only an upgrade license, but this was later modified in May 2007 to include both a DVD and a product license.[12] In an effort to streamline the upgrade process, Microsoft announced that digital license distribution would cease on February 20, 2008; licenses purchased prior to this date would not be affected. As a result of this change, users would be required to purchase the aforementioned retail packaging in order to use Anytime Upgrade functionality[2][13] and Windows Vista Service Pack 1 omitted the option to purchase a license online.[14] DVDs for Anytime Upgrade were only produced for Windows Vista.
Anytime Upgrade in Windows Vista performs a full reinstallation of the new product edition while retaining the user’s data, programs, and settings.[15] This process can take a considerable amount of time, up to a few hours.[2]
Windows 7[edit]
Anytime Upgrade in Windows 7 no longer performs a full reinstallation of Windows. Components for the upgraded editions are instead pre-installed directly in the operating system; a notable result of this change is that the speed of the upgrade process has been significantly increased. Microsoft stated that an upgrade should take approximately 10 minutes.[14] Anytime Upgrade also does not require physical media or additional software.[16][15] Instead, Windows 7 requires a user to purchase a license online, in a manner similar to the initial functionality that was later removed from Windows Vista starting with Service Pack 1.[14] Microsoft would also release Anytime Upgrade packaging for Windows 7 at retail. The packaging, however, would only include a license for the edition to be upgraded, as Anytime Upgrade in the operating system does not require physical media.[17]
Windows 8 and later[edit]
In Windows 8, the process has changed. Users will need to go to the Control Panel and search for Add Features to Windows. In Windows 10, this is located in Settings > System > About > Change Product Key or Upgrade Your Version of Windows.
Results after upgrading[edit]
This process works the same way as in Windows 7, with a few exceptions:
- If a user purchases a new PC with Windows 8 or later preinstalled, and then the user upgrades that PC with a Windows 8 Pro Pack, Windows 8 Media Center Pack, a volume license edition, or a retail edition, he/she will no longer be able to install apps that are provided exclusively from the OEM through the Microsoft Store.
- On Windows 10, when upgrading from Windows 10 Home to Pro or from Home to Pro for Workstations, in addition to the above consequence, the upgraded PC will no longer be supported and is no longer entitled to receive firmware updates from the OEM, even though it will still get Windows operating system updates. Damages that occur due to Windows edition upgrades are not covered under the manufacturer’s warranty. However, if the user buys a PC with Windows 10 Pro installed and later upgrades that PC to Pro for Workstations, these consequences do not apply.
- On newer Samsung Galaxy Book devices, there is an exception. Like with many other Samsung Galaxy devices, Samsung runs a Knox verification scan to check for a signature match on all operating system elements before booting in the main operating system. If an unauthorized change is detected, even in a Windows edition upgrade (Home to Pro), the eFuse is tripped and the device status changes from Official to Custom. This is because newer Galaxy Books run the custom One UI Book skin instead of stock Windows. When this happens, any warranties and Samsung Care plans associated with the device are void, and some Samsung apps may not work as expected. Reimaging the device using recovery tools will not revert the eFuse state.
Region availability[edit]
When first announced, Anytime Upgrade was available in the United States, Canada, EMEA, European Union, Norway, Switzerland, and Japan, with Microsoft stating that availability of the program would expand after launch of Windows Vista.[11] English version retail packaging for Anytime Upgrade was made available at the consumer launch of Windows Vista for North America and Asia-Pacific regions.[12]
In 2009, Ars Technica reported that Anytime Upgrade retail packaging for Windows 7 may only have been available in regions without broadband Internet access or where retail packaging was ineligible to be offered.[17] Anytime Upgrade was available for Windows 7 in select regions.[18]
See also[edit]
- Windows Easy Transfer
- Windows Vista editions
- Windows Ultimate Extras
- Windows 7 editions
References[edit]
- ^ a b Mondok, Matt (March 1, 2006). «Anytime Upgrade: it’s a breeze». Ars Technica. Condé Nast. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
- ^ a b c d Thurrott, Paul (October 6, 2010). «Windows Vista Feature Focus: Anytime Upgrade». SuperSite for Windows. Penton. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
- ^ a b Shultz, Greg (April 11, 2007). «Inside the Anytime Upgrade Program». TechRepublic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
- ^ «Windows 8 and 8.1 Pro Pack and Media Pack are no longer available to buy». Support. Microsoft. 27 October 2015.
- ^ «Microsoft Unveils Windows Vista Product Lineup». News Center. Microsoft. February 26, 2006. Retrieved May 26, 2015.
- ^ Fisher, Ken (February 27, 2006). «Microsoft unveils Windows Vista editions». Ars Technica. Condé Nast. Retrieved June 2, 2015.
- ^ Fisher, Ken (March 1, 2006). «Windows Vista to support upgrades on the fly». Ars Technica. Condé Nast. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
- ^ Bott, Ed (February 28, 2006). «Instant Windows Vista upgrades are on the way». Archived from the original on April 24, 2015. Retrieved June 2, 2015.
- ^ Thurrott, Paul (October 6, 2010). «Windows Vista Installation Super Guide, Part 3: Clean Install Windows Vista». SuperSite for Windows. Penton. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
- ^ a b Zheng, Long (August 18, 2007). «Windows Vista Anytime Upgrade Packs». IStartedSomething Blog. Retrieved May 28, 2015.
- ^ a b «Anytime Upgrade Program Details». News Center. Microsoft. January 2007. Retrieved May 28, 2015.
- ^ a b Zheng, Long (August 21, 2007). «Anytime Upgrade Packs, in detail». istartedsomething. Retrieved June 1, 2015.
- ^ Oiaga, Marius (February 8, 2008). «Microsoft to End the Distribution of Windows Vista Digital Product Keys». Softpedia. Retrieved June 1, 2015.
- ^ a b c Thurrott, Paul (October 6, 2010). «Windows 7 Feature Focus: Anytime Upgrade». SuperSite for Windows. Penton. Retrieved June 1, 2015.
- ^ a b Bott, Ed (April 23, 2009). «Microsoft prepares Anytime Upgrade, v2». ZDNet. CBS Interactive. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
- ^ LeBlanc, Brandon (February 4, 2009). «A closer look at the Windows 7 SKUs». Blogging Windows. Microsoft. Retrieved June 1, 2015.
- ^ a b Protanlinski, Emil (June 26, 2009). «Anytime Upgrade packs coming for Windows 7 (Updated)». Ars Technica. Condé Nast. Retrieved June 1, 2015.
- ^ «Windows Anytime Upgrade: frequently asked questions». Windows How-to. Microsoft. Retrieved June 2, 2015.
Windows Anytime Upgrade (WAU) is an upgrade method offered by Microsoft and selected licensed resellers for users who wish to upgrade any non-Ultimate edition of Windows Vista or Windows 7. The Windows 7 version of Windows Anytime Upgrade introduced many improvements, notably the upgrade time has been reduced to around 10 minutes, and upgrade license keys can be purchased at retail. Windows Anytime Upgrade DVDs were only used for Windows Vista.
Windows Vista Anytime Upgrade was a full in-place Windows reinstall that usually took considerable time and required the original Windows Vista DVD with the same service pack level as that of the installed edition. Windows 7 Anytime Upgrade does not require physical media and installs the extra components of the Windows 7 edition from the Component-based servicing (CBS) store located on the system.
Microsoft’s current marketing material states that all installation media will contain all the functionality of the highest SKU (Stock Keeping Unit) and that higher level functions will be disabled through winlogon.exe and pidgen.dll. This is what is also used in differentiating between Windows XP Home and Windows XP Professional. In practical terms, this means that the license purchased online effectively determines which version of the operating system customers can upgrade from and to.
The benefit of WAU is that if one decides that one wants Windows Media Center, Aero, or Windows Fax and Scan out of a computer that currently runs the Home Basic edition, one could complete the upgrade without needing to acquire a different installation disk and without requiring a reinstall of Windows.
Method[]
Upgrading to another version of Windows 7 currently requires the purchase of a license online, or by manual application of a license key which can be purchased at retail. For online purchases, there is no key to input, as the upgrade process is automatic and takes around 10 minutes. The license download can be achieved direct by either going directly to the website address or by using the Windows Anytime Upgrade feature included in the Control Panel. One can then complete the process by downloading the license software that is required for the process.
Upgrade process[]
Users are required to complete the upgrade by installing the proper files associated with the edition unlocked with their downloaded license package using one of several methods. The Windows DVD media (Windows Vista only) can be used so long as it’s marked with the label «Includes Windows Anytime Upgrade». An OEM can also preload files onto the hard drive of a computer running Windows Vista or Windows 7. Finally, an OEM may include a separate Anytime Upgrade DVD along with, or instead of, the typical restore disk. If any of the above are not present, then a Windows Anytime Upgrade DVD can be ordered by request during the upgrade process for a nominal shipping and handling fee.
Availability[]
Windows Anytime Upgrade for Windows Vista was available in the US, Canada, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and Japan. Pricing varied greatly by location with those in the US and Canada paying substantially less than those in Europe. The user’s location was fixed during the order process using IP localization and the user had no opportunity to change this during the order process. Windows users in other countries such as New Zealand and South Africa do not have access to the service. With the release of Windows 7, the Microsoft website states «Windows Vista Anytime Upgrade is no longer available. Please upgrade to Windows 7».
Windows Anytime Upgrade Packs[]
To expand the limited availability and accessibility of Windows Anytime Upgrade, Microsoft has introduced Windows Anytime Upgrade Packs since May 2007 in North America, EMEA and Asia-Pacific countries. These packs are available in retail as well as online stores.
Since February 2008, in some countries where it was previously possible to upgrade using a downloaded license and the original installation media, users attempting to purchase an upgrade via the Microsoft website are now informed that they can only receive the upgrade via a mailed Upgrade Pack.
External links[]
- Windows 7: Windows Anytime Upgrade at Microsoft[dead link]
- Upgrade to another edition of Windows 7[dead link]
- Windows Vista: Windows Anytime Upgrade at Microsoft[dead link]
- Upgrade to another edition of Windows Vista[dead link]
- Windows Anytime Upgrade at Wikipedia
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Wikipedia (article: Windows Anytime Upgrade ) This page uses Creative Commons Licensed content from Wikipedia (view authors). |
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| Component of Microsoft Windows | |
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Windows Anytime Upgrade in Windows 7 Home Premium |
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| Introduced in | Windows Vista |
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| Last included in | Windows 8.1 |
Windows Anytime Upgrade is a utility that facilitated upgrades across successive editions of Windows Vista and Windows 7.
Even though Windows Anytime Upgrade was discontinued on Windows Vista, Windows 7 and Windows 8.x, it is still possible to use the tool to activate or initiate existing WAU upgrade keys and discs that were purchased prior to the discontinuation of the tool.
History[edit | edit source]
Windows Vista[edit | edit source]
A user interface prototype for Windows Activation included in Windows Longhorn build 4093 contains a page where the user would have been able to buy a product key online for the current or a higher edition, however, the ability to upgrade across editions hasn’t actually been implemented before the development reset. The first build known to include Windows Anytime Upgrade is Windows Vista build 5219.
All editions of Windows Vista (excluding Enterprise) were stored on the same retail and OEM optical media and they both contained a license key for the edition purchased that determined which edition was eligible for installation. Users could purchase a digital license from an online merchant and use it to initiate the upgrade through components stored on the hard drive by the OEM of the computer, through an Anytime Upgrade DVD supplied by the OEM, or through retail installation media that was compatible with Windows Anytime Upgrade. It also provided an option for users to purchase an DVD online containing the upgrade if none of these options were available.
Microsoft also released retail packaging for Windows Anytime Upgrade alongside the launch of Windows Vista that initially only included a upgrade license but was later modified in May 2007 to include both a DVD and a license. Microsoft would later cease digital license distribution on 20 February 2008 in an effort to streamline the upgrade process and after that date, users were required to purchase the aforementioned retail packaging in order to use Windows Anytime Upgrade and Windows Vista Service Pack 1 would later remove the option to purchase a license online.
Windows Anytime Upgrade performs a full reinstallation of the new edition while retaining the user’s data, programs and settings and can take a considerable amount of time, up to a few hours due to the components for the upgraded editions being only pre-installed on the upgrade disc.
Support for Windows Anytime Upgrade on Windows Vista was discontinued with the release of Windows 7 in October 2009.
Windows 7[edit | edit source]
In Windows 7, Microsoft made changes to Windows Anytime Upgrade to reduce the time to upgrade by pre-installing the components for the upgraded editions in the operating system and it no longer required physical media or additional software and instead, it required the user to purchase a license online for the edition that the user wanted to upgrade to.
Microsoft also released Anytime Upgrade packaging for Windows 7 at retail and unlike the ones produced for Windows Vista, the packaging only included the license for the edition to be upgraded.
Support for Windows Anytime Upgrade on Windows 7 was discontinued on 31 October 2015.[1]
Windows 8.x[edit | edit source]
In Windows 8 and Windows 8.1, the feature was re-branded as Add Features to Windows and was used to purchase an upgrade license for the Pro edition or to add Windows Media Center to an existing Pro installation. Support for Windows Anytime Upgrade on Windows 8.x was discontinued on 31 October 2015.[2]
Windows 10 and later[edit | edit source]
Windows Anytime Upgrade has been deprecated and removed entirely since Windows 10 build 10114 in favor of the Change Product Key utility (changepk.exe).
Gallery[edit | edit source]
Windows Vista[edit | edit source]
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Icon
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Get started
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Comparison Matrix
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Upgrade to…
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Get started (SP1)
Windows 7[edit | edit source]
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Get started
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Product key
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Verifying key
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License terms
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Confirm upgrade
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Upgrading
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Upgrade was successful
Windows 8[edit | edit source]
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Get started
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Product key
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Ready to add features
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Adding features
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You’re all done
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Windows Anytime Upgrade not Available
- ↑ Windows 8 and 8.1 Pro Pack and Media Pack are no longer available to buy
Покупка компьютера с предустановленной операционной системой оправдана и удобна для тех пользователей, которые не владеют навыками самостоятельной установки и настройки операционных систем. Однако, следует учитывать тот факт, что чаще всего на компьютеры устанавливаются начальные версии системы Windows 7, к которым можно отнести Windows 7 Starter (Начальная), Windows 7 Home Basic (Домашняя базовая) и Windows 7 Home Premium (Домашняя премиум). Эти версии в свою очередь имеют ограниченный функционал, которого, иногда не достаточно. Можно конечно купить диск и переустановить систему, но в таком случае нужно дополнительно время для переноса профиля и установки Windows 7. Есть специальное решение- Windows Anytime Upgrade (WAU), которое позволяет без переустановки системы, путем добавления необходимых функций повысить версию Windows 7.
Первое что необходимо сделать это понять какую версию Windows 7 вы используете и какие возможности имеются у вашей версии, а какие вы хотели бы добавить, для этого следует ознакомиться с статьей Как узнать версию Windows7.
Внесу некоторые ограничения и уточнения связанные с изменением версии Windows7 с помощью Windows Anytime Upgrade:
— Программа Windows Anytime Upgrade позволяет обновить 32-разрядную версию только до 32-разрядной, а 64-разрядную только до 64-разрядной. То есть с помощью программы Windows Anytime Upgrade невозможно обновить 32-разрядную версию до 64-разрядной.
— Программа обновления Windows Anytime Upgrade недоступна в Windows 7 Максимальная и Корпоративная.
— Изменение версии в большинстве случаев не повлияет на быстродействие вашего компьютера, не нужно наивно полагать, что более расширенная версия Windows, увеличит скорость работы вашего компьютера/ ноутбука. Повысив версию вы добавите только дополнительные функции, не более. Для увеличения быстродействия компьютера рекомендую прочитать статьи Оптимизация, ускорение работы Windows 7.
— Ключ программы Windows Anytime Upgrade позволяет выполнять обновления только с одного выпуска Windows 7 до другого выпуска Windows 7. Он не предназначен для обновления с предыдущей версии Windows до Windows 7. Ниже перечень с какой версии на какую можно обновить Windows 7.
Windows 7 Starter (Начальная)→ Windows 7 Home Premium (Домашняя премиум) или Windows 7 Professional (Профессиональная)или Windows 7 Ultimate (Максимальная).
Windows 7 Home Basic (Домашняя базовая) → Windows 7 Home Premium (Домашняя премиум) или Windows 7 Professional (Профессиональная) или Windows 7 Ultimate (Максимальная).
Windows 7 Home Premium (Домашняя премиум) → Windows 7 Professional (Профессиональная) или Windows 7 Ultimate (Максимальная).
Windows 7 Professional (Профессиональная) → Windows 7 Ultimate (Максимальная).
ВНИМАНИЕ!!! Перед тем как приступить к повышению версии Windows7 необходимо установить последний Service Pack и все обновления Windows 7.
Для повышения версии Windows 7 понадобиться:
— Интернет
— приобретенный ключ Windows Anytime Upgrade (WAU). Ключ программы WAU можно приобрести в розничном магазине.
Итак, на компьютере /ноутбуке нажимаем правой кнопкой на ярлыке «Компьютер«, выбираем «Свойства» или «Пуск»- «Панель управления» — «Система» и нажимаете «Получить доступ к дополнительным функциям, установить новый выпуск Windows«.
В появившемся окне выбираете «Введите ключ обновления«.
После этого вводите приобретенный ключ. Важно заметить что ключ для лицензирования операционной системы Windows и ключ для Windows Anytime Upgrade (WAU) разные вещи и в данном случае вам нужен именно ключ для WAU.
После проверки ключа читаете и принимаете условия лицензирования.
После этого нажмите кнопку «Обновление«.
Спустя несколько минут установки обновлений и нескольких перезагрузок… у вас требуемая версия Windows 7 (у меня в среднем уходит около получаса).
Я очень надеюсь, моя статья помогла Вам! Просьба поделиться ссылкой с друзьями:
Часто пользователи, которые не обладают навыками, необходимыми для того, чтобы самостоятельно установить, обновить или настроить операционную систему, покупают компьютер или ноутбук с уже установленной производителем гаджета определенной версией ОС. Правда, почти всегда проинсталлированная операционка оказывается урезанной редакцией Windows 7 – Начальной, Домашней базовой или Домашней премиальной. Функционал такой редакции ограничен, и его не всегда может быть достаточно для комфортной работы. В этом случае для смены текущего выпуска на более функциональный можно воспользоваться специальной утилитой под названием Window anytime upgrade (WAU).
Определение текущей редакции Windows
Самым первым шагом должно стать определение установленной на ПК редакции операционной системы, ее версии и разрядности, а также возможностей, которые предоставляет данная редакция пользователю. Для этого необходимо зайти в «Свойства системы», нажав правой кнопкой мыши на ярлыке рабочего стола «Мой компьютер» и выбрав пункт меню «Свойства». Здесь можно посмотреть тип установленной ОС, ее версию и остальные необходимые данные. С функционалом каждой из редакций предлагается ознакомиться на официальном сайте компании «Майкрософт» в специальном разделе, рассказывающем подробно о существующих версиях Windows.
Ограничения утилиты Window anytime upgrade
Тем, кто решил воспользоваться утилитой расширения функционала ОС WAU, следует знать, что она имеет несколько существенных ограничений:
– с помощью программы можно обновить редакцию операционной системы лишь в пределах одной разрядности: 32-битную до 32-битной, а 64-битную — до 64-битной соответственно;
– изначально утилита не работает в Максимальной и Корпоративной редакциях Windows 7 (однако есть способ обойти данное ограничение, о котором можно узнать ниже);
– утилита призвана выполнять обновления только лишь между выпусками Windows, и с ее помощью невозможно произвести обновление с предыдущих версий ОС.
Редакции Windows можно условно разделить на уровни по доступному функционалу в каждом из них:
- 1-й уровень: Начальная, или Домашняя Базовая.
- 2-й уровень: Домашняя Расширенная.
- 3-й уровень: Профессиональная.
- 4-й уровень: Максимальная.
Повышение производится по нарастанию функционала. Таким образом, например, Начальную редакцию можно обновить до любой из последующих, более функциональных, а Профессиональную — лишь до Максимальной.
Также стоит учитывать то, что в процессе обновления происходит лишь добавление дополнительных функций, что вряд ли скажется на скорости работы ПК, и расширенная редакция не приведет к увеличению его быстродействия.
Windows 7 anytime upgrade: получаем новые возможности ОС
Прежде чем воспользоваться утилитой, нужно убедиться в том, что на компьютере присутствуют все необходимые обновления из Центра обновления Windows, а также последний «Сервис Пак».
Утилите WAU потребуется стабильное интернет-соединение, а также наличие ключа Window anytime upgrade, приобретенного посредством розничного магазина.
Для начала работы программы необходимо перейти в «Свойства системы» через панель управления или контекстное меню иконки «Мой компьютер» и выбрать пункт «Получить доступ к дополнительным функциям, установив новый выпуск Windows 7». Далее система попросит ввести ключ WAU, предложит ознакомиться с условиями лицензионного соглашения и отобразит кнопку «Обновление», на которую и следует нажать. Процесс обновления может занять до получаса времени, в течение которого ОС несколько раз перезагрузится. В итоге на компьютер будет установлена требуемая редакция Windows 7.
Понижение редакции Windows 7
Одной из основных причин для понижения издания может быть переход с пиратской «профессиональной» редакции на лицензионную. Она может быть более урезанной, но при переходе не теряются пользовательские настройки и обновления. Windows anytime upgrade позволяет совершить подобное, но понадобится произвести некоторые дополнительные действия, поскольку программа установки проверяет редакцию перед обновлением.
Для того чтобы утилита успешно прошла проверку совместимости, необходимо с помощью Редактора реестра изменить значение установленной редакции ОС.
В разделе HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE нужно перейти по пути SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion и изменить параметр EditionID на соответствующий устанавливаемому изданию: Starter, Home Basic, Home Premium, Professional, Ultimate или Enterprise.
Далее с помощью утилиты Window anytime upgrade необходимо выбрать пункт «Обновить. Изменить издание Windows 7». После завершения процесса обновления на ПК будет установлена новая редакция операционной системы с сохранением всех приложений и настроек предыдущей.