Not sure if I have ever asked this before but can't remember now.

Can I use my win7 cd key on win 7 64bit as I am running 32bit at the moment?

I'm pretty sure that won't work. If you bought a 32-bit copy of Win7 then that is what the key is for (specific version also).

windows 7 key will work on 64 bit or 32 bit.

The key is not specific to the version but you can only have one in use at a time.

Thanks Compactman I did look that up on the net but the problem was there is so much crap floating about at the moment you never know what is true to read and what isn't

The keys are specific to the version (Starter, Home Premium, Pro, Ultimate, Enterprise). I guess a key for 32-bit Ultimate will also work for 64-bit Ultimate?

Yea, it would be an ultimate key, not a 32ultimate or 64 ultimate.
When you buy a retail home prem, pro or ultimate, it comes with 2 discs, 1 for each.
Even though they all have the exact same crap on the discs.
I successfully made a Win7 All In one. you put it in and asks if you want 32 Starter, 32 Home Prem, 32 Pro, 32 Ult, 64 Home P, 64 Pro or 64 Ult.
But at work we get people in thinking the key is good for a 32 and a 64 install at the same time..
no 64bit Starter, heh.

Well I got my copy of win 7 pro from microsoft doing a deal for Uni students (thanks to my partner)I got it for £30 its the Upgrade version which I'm not too bothered about.

You had a choice of 32 bit or 64 bit and its was download only either ISO or .EXE I went for the 32 bit last december as 64bit wasn't really supported 100% at the time.

Anyway I went looking around the net to try and download a 64 bit version and couldn't find it so went back to the site and they were offereing those that had downloaded the 32bit version the 64bit version so I emailed them and they said fine here is the link to download it and you can use your original CD KEY that you got with the 32bit as it will work with either

Maybe it's an OEM vs. Retail thing. An OEM key may work with both 32-bit and 64-bit of the same version.

Win7 Upgrade DVDs suck because they are not always so easy to get to install on a fresh HDD. They are supposed to have an activated version of Vista already installed to upgrade. Activated install of XP usually lets you install Win7, then you can remove XP after.

Yeah the 32bit version was like that had to install XP first. But saying that it took around 15/20mins to install xp and then a further 20 mins or so to install win7.

Bit of a work horse but I'm not that bothered as dont install windows that much maybe 2/3 times a year if needed. I didn't have to do this with win 7 64bit maybe because 7 was already install as it let me format the drive on boot up ready to install the 64 bit version

Just to add another question to this old thread.

Wife has a laptop windows 7 home 64bit.....I want to wipe the HD but it came with pre installed windows. I was wondering could I download windows 7 and then use her key or would I need to download an OEM version off the net for it to work with the CD key under her laptop?