Vista Ultimate for £40

thats another common misunderstanding - that isnt a "trial" version of windows. It is technically possible to install vista without a product key, but its not permitted to do so legally.

Re: your second point. its not a question of what you would "rather" do - there is what you can legally do - and what you cant.
 
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Microsoft encourages people to install the `trial` version, as many people who wouldn't go out and buy it, do actually buy it online once their month runs out. This is why they dont crack down on torrents of the iso's like other companies would do, you wont recieve emails from the BSA if you're IP address is on a Vista iso tracker. They unofficialy dont mind.
 
Chances are if your in Uni etc your can get vista for free anyways so long as your uni is part of the academic alliance
 
No you cant. I work in a uni, there is no such thing as Vista site license that you can give to everyone (like you could with XP) But you can get Vista Business pretty cheap if your IT dept has an agreement. Last time I checked, Ultimate wasnt available.
 
DampCat said:
Checking the page linked above, hovering over the "additional products" icon shows that Vista Ultimate is infact and Upgrade for £40.95. What are the restrictions on that?

Edit: I'm currently already using a 64bit Vista install. Would that work to be upgraded by the new download?
Click to expand...

Can anybody answer this for me? I've been hovering over the Buy button for some time.
 
With the upgrade, you can go over the top of a existing 64bit `trial` installation (or XP 64bit) to activate it properly. Or if you wish to do a fresh install, you can do that by installing from scratch, then go over the top of that initial install (so install it twice) to activate it.

Im using an `educational upgrade` version of Premium for my media center, it cost about £55 about a year ago.
 
By install it twice, do you mean install the Upgrade twice? Or reinstall my current OS then the Upgrade overtop of it?

And thanks :)
 
If you dont have a qualifying product to upgrade from, you can install this `upgrade` version twice to get it activated. Just dont put your key in on the initial install, so you end up with a trial version, then upgrade that to get it all working properly and legal.
 
Lanz said:
If you dont have a qualifying product to upgrade from, you can install this `upgrade` version twice to get it activated. Just dont put your key in on the initial install, so you end up with a trial version, then upgrade that to get it all working properly and legal.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info, that's helpful :)

I have XP SP3, but want to upgrade and use a new HDD. So I just get the upgrade, install fresh on the new HDD as a trial, then reboot and upgrade the trial using the key, right?
 
Oh dear. There is a hell of a lot of wrong or misleading information here so I'll go through and clarify.

DampCat said:
What are the restrictions on that?
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I'm going to find this out :)

paradigm said:
Since when?

You buy the license not the media.
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That is true, you buy a licence to use the software under ther terms of the EULA. However, you are not allowed to upload the software using P2P software.

ukbrainstew said:
Yes, this was always my understanding, you can even install Vista without a product key, it just defaults to a trial.
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Apart from XP64 and some VM images, Microsoft does not provide client Windows trials. There has never been a Vista 'trial'. Even if you are within your grace period, you require a licence.

masterluke said:
thats another common misunderstanding - that isnt a "trial" version of windows. It is technically possible to install vista without a product key, but its not permitted to do so legally.

Re: your second point. its not a question of what you would "rather" do - there is what you can legally do - and what you cant.
Click to expand...

Listen to this man. ;)

psychas said:
thats not vista thats office
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The Ultimate steal sells Office 2007 Ultimate and Vista Ultimate.

Lanz said:
Microsoft encourages people to install the `trial` version, as many people who wouldn't go out and buy it, do actually buy it online once their month runs out. This is why they dont crack down on torrents of the iso's like other companies would do, you wont recieve emails from the BSA if you're IP address is on a Vista iso tracker. They unofficialy dont mind.
Click to expand...

They most certainly don't. Microsoft doesn't provide trial versions due to the nature of the market. They actively are persuing the sharing of Windows ISOs online (although in a limited capacity due to their online activation policy) and they do not condone the use of using Windows within it's grace period without a licence.

Lanz said:
No you cant. I work in a uni, there is no such thing as Vista site license that you can give to everyone (like you could with XP) But you can get Vista Business pretty cheap if your IT dept has an agreement. Last time I checked, Ultimate wasnt available.
Click to expand...

The MSDN:AA programme is there for students of specific courses at participating unis to use certain Microsoft products free of charge. This includes Vista.

Lanz said:
If you dont have a qualifying product to upgrade from, you can install this `upgrade` version twice to get it activated. Just dont put your key in on the initial install, so you end up with a trial version, then upgrade that to get it all working properly and legal.
Click to expand...

This certianly is not within the terms of the licence agreement. You are required to have a valid qualifying products licence to use the software.
 
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Burnsy2023 said:
Oh dear. There is a hell of a lot of wrong or misleading information here so I'll go through and clarify.

It requires you have a qualifying product to upgrade from and this has to be 2000 or XP. Why would you want to upgrade a Vista 64 installation? That wouldn't count as a qualifying product. Like I said above, 2000 or XP only.
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Microsoft disagree:

upgraders4.jpg


Windows Vista (32/64) is also listed under the System Requirements along with XP, MAC OS, Win 2000, 98SE etc.
 
Phil99 said:
Microsoft disagree:
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Well seems that my post was a little hasty. I've gone back through the licence and although it is similar to other MDSN type licences it does have some differences. On all other Vista licences my point remains correct. I have no idea why they've called it an upgrade licence if you can use an Apple Mac Licence.

I've also taken down the bit about using both 32 and 64 bit licence on the same licence as I'm not sure if it's applicable. I'll contact MS and find out what their thinking is.

Edit: on reading the documentation it's very ambiguous. It states that:
Digital River said:
Are these products Academic licence(s)/version(s)? No, these are retail versions, which provide all the benefits you would receive if you bought it at the store.
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However, the licence is very different from a FPP licence. It seems less restrictive, but they do not mention anything on transferrability. Looks like MS will have some explaining to do.
 
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Has anyone that opted to receive the DVD backup been able to also download the required files?

I've only got a link to X14-63453.exe which complains about the other missing files. My existing MSDN disc doesn't work with the given serial, either.
 
You need the exe that you download off the site which creates a folder called Vista (in the same folder as the exe was run). You then copy these files in to the sources folder within that Vista folder and run Setup.exe (in the root of the Vista folder)

There's a guide for a way to make an ISO out of the files but I haven't read it as I'm going to install from an existing Vista install.

Also, as an added note: you can't upgrade non-SP1 Vista to this, you have to install SP1 on the existing install first.
 
i'm not a student but do have a legit ultimate key (retail), could i download this to get a vista SP1 image? done want to use vlite since it's a hack job of sorts unlike the xp version
 
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