Winows Vista Upgrade versions

eyetrip · 22 Apr 2009 at 11:22

Just wondering... and sorry if this is a stypid questions, but I have never used an upgrade copy of Windows before.

I am likely to be settings up a 2nd pc and will require a new OS. I have an old copy XP home OEM.

If I were to purchase an upgrade version of Vista Home Premium, would I be able to do a clean install without first installing XP? Would I just need to insert the disc at some point during install of Vista? And is an OEM copy even valid to upgrade from?

stoofa · 22 Apr 2009 at 12:14

You can use an OEM OS to upgrade from, however in your situation you cannot do so.
Your XP Home OEM license is tied to the machine on which it was first installed.
You are not allowed to move or transfer an OEM license.
As you are building a new PC then at the moment it has no license associated with it - you need to purchase a full license as you've got nothing to upgrade from.

Your options for your new PC are:

1. Purchase OEM Windows for it - Remember the OEM OS you buy is tied to that machine for ever more. You can upgrade all components except the motherboard.
2. Purchase Retail Full Windows for it - OS for life, the OS can be transferred and moved around from machine to machine so long as there is only ever one installation at any one time.
3. Transfer a Retail Windows license to the new machine and then upgrade that via a Windows Upgrade pack.

Windows Vista upgrades do not specifically support "clean installs".
If you search around the web there is a way "around this" that I believe involves double installations or something like that.
However by default the Vista Upgrade will only install onto a machine that has a qualifying OS already installed on.

eyetrip · 22 Apr 2009 at 12:30

Thanks for the reply.

Guess I might just have to fork out for a retail... just so blimmin expensive and only need 2nd pc for learning purposes (.net devlopment and server stuff)

Though my current Vista Business machine fully capable of pretty much everything I just wanted to move as much server based stuff to seperate machine.

stoofa · 22 Apr 2009 at 13:33

Look for the Windows 7 Beta.
That's free and will tide you over until Windows 7 is released.

MS do 60 day trial versions of Server OS's.

El_Watcher · 22 Apr 2009 at 13:43

stoofa said:
However by default the Vista Upgrade will only install onto a machine that has a qualifying OS already installed on.

I think basically you do the Vista upgrade, and when it asks for a licence key, you don't enter one which gives a 30 day trial and installs. Once it is installed you then run the upgrade again, and it detects the 30-day trial as a previous version, and allows the upgrade clean install.

stoofa · 22 Apr 2009 at 13:51

El_Watcher said:
I think basically you do the Vista upgrade, and when it asks for a licence key, you don't enter one which gives a 30 day trial and installs. Once it is installed you then run the upgrade again, and it detects the 30-day trial as a previous version, and allows the upgrade clean install.

That sounds familiar.