Confused about upgrading from XP Home 32-bit to Vista Home Premium 64-bit

Kua · 27 Mar 2009 at 01:35

I've come across a product called "Windows Vista Home Premium Upgrade". And as far as I understand it, if I already have XP installed I can use this to install Vista Home Premium 64-bit, saving myself a bit of cash. Is that about right? And if I do get the Upgrade version, it doesnt have to necessarily expressly say its the 64-bit version because I will have a license for both the 32-bit and the 64-bit?

Meh, and finally! Is it safe enough to buy a used version, or am I counting on the fact the seller has uninstalled?

Seeing how cheap the upgrade is, I wish I'd done this a long time ago!

Kua · 28 Mar 2009 at 21:02

stoofa said:
However Vista Home Premium only ever shipped with the 32bit install media - to get the 64bit installation media you needed to send off £7 to Microsoft who would then send you the 64bit media.

Cheers for this. So if I understand right whether I get Vista Home Premium or Vista Home Premium Upgrade I'd still have to pay £7 to get 64-bit... Meaning Upgrade, being generally cheaper, is the obvious choice.

Kua · 28 Mar 2009 at 21:36

Eulogy said:
I don't believe you can upgrade between 64 bit Windows XP and 32 bit Windows Vista

I think you have to go 32 bit to 32 bit and 64 bit to 64 bit

Oh. That's a downer. So because I have 32-bit XP and I want to upgrade to 64-bit Vista. I'll need to buy the full "Vista Home Premium".

May be I should just download the Windows 7 beta via torrent (I'm assuming its 64-bit). As far as I understand because its a beta this is fairly legit. I could be wrong though...

Kua · 28 Mar 2009 at 22:04

mctiny said:
you "could" but it's only working until August

Not worth the hassle or the bandwidth then (fuppin FUPs). Thought it would be interesting to see what all the fuss is about...

Eulogy said:
I think you have to go 32 bit to 32 bit and 64 bit to 64 bit

In that case, is anyone able to confirm that Eulogy has this right?

Kua · 28 Mar 2009 at 22:24

mctiny said:
Indeed "Eulogy" is correct, 32bit-32bit, 64bit-64bit, due to having different kernals I believe.

Poo. Oh well, cheers for clearing that up. I was very close to buying the upgrade version on the 'bay t'other day (you know what, I'm a poet and I don't know it). Good job I didn't

.

Kua · 28 Mar 2009 at 22:32

mctiny said:
Honestly have a little look about this here forums, as I know this has been covered many many times before...

Sorry, I'm normally not so lazy (honest!)

Kua · 28 Mar 2009 at 22:57

Hmm this is going over my head. Not even sure whether it applies to me!

Kua · 28 Mar 2009 at 23:26

thepeganator said:
The best way to install Vista is a clean install, which an upgrade key wont let you do directly.

The way to get around this (documented by MS), is to install Vista WITHOUT a CD key first time, the once it is installed insert the cd again, enter your upgrade CD key, and it will "upgrade" to the same version fine.

*Whoosh*

Kua · 29 Mar 2009 at 11:13

Eulogy said:
That's not an upgrade, that's a clean installation over the top of your old OS. An upgrade keeps all your files, profiles etc in place even after completion, a clean install of vista over your old OS will put all your files into a folder called windows.old

Still seen as its not really any different from a fresh install I might as well get the upgrade version, being cheaper and all that

.