Does 64 Bit Vista Premium OEM come with 32 bit?

At The Gates

At The Gates

At The Gates

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Hi,

Does the OEM version of 64 bit Vista Premium come with the 32 bit version too? I've heard only the retail version does? If i want to legally run Vista 32 bit, do i need to buy either that or the retail of the 64 bit Premium?

Thanks
 
Only Ultimate Retail comes with both 32bit & 64bit media.
All other versions (including OEM) and you'd need to send off for the media from Microsoft - nominal fee.
 
With OEM you cannot send off for a 64bit disc - I tried, it doesn't work.

You can however use a friend's 64bit disc along with your 32bit OEM product key to install and activate 64bit Vista.
 
mrk said:
With OEM you cannot send off for a 64bit disc - I tried, it doesn't work.
Click to expand...

Depends who the OEM is. If you've got a Dell, HP, Sony etc. MS take the view that these companies are big enough to have the right level of customer support in place to supply customers with discs directly. If you've got an unbranded OEM disc MS should send you a 32/64bit version.

I recently got a Dell laptop with Vista HP 32bit installed. A quick support request to Dell and they sent me a 64bit disc within a couple of working days :)
 
Oh indeed, I meant as in just the OEM version you can buy from any retailer not one that comes preinstalled with a system :)
 
mrk said:
With OEM you cannot send off for a 64bit disc - I tried, it doesn't work.

You can however use a friend's 64bit disc along with your 32bit OEM product key to install and activate 64bit Vista.
Click to expand...

Aye - you can.
Microsoft have confirmed that an OEM license is good for either the 32bit or 64bit version.
However obviously only one at a time and you have to use it on the same PC - so if you install and effectively lock your 32bit Vista install to a particular motherboard and then decide to go 64bit you have to then install on the very same machine (as per OEM licensing rules).

For this reason MS will send out 64bit media if you own an OEM copy for the usual nominal fee - a mate of mine has done this.
 
If Microsoft allow the licenses to be used on either 32 bit or 64bit for OEM, is it wrong to download 64bit version if you have a legit 32bit OEM hardcopy?

edit nvm read thread properly, they charge you a small fee for it so I guess dl'ing would be illegal ;o
 
MooMoo444 said:
If Microsoft allow the licenses to be used on either 32 bit or 64bit for OEM, is it wrong to download 64bit version if you have a legit 32bit OEM hardcopy?

edit nvm read thread properly, they charge you a small fee for it so I guess dl'ing would be illegal ;o
Click to expand...

Illegal yes - because Microsoft do not make their OS available for download, unless you have MSDN or similar access.
Also by the fact they charge a "nominal fee" for the new media would indicate that by downloading you are not paying for the media.

From a license point of view it's fine to use either 32bit or 64bit under either an OEM 32bit or OEM 64bit license.
 
stoofa said:
Illegal yes - because Microsoft do not make their OS available for download, unless you have MSDN or similar access.
Also by the fact they charge a "nominal fee" for the new media would indicate that by downloading you are not paying for the media.
Click to expand...
Plus I'd rather throw them a few quid, then download a few gigabytes, and have the physical media.
 
I'm toying with wether to buy the retail version of Home Premium, or just the OEM 64-bit, as I don't see myself updating my motherboard anytime soon (Rampage Formula), as I've only just built the rig.

But I assume that buying the OEM 64 from here is the actual 64-bit CD and not a means of getting to 64-bit via an extra fee from Microsoft?
 
Vista Home premium 64bit OEM will come with the 64bit version of the OS on DVD, nothing else to download, upgrade or pay.
 
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