Purchasing Windows Vista advice.

rp2000

rp2000

rp2000

Caporegime
Joined
11 Nov 2002
Posts
84,259
Location
Barcelona
Hi,

I am looking to get Windows Vista to install on one of my machines.
The amount of versions etc is confusing me.

What I have gathered so far is that there is 3 types of versions

OEM (can only be installed once?)
Retail Upgrade (You need a full Windows XP installed)
Retail Full (Install on a blank hard drive as many times as you want).

Is this right?

I am undecided between Ultimate and Business edition.

If I needed to re-install the retail upgrade version would I need to install XP then upgrade it again?

Any info would be useful, I just need a version I could re-install when needed without calling up helplines and what not.


rp2000
 
  • OEM can be installed many (limited?) times but only on same machine/mobo;
  • & Retail can be installed many times & on a different machine, i.e. it can be transfered :)
Find out about difference in editions here. Most here, including myself have Home Premium ;)
 
Ultimate seems pointless really. As far as I can see all it really has is bitlocker, but you can get better encryption tools for free anyway.
 
hp7909 said:
  • OEM can be installed many (limited?) times but only on same machine/mobo;
  • & Retail can be installed many times & on a different machine, i.e. it can be transfered :)
Find out about difference in editions here. Most here, including myself have Home Premium ;)
Click to expand...


That clarifies it a bit, I will check on wikipedia for the other details.

Home is no good to me as I need some of the enterprise features like adding the machine to a AD/domain etc, whcih I think can only be done with Business or Ultimate editions (I think).


rp2000
 
I got ultimate for £29.99

fully working :eek:

Got me a bargain.

It seems to be useful to me over the other editions. Microsoft gives loads of things that are "ultimate only"


;)
 
snazzy_dazzy said:
I got ultimate for £29.99

fully working :eek:

Got me a bargain.

It seems to be useful to me over the other editions. Microsoft gives loads of things that are "ultimate only"


;)
Click to expand...


Was this a one off offer?

I assume upgrade versions will be hassle when re-installing, even though they are cheaper.


rp2000
 
Depends if you are installing on a new hard drive each time. If you are just reistalling on same disc you should be fine because it will detect previous install. At worst on a new disc you only have to bung on a previous version which doesn't take long, not activate it then run Vista. Got my upgrade Premium from States for £80 but if can get retail for a bit more cash then go for it to save hassle.
 
Looking around,

Ultimate upgrade version is around £200
Business upgrade is around £160

In the future I plan on installing this on a MAC so I dunno who an upgrade version would work on there as you don;t install windows like you do on normal PCs (ie boot from DVD etc) as it is all done through a bootcamp GUI.

Too many decisions!!!! Safest bet is to get a Business or Ultimate retail but that costs a lot of money!!!


rp2000
 
rp2000 said:
Looking around,

Ultimate upgrade version is around £200
Business upgrade is around £160

In the future I plan on installing this on a MAC so I dunno who an upgrade version would work on there as you don;t install windows like you do on normal PCs (ie boot from DVD etc) as it is all done through a bootcamp GUI.

Too many decisions!!!! Safest bet is to get a Business or Ultimate retail but that costs a lot of money!!!


rp2000
Click to expand...

If it's for a Mac get the OEM edition. Ih and have a read of the sticky ;)

Burnsy
 
snazzy_dazzy said:
I got ultimate for £29.99

fully working :eek:

Got me a bargain.

It seems to be useful to me over the other editions. Microsoft gives loads of things that are "ultimate only"


;)
Click to expand...

For £29.99 I doubt it's a legal copy, which means you were ripped off rather than getting a bargain ;)

Burnsy
 
Energize said:
Ultimate seems pointless really. As far as I can see all it really has is bitlocker, but you can get better encryption tools for free anyway.
Click to expand...

Loads of work group/domain features, remote desktop, dreams, BL and some server features.

Not pointless, just not features that you use. :)
 
lay-z-boy said:
Loads of work group/domain features, remote desktop, dreams, BL and some server features.

Not pointless, just not features that you use. :)
Click to expand...

Most of those features are in the Business edition, I know of nobody who has ultimate and uses all of the features that makes it better over business or HP.

Burnsy
 
burnsy2023 said:
Most of those features are in the Business edition, I know of nobody who has ultimate and uses all of the features that makes it better over business or HP.

Burnsy
Click to expand...

Exactly.

As for remote desktop, vnc
fghj.JPG
!
 
Last edited:
burnsy2023 said:
Most of those features are in the Business edition, I know of nobody who has ultimate and uses all of the features that makes it better over business or HP.

Burnsy
Click to expand...
Me, because I'm like that. Home network with Server 2003. My desktop has Ultimate - I use both media center and domain functionality. Although it has slightly more of a media center bent.
 
burnsy2023 said:
Most of those features are in the Business edition, I know of nobody who has ultimate and uses all of the features that makes it better over business or HP.

Burnsy
Click to expand...

Well I use those features and i also use the media centre, so now you do know someone who makes use of them. :)
 
burnsy2023 said:
If it's for a Mac get the OEM edition. Ih and have a read of the sticky ;)

Burnsy
Click to expand...


Hi,

I have a Windows based PC as well. Primarily I want to install it on the windows PC now and on a new mac with bootcamp in the next few months. I guess for this scenario the OEM would not help me as it is being installed on 2 different hardware configs?


rp2000
 
rp2000 said:
Hi,

I have a Windows based PC as well. Primarily I want to install it on the windows PC now and on a new mac with bootcamp in the next few months. I guess for this scenario the OEM would not help me as it is being installed on 2 different hardware configs?


rp2000
Click to expand...

No, you're right you can't transfer the license, however it'd still be cheaper to buy two OEM licenses rather than go retail. The other option is to think whether you really need it on the first PC to begin with.

Burnsy
 
Right I have found the Vista retail upgrade for £95 and the business retail upgrade for £75. Does this represent better value than buying the OEM versions?

As they are second hand I guess I would need to call up to activate as the original owner would have activated already on his original system.

Also I think the retail versions allow you to install 32 or 64 bit versions whereas for OEM you have to buy them seperately. Is this correct?


rp2000
 
I have also read there is ways to install the upgrade version without actually installing xp or 2k first. Anyone know much about this?


rp2000
 
rp2000 said:
Also I think the retail versions allow you to install 32 or 64 bit versions whereas for OEM you have to buy them seperately. Is this correct?


rp2000
Click to expand...

The OEM version also has this right and you get the media the same way as the upgrade or retail editions.

You need to have a qualifying product installed to be able to use the upgrade license, without it it's useless, so you can't use it on the Mac. Also, don't bother buying secondhand versions, it's really not worth the potential hassle.

You can get the OEM edition of Business for about £85, so it's not far off the second hand price, seriously go new.

Burnsy
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom