Question about Vista Upgrade

SpaghettiOs · 12 Apr 2007 at 19:33

Hi all,

Just wondering if someone could inform me about the Windows Vista upgrade version. I have heard varying stories about it. If I don't have any OS installed can I stick in the Vista disk and it will install it, provided I had an XP disk with me to confirm I own it?

I had heard from some that a full installation of XP is required before you can install Vista, which seems like a complete waste of time. Could someone please confirm this for me?

Many thanks,
gamer

Jay123 · 12 Apr 2007 at 19:36

You need a working copy of windows on before you can update??? If you dont have an os before ??? Whats there to update??

Common Sense Springs To Mind !

Jay!

Eriedor · 12 Apr 2007 at 19:39

Jay123 said:
You need a working copy of windows on before you can update??? If you dont have an os before ??? Whats there to update??

Common Sense Springs To Mind !

Jay!

Knowing the answer springs to mind!

While I have not confirmed it with Vista, with previous version of windows if you install an upgrade as a fresh install it requests a previous windows disk to be inserted at a certain point during installation. I would imagine this is the same for Vista.

SpaghettiOs · 12 Apr 2007 at 19:41

Well thanks for that, but with previous upgrade editions, eg Windows XP, you could do a clean install after verifying that you own a previous version by putting in a CD.

EDIT: You got in just before I posted.

Burnsy2023 · 12 Apr 2007 at 20:02

eriedor said:
Knowing the answer springs to mind!

While I have not confirmed it with Vista, with previous version of windows if you install an upgrade as a fresh install it requests a previous windows disk to be inserted at a certain point during installation. I would imagine this is the same for Vista.

No it's not.

Microsoft's official stance is that you need a full and activated copy of XP installed (or 2000) to upgrade. However, you can install an upgrade without specifying a previous version via a workaround.

Burnsy

SpaghettiOs · 12 Apr 2007 at 20:06

Thanks for the info guys, I guess I'll be going OEM the, can't really afford the £170 odd for retail. Now whether to go 64 or 32 bit.*

Eriedor · 12 Apr 2007 at 20:14

burnsy2023 said:
No it's not.

Microsoft's official stance is that you need a full and activated copy of XP installed (or 2000) to upgrade. However, you can install an upgrade without specifying a previous version via a workaround.

Burnsy

Ah handy to know that.

gamer_boy....64! ;d

stoofa · 13 Apr 2007 at 03:16

gamer_boy said:
Thanks for the info guys, I guess I'll be going OEM the, can't really afford the £170 odd for retail. Now whether to go 64 or 32 bit.*

Just remember that if you buy OEM you are entitled to install it on your current PC only.
If in the future you perform an ugrade that also includes the purchase of a new motherboard then you will need to buy a new license for Windows.
Make sure you don't false economise by buying OEM - the difference between OEM & Retail licenses is quite a lot, it is not simply one comes with support and one doesnt & one comes with retail packaging and the other doesn't.

Buckster · 15 Apr 2007 at 10:00

I have XP OEM can I still go for Vista Upgrade version ? or does it have to be full XP ?

its just the Vista Upgrade Academic (my wife is a teacher) is very cheap indeed.

thanks, Mark.

Burnsy2023 · 15 Apr 2007 at 10:39

OEM is a perfectly fine qualifying product

Burnsy

Buckster · 15 Apr 2007 at 10:41

thanks.

If you install using the "tweaked" fresh method for the upgrade - ie without having upgrade XP - do you still loose the XP licence ? Or does it never know you've upgraded so to speak ? I don't remember reading anywhere - that when you go down this route - it asks you for your old XP serial ?

I don't want to install it this way to try and circumvent loosing my XP licence - just I never like to do upgrade installs - as they can never be as good as fresh installs In my opinion anyway.

thanks, Mark.

Burnsy2023 · 15 Apr 2007 at 10:57

Buckster said:
thanks.

If you install using the "tweaked" fresh method for the upgrade - ie without having upgrade XP - do you still loose the XP licence ? Or does it never know you've upgraded so to speak ? I don't remember reading anywhere - that when you go down this route - it asks you for your old XP serial ?

I don't want to install it this way to try and circumvent loosing my XP licence - just I never like to do upgrade installs - as they can never be as good as fresh installs In my opinion anyway.

thanks, Mark.

You never 'lose' your XP license, the upgrade is an extension to this existing license and so your Product Key never gets deactivated. And using the workaround doesn't break any term of the EULA as long as you have the qualifying product. I don't think it asks for the XP serial but it will know it's an upgrade version.

Burnsy