Colin--
I'm confused now (I know you can straighten this out) in the light of
the thread where Darrel Gorter posted and you posted that you can
upgrade X32 to Vista 64 bit:
You say here you cannot upgrade the Bits, but how does that square with
these posts you did?
"Darrel's experiment with an upgrade edtion"
Thursday, January 11, 2007 10:25 PM
Excellent! Thanks, Darrel!
By the way, don't EVER try doing a custom install of an x86 edition of
Vista
into a volume already containing an x64 edition of XP (or Vista). I
know,
only a goof like me would try that.
The good news is that it works. The bad news is that it works. But you
ought to see the Program Files and Program Files (x86) folders
afterwards.
The punch line is that there shouldn't be any Program Files (x86)
folder...but there sure is. And it isn't empty.
message
Hello Colin,
Tom was asking for 32-bit upgrade behavior from inside Windows 2000 or
booting from a DVD.
I installed Windows 2000 and Windows XP 32-bit versions.
I booted to a Windows Vista 32-bit DVD and used an upgrade product key.
I get the following message after entering the product key.
" To use the product key you entered, start the installation from your
existing version of Windows."
My only choices at this point are to enter a different product key (
full
package product key) or to boot into Windows and then run setup.
1) I booted to a Windows Vista x64 DVD and used a Windows Ultimate
upgrade
Product Key.
I was allowed to proceed to install when the underlying OS was Windows
XP
64-bit
I was allowed to proceed to install when the underlying OS was Windows
XP
32-bit
I was allowed to proceed to install when the underlying OS was Windows
Vista Enterprise edition.
2)I used a Windows Ultimate Upgrade Product key. that is the only
Upgrade
product key I have available to me.
If you were using Home Premium Upgrade product key and you had Windows
XP
Professional installed
Presuming this is based on the chart:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsvista/getready/upgradeinfo.mspx
If you start Windows Vista setup from within a qualifying OS and it
requires a clean installation as per the chart, you will only be
offered a
custom install.
If you boot the DVD to a 32-bit version of Windows Visa,
I get the following message after entering the product key.
" To use the product key you entered, start the installation from your
existing version of Windows."
My only choices at this point are to enter a different product key (
full
package product key) or to boot into Windows and then run setup.
Thanks,
Darrell Gorter[MSFT]
________________________________________
Upgrading to 64bits - new info from Darrel
Friday, January 12, 2007 10:43 AM
Darrel Gorter (MSFT) reported the results of some experiments he did for
us
using an Ultimate edition product key. It looks like good news for
those
hoping to be able to migrate directly from W2k and XP 32bits to Vista
64bits
at upgrade prices. It goes without saying that your computer must be
64bit
capable.
His findings:
When you boot the machine with a Vista x86 dvd and enter an upgrade
edition
product key you will be instructed to restart Setup from the legacy
desktop.
You cannot use an UE pk without running the legacy OS.
When you boot the machine with a Vista x64 dvd and enter an upgrade
edition
product key you will NOT be required to restart and run from the legacy
desktop. As long as a qualifying legacy Windows is installed you will
be
allowed to proceed. This removes a key concern, which was that x64
Setup
cannot run from an x86 desktop. It turns out that it doesn't have to.
Ealier statements turned out to apply only to the x86 dvd but not the
x64
dvd.
Conclusion: If you are running 32bit Windows you can install 64bit
Vista
using an upgrade edition product key. All you need to do is boot with
the
64bit dvd. Those already running XP Pro x64 should have the choice of
booting with the dvd or running from the desktop.
Darrel believes that the x64 dvd is only included in the Vista Ultimate
upgrade edition box and will have to be requested for the other upgrade
editions.
<Rant>There ought to be a way to only have one retail box, period.
Surely
the product key is all that varies and given present technology that can
be
purchased at point of sale and generated by the salesperson. You get
your
media kit and then tell the clerk what edition you want at the checkout
counter. No problems with open boxes if you make a mistake and need an
exchange since one box does all.</Rant>
Colin Barnhorst - MVP Virtual Machine
Can you clear up my confusion? These two posts seem to be saying you
can upgrade from a 32 bit platform to a 64 bit platform. I know (we all
know) that the mantra has always been until this that it was impossible.
Thanks,
CH
While you cannot upgrade the bits, you can install the x64 edition
using the custom install option using the same product key you used to
install your x86 edition. There are not different product keys for x86
and x64. You would have to reactivate, of course.
Since the x64 Setup program is itself 64bit, you will not be able to
start it from you Vista x86 desktop. You will boot with the x64 dvd
and run Setup from there.
I've read about the different versions of Vista and possible upgrade
paths.
What happens if I buy Vista, install and activate. Then decide a
couple of
months later that I want to reinstall with 64 bit Vista. Is that an
upgrade?
Would it use the same activation code? Could I install both with a
dual
boot configuration? Thanks.