Format and Install with Upgrade

  • Thread starter Thread starter Daniel
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Daniel

Hi

I have a PC with an OEM version of XP Home, I have the install disk, and I
want to Format and Install Vista Ultimate
with an Upgrade version.

How do I do that?

thanks

Daniel
 
Hi Daniel,
I have a Toshiba 1905-S301 laptop (P4 2.0 GHz; 768MB Ram; 32MB Graphics
Card, 40GB HDD). The machine is around 5 years old. I re-installed my OEM OS
(XP Home SP1) from scratch, got my wireless connection going, ran all
updates up to SP2, and then installed and ran the Vista Installation
Advisor. As I ran the advisor, it prompted me for various other updates I
required before I could install Vista. Once completed, I put in the Vista
Ultimate disk and selected upgrade, and it worked. Its clunky though - I
really don't have enough RAM or a powerful enough graphics card to fully
support Vista Ultimate. Flip 3D and Aero are not available, and Media Center
chunks along, but it works.
 
Thanks

but did you do a upgrade install or a format and install, also called a
clean install I think.
Can I do a "clean install" with an Upgrade disk.

I have no problems with system resources, I have a 3.2 P4 CPU and 2.5G RAM
and a 512 Graphics Card.

cheers

Daniel
 
Upgrade copies do not do clean installs. They are meant to be used with the
operating system that already exists on your PC.

If you want to start afresh you 'could' re-install the OEM copy of XP and
then upgrade to Vista, but you are not going to be able to format the drive
and simple unstall Vista without installing XP first - not with an upgrade
anyway.

I am fully aware that there are 'hacks' around this problem, but i don't
deal in hacks that's why i haven't suggested this option.

--
John Barnett MVP
Associate Expert
Windows - Shell/User

Web: http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org
Web: http://vistasupport.mvps.org

The information in this mail/post is supplied "as is". No warranty of any
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reliability or content of this mail/post. The Author shall not be liable for
any direct, indirect, incidental or consequential damages arising out of the
use of, or inability to use, information or opinions expressed in this
mail/post..
 
Here's the "hack" that Microsoft provides:

You have met the requirement by having the OS needed for an upgrade.
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsvista/buyorupgrade/upgradepaths.mspx
(For instance XP Pro to Vista Home Premium)

A 'clean-install' is required by some upgrade paths and MS failed to provide
a 'clean' method of doing this with their upgrade disk, but they did provide
a method.

The instructions MS provides are:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/918884/en-us
But if the path you desire for upgrade is not available, the Upgrade button
is disabled. and you must select Custom Install. Unfortunately, this will
not work with Method 1 or Method 2 unless you fail to insert the Product Key
on the first installation. (Which they conveniently forget to tell you.)

In a nutshell:
This method erases ALL data from the selected drive!
Boot from the DVD and select Custom Install.
Format the drive and install Vista (version you bought) without entering
your Product Key.
When it is all done, while running Vista from the Hard Drive, open the
DVD and install again, this time selecting Upgrade. (Total time: about 1.5
hours on my machine.)

Don't bother installing software/updates until you complete both installs.
 
John

This seems very short sighted of Microsoft, I understood upgrades
were like a loyalty reward for carrying on with MS, not a restriction on
the use of the install process.

The XP Pro upgrade allowed me to do a clean install, it just asked for my 98
disc at
an early stage of the install.

BTW I do not deal in hacks either, all of my software is 100% compliant and
legal,
and where possible it is MS, that is why I am disappointed.

regards

Daniel
 
You can get the equivalent of a clean install, less the format, by doing a
custom install. The procedure used by Vista is to lay down the Image of
Vista (unlike XP that used a file copy approach) that is pristine. If
installed to the same partition as XP, it will wrap the XP install into a
separate file you can delete later. Takes up a little extra space, but you
have a really clean copy of Vista. Vista will also change the format of the
drive (via quick format) so that it is in the latest NTFS format. It is a
winner.
 
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