Upgrade to Vista - Will my XP licence still work?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Dex
  • Start date Start date
D

Dex

If I buy an upgrade version of Windows Vista, can I continue to use my
retail version of XP on a separate partition or will it's license will
deactivated?

I want to do this as apparently some games run more slowly under Vista.

Dek
 
You need to purchase the full version of Vista, not the upgrade version.
Your XP will no longer be usable after you upgrade your XP license to Vista.

--


Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
(For email, remove the obvious from my address)

Quote from George Ankner:
If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!
 
The Windows XP license forms the basis for qualifying for the
upgrade version of Windows Vista. After upgrading, the Windows XP
license can no longer be used for a separate installation of Windows XP.
Therefore, if you wish to continue to use Windows XP, you'll need to
purchase a complete "Full Version" of Windows Vista.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows Shell/User

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

:

If I buy an upgrade version of Windows Vista, can I continue to use my
retail version of XP on a separate partition or will it's license will
deactivated?

I want to do this as apparently some games run more slowly under Vista.

Dek
 
Mary said:
Why do you say that? Anyone with a valid XP license and the xp cd's
for proof
of purchase can buy the Upgrade version and do a clean install.
Click to expand...


Richard is correct as the Windows XP license is no longer valid for
use anywhere as it is absorbed to make the full license for the
Windows Vista install
This is not about technical issues but about adherence to the
licensing
 
Mary said:
Why do you say that? Anyone with a valid XP license and the xp cd's for
proof
of purchase can buy the Upgrade version and do a clean install.
Click to expand...


Sorry, this information is not correct.

Upgrading from XP x86 to Vista x86 using the upgrade version, your only
option is to start setup within a genuine XP installation, no advanced
options available, no ability to do a clean install.

Upgrading from Windows 2000 to Vista x86 using the upgrade version, you do
have to start setup from within W2K, but in this scenario your only option
is to do a custom install.

If you are upgrading anything to Vista x64 upgrade version, then you can
start the upgrade by booting from the Vista DVD where you can do a clean
install. During this setup process it will check the hard drive for a
qualifying OS for the upgrade.

See http://www.microsoft.com/windowsvista/getready/upgradeinfo.mspx for
other info.
 
If I buy an upgrade version of Windows Vista, can I continue to use my
retail version of XP on a separate partition or will it's license will
deactivated?

I want to do this as apparently some games run more slowly under Vista.
Click to expand...

No, that's one of the reasons why the upgrade costs less than a full
version. The XP license is subsumed into the Vista license when an upgrade
is installed.
 
You will be better off to use Windows 2000 to upgrade to Vista than Windows XP since Windows 2000 does not require activation and therefore cannot be deactivated. That way you can have both Windows Vista and XP on the same computer.
If I buy an upgrade version of Windows Vista, can I continue to use my
retail version of XP on a separate partition or will it's license will
deactivated?

I want to do this as apparently some games run more slowly under Vista.

Dek
 
Because Vista upgrade editions do not work like XP upgrade editions. You no
longer use the legacy cd to prove you own an earlier version of windows. XP
needs to be installed and activated on your computer or you cannot perform
an installation of Vista. I don't believe you can install to any other
partition than the qualifying OS, so you must overwrite XP. XP cd's are not
used for proof of anything.
 
You would need to have Win2k installed twice to do that. One would be overwritten by the upgrade. I doubt that you could launch from a Win2k desktop and select any other partition for the installation of Vista using an upgrade edition product key.
You will be better off to use Windows 2000 to upgrade to Vista than Windows XP since Windows 2000 does not require activation and therefore cannot be deactivated. That way you can have both Windows Vista and XP on the same computer.
If I buy an upgrade version of Windows Vista, can I continue to use my
retail version of XP on a separate partition or will it's license will
deactivated?

I want to do this as apparently some games run more slowly under Vista.

Dek
 
Perhaps the scenario could be, starting with everything wiped off the computer;

1) Install Windows 2000 on the D drive (if that can be done).
2) Install Windows Vista Upgrade over Windows 2000 on the D drive.
3) Install Windows XP on the C drive. This will wipe out the Vista bootloader.
4) Download and Install Vista Boot Pro to Windows XP.
5) Run Vista Boot Pro to restore the the Vista bootloader and configure Vista bootloader to dual boot between Windows XP and Windows Vista.

If that could be done, then you could have a valid dual boot computer with XP and Vista without having to sacrifice the XP license. I would think that if Vista assimilated the Windows 2000 Cd key and you needed to reinstall, that if the Vista activation did not work because the copy of Windows 2000 has already been assimilated, that a phone call and explanation of what happened should work to reset the activation.


You would need to have Win2k installed twice to do that. One would be overwritten by the upgrade. I doubt that you could launch from a Win2k desktop and select any other partition for the installation of Vista using an upgrade edition product key.
You will be better off to use Windows 2000 to upgrade to Vista than Windows XP since Windows 2000 does not require activation and therefore cannot be deactivated. That way you can have both Windows Vista and XP on the same computer.
If I buy an upgrade version of Windows Vista, can I continue to use my
retail version of XP on a separate partition or will it's license will
deactivated?

I want to do this as apparently some games run more slowly under Vista.

Dek
 
Install Win2k on C: and XP on D: setting up the dual boot scenario. Upgrade Win2k to Vista. Done.
Perhaps the scenario could be, starting with everything wiped off the computer;

1) Install Windows 2000 on the D drive (if that can be done).
2) Install Windows Vista Upgrade over Windows 2000 on the D drive.
3) Install Windows XP on the C drive. This will wipe out the Vista bootloader.
4) Download and Install Vista Boot Pro to Windows XP.
5) Run Vista Boot Pro to restore the the Vista bootloader and configure Vista bootloader to dual boot between Windows XP and Windows Vista.

If that could be done, then you could have a valid dual boot computer with XP and Vista without having to sacrifice the XP license. I would think that if Vista assimilated the Windows 2000 Cd key and you needed to reinstall, that if the Vista activation did not work because the copy of Windows 2000 has already been assimilated, that a phone call and explanation of what happened should work to reset the activation.


You would need to have Win2k installed twice to do that. One would be overwritten by the upgrade. I doubt that you could launch from a Win2k desktop and select any other partition for the installation of Vista using an upgrade edition product key.
You will be better off to use Windows 2000 to upgrade to Vista than Windows XP since Windows 2000 does not require activation and therefore cannot be deactivated. That way you can have both Windows Vista and XP on the same computer.
If I buy an upgrade version of Windows Vista, can I continue to use my
retail version of XP on a separate partition or will it's license will
deactivated?

I want to do this as apparently some games run more slowly under Vista.

Dek
 
I did not know if there were an existing dual boot if the Vista Upgrade would hunt down and kill the XP install leaving the 2000 install in place.

Install Win2k on C: and XP on D: setting up the dual boot scenario. Upgrade Win2k to Vista. Done.
 
When you upgrade you kill the OS that you are upgrading from. Vista Setup scans the system for other installations of Windows and sets up the boot options screen as appropriate.
I did not know if there were an existing dual boot if the Vista Upgrade would hunt down and kill the XP install leaving the 2000 install in place.

Install Win2k on C: and XP on D: setting up the dual boot scenario. Upgrade Win2k to Vista. Done.
 
So I have a legal, activated and genuine installation of XP Professional
SP-2.
I buy the upgrade edition of Vista and install it. This will render the XP
license unusable.

Now my question:
Later down the road my hard disk dies or I have a nasty virus. Can I install
XP professional SP-2, activate it and pass the genuine test so that I can
reinstall Vista?
 
You would be best advised to make a complete system backup after you have
installed Vista and before you start installing programs. You can then just
reload that if your problem develops. The license has been folded into your
Vista license, but you can use it for reinstalling, be it for applying your
updates or because you are unsatisfied with Vista (at least as one MVP posts
here). May require telephone activation, that hasn't been confirmed yet.
 
Fuzzy said:
So I have a legal, activated and genuine installation of XP Professional
SP-2.
I buy the upgrade edition of Vista and install it. This will render the XP
license unusable.

Now my question:
Later down the road my hard disk dies or I have a nasty virus. Can I install
XP professional SP-2, activate it and pass the genuine test so that I can
reinstall Vista?
Click to expand...
Yes.
 
So I have a legal, activated and genuine installation of XP Professional
SP-2.
I buy the upgrade edition of Vista and install it. This will render the XP
license unusable.

Now my question:
Later down the road my hard disk dies or I have a nasty virus. Can I
install XP professional SP-2, activate it and pass the genuine test so
that I can reinstall Vista?
Click to expand...

Read through the posts in this newsgroup. This has bee asked/answered many
times.
 
Maybe it has but I haven't seen it. So I broke protocol and asked. Sorry for
stepping on toes.
 
John:
In the scenario you listed my understanding is that you could
reinstall XP, activate (telephone activation may be required), then
reinstall the Vista upgrade. Another option would be to image your hard
drive after installation and activation, the reinstall the image after a
catastrophe (reactivation would be required if the hard drive is replaced).
Have a great day.
 
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