Windows Vista Ultimate Upgrade

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Guest

I plan to buy a new PC in a few weeks when Vista is available. I am trying to
decide if I should buy the full version or the upgrade of Vista. I want a
"clean" install of the new operating system so if I can temporarily insert
the XP CD to confirm its availablilty, I would do that. But if I have to
install XP first, then run the upgrade, I would just buy the full Vista
version.

So my question is ....can I install a Vista upgrade on an empty computer by
only inserting the XP CD at some requested time?

Thanks
 
Hi,

Buy the full version. The upgrade only runs from an installed and (in the
case of XP) activated installation. The old trick of inserting the CD to
prove ownership no longer works.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
 
What about if I have RC2 on my PC, do I have to buy the full version or will
the XP CD work?
 
Hi,

RC2 does not qualify an upgrade disk, XP would need to be installed and
running, and you'd have to start the upgrade from within it.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
 
RC2 is not a qualifying OS for an upgrade edition. You can use the upgrade
functionality of a full edition to upgrade from RC2 to final but only if you
purchase Vista Ultimate. Forget using XP cd's for anything but installing
XP. Vista upgrade editions do not check shiny media at all.

If you reinstall XP and activate you can use a Vista full edition to do a
custom install of Vista. That will roll up the XP files into a windows.old
folder giving you the Vista equivalent of a clean install. To do a classic
clean install where you format the drive before installing the OS you have
to use a full edition of Vista x86 or x64.
 
RayS said:
I plan to buy a new PC in a few weeks when Vista is available. I am trying to
decide if I should buy the full version or the upgrade of Vista. I want a
"clean" install of the new operating system so if I can temporarily insert
the XP CD to confirm its availablilty, I would do that. But if I have to
install XP first, then run the upgrade, I would just buy the full Vista
version.

So my question is ....can I install a Vista upgrade on an empty computer by
only inserting the XP CD at some requested time?
Click to expand...
No.
 
Yes. You can install Vista x86 by booting with the dvd with a full edition.
That will permit you to use the Format tool in the Advanced Options to
reformat the target partition before installing.
 
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