The rule is: A 32bit Windows user CAN use a upgrade edition to "upgrade"
(which I prefer to call "migrate") to 64bit Vista. A full edition is not
required. This only came to light in the past couple of weeks.
While upgrading-in-place 32bit Windows to 64bit Vista is not supported,
using an upgrade edition product key to do a custom install of 64bit Vista
on a computer running 32bit Windows is. A full edition of Vista x64 is not
required.
Darrel Gorter performed some experiments at our request earlier this month
and reported that when you boot with the x64 dvd and enter an upgrade
edition product key you are NOT prompted to run from the legacy desktop like
you are with the x86 dvd. Installation of Vista x64 proceeds to completion
even though you have booted with the dvd and entered an upgrade edition pk.
The problem is that the initial reports in December from Darrel Gorter and
Carey Frisch that all upgrade editions had to run from from the desktop
turned out to be incomplete. Only Vista x86 upgrade editions require
running from a legacy desktop.
XP Pro x64 is the one case where the user has the option to perform a
migration to Vista x64 by running from the desktop or booting with the x64
dvd since Vista x64 Setup will run on XP Pro x64. A custom installation is
still required but the method used is at the convenience of the user.
It is unfortunate that our first information was incomplete and that the
impression has been created that you can only migrate from x86 Windows to
x64 Vista with a full edition product key. It turns out be completely
untrue.
"Rick Rogers" <rick@mvps.org> wrote in message
news:e3zps5VOHHA.4604@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
> Hi,
>
> Sadly no, there is no upgrade path from 32-bit to 64-bit. The architecture
> is too different.
>
> --
> Best of Luck,
>
> Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
> http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
> Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
>
> "Stu" <Stu@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:7BEBA4F1-5BF4-4A3E-86FC-4F8D7FBDEC20@microsoft.com...
>> Hi all,
>>
>> I can't find the answer to this one. I am running XP Pro 32 Bit on one
>> partition. I have the 64 Bit Vista Ultimate (RC1) on another partition.
>> when
>> I installed this I had to boot from the DVD as XP wouldn't allow me to
>> run
>> the 64 bit install from within XP.
>>
>> When the Vista final comes out at the end of the month ideally I would
>> like
>> to retain my existing programme structure (my wife will go ballistic if I
>> have to reinstall SIMS 2 and all the packs!!!!) so obviously the in-place
>> upgrade is the way to go. But will this be possible with the final
>> release ie
>> to migrate from 32 bit computing to 64 bit whilst retaining my existing
>> programme structure?
>>
>> Not holding my breath on this but I suspect it could affect quite a few
>> folk
>> who have 64 bit processors but never previously run a 64 bit OS.
>>
>> Cheers
>