Jharrix

Question for you. How do you run the install from within Windows Vista? I
tried a similar situation but it did not install. see my response from "XP
Media Center To Vista Ultimate" on 1/30/07. But basically bought the upgrade
wouldn't install, Microsoft tech said to do a clean install and it all worked
but when I tried to activate the product key an error came back saying I
could not us this product key due to the fact that it was a "Clean Install".
So the tech said to get around this was to perform a new "Upgrade install" on
top of the new Vista "clean install" that I did thus tricking the product key
activation and would activate based on a upgrade install. Well the upgrade
didn't work and the cpu reverted back to the Clean Install which I can't
activate. Do you think I should try and reinstall it one more time, enter
the product key and choose complete (advanced)?

"Zim Babwe" wrote:

>
>
>
> When you first encounter this prompt for your product key, just hit next and
> proceed with setup.
>
>
> Choose which version of Windows you have purchased, check the box and click
> Next.
>
>
> Once the first install of Vista is completed and you start the second
> install from within Vista, you'll need to enter your product key.
>
>
> Choose "Custom (advanced)" to perform a clean install.
>
>
> Once the second install of Vista has been completed, you can activtate your
> installation through Microsoft.
> Microsoft internal documentation reveals workaround for Vista Upgrade DVDs
> with no need for a previous version of Windows
>
>
> Just when everyone thought that all hope was lost when it comes to
> performing a clean install with a Windows Vista Upgrade DVD, a gleam of
> light can now be seen at the end of the tunnel. A new workaround proposed by
> Paul Thurrott (via Microsoft internal documents) has been confirmed to work
> by DailyTech.
>
> We reported on Monday that Microsoft doesn't perform disc checking anymore
> during an operating system install. In the past, when performing a clean
> install, a user could boot from an install CD and insert a disc from a
> previous version of Windows for upgrade compliance.
>
> Per Microsoft's new licensing requirements for Vista, users are required to
> install a Windows Vista Upgrade from within Windows XP. When this occurs,
> the Windows XP license is forfeited and the Windows Vista installation
> process can take place.
>
> Now, however, this workaround allows users to perform a "clean install." The
> process is a bit tedious, but is not hard at all to complete. Users have to
> perform these simple steps to perform a clean install of Vista without a
> previous version of Windows installed with an upgrade DVD:
>
> 1.. Boot from the Windows Vista Upgrade DVD and start the setup program.
>
> 2.. When prompted to enter your product key, DO NOT enter it. Click "Next"
> and proceed with setup. This will install Windows Vista as a 30-day trial.
>
> 3.. When prompted, select the edition of Vista which you have purchased
> and continue with setup.
>
> 4.. Once setup has been completed and you have been brought to the desktop
> for the first time, run the install program from within Windows Vista.
>
> 5.. This time, type in your product key when prompted.
>
> 6.. When asked whether to perform an Upgrade or Custom (advanced) install,
> choose Custom (advanced) to perform a clean install of Vista. Yes, this
> means that you will have to install Vista for a second time.
>
> 7.. Once setup has completed for the second time, you should be able to
> activate Windows Vista normally. You can also delete the Windows.old
> directory which contains information from the first Vista install.
>
> There's no telling why Microsoft left this loophole wide open with Windows
> Vista Upgrade DVDs, but this means that any retail upgrade DVD can be used
> as a fully functioning full retail copy of Vista