Vista - Anytime upgrade business -> Ultimate, not available...

Hi,

Basically, I bought a Dell XPS M1730, this came with Windows Vista Ultimate 32bit.

I then thought I'd have a look at Windows 7, so I installed Windows 7.... Yesterday I got fed up with it, fancied a clean wipe of the system and grabbed a Vista disc which I had (not one that came with the original machine, burnt from an iso obtained from my university). After doing a destructive install of Windows Vista, I found that I had installed Business. Now I did not see any options to upgrade to Ultimate (anytime just shows me "learn about the different versions of vista"), and I did not see any options when installing...

Obviously I have no key for Business, so when the trial expires Im buggered, how can I get my hands on an Ultimate upgrade?

Any help/input is greatly appreciated!

Right click on "My Computer" in the start menu and go to the bottom of the window. There should be a link at the bottom to "change product key". Click on the link and enter your vista ultimate key from your original installation and Vista should take care of the rest.

Unfortunately this doesn't work, it just gives me the following error (I have tried running the setup, but I can't see anything in there that will help me):

I did some serious digging around the web and it appears that your only recourse is to re-install your original Vista Ultimate and use it's key during the installation. You may get away with a simple re-installation, however I never recommend installing over the top of an existing OS, as that tends to cause problems. A format and fresh installation is your best bet, but if you have dedicated time setting up software and settings you wish to keep, you can roll the dice and try a simple re-install.

Yea, this is what I was afraid of, I do not have the original CD, nor do I have access to the CD (i.e. it's lost at work somewhere). I guess I'll have to find a .iso on a torrent / warez site and hope it goes ok...

Thanks for the help though!

From reading your problem, you only best option would be doing a fresh re-install aka format and install. Just like SuperFuzz stated above.

Yea, I guess. Im happy to do so, but the image I burnt from the uni comps has no options other than "Business N" (it just installs with no options for alternatives etc. I assume it's because of the .iso being some university license issue thing that it only seems to have that on). So I guess torrents / warez sites are all I can turn to to get ultimate?



edit: using my legit serial of course.

Yup, its ok to download the cd .iso, ofcourse that you use a legal licence key. One place i can offer for you to look is forumw.org but they use rapidshare accounts. Mind you...they can provide you with the .iso, just don't download any of the cracks. Simply use the .iso and install it using your legal key. Nothing wrong with that.

Happy downloading, good luck

You need to upgrade with the version for that laptop. It is the correct version to allow the upgrade. It is the version that is tied to that key. You will need to original version install that was on the laptop, then buy the upgrade key from Microsoft.

Didn't your computer come with Ultimate pre-installed on it? I thought that was what I read. If so, you should have a system restore disk that already has Ultimate on it and should be able to use it to restore Ultimate to your system.

As for using a Warez site or torrents to get Ultimate, here is an idea. How about actually paying for it? Piracy is part of why software costs as much as it does and why PC gaming is dying. Companies aren't going to invest millions developing an A list PC game if no one is going to pay for it. Their employees have to eat too and piracy doesn't pay the bills.