Vista - Retail 32bit XP -> Retail Upgrade to 64bit Vista. (Clarify)

Hello, I've been reading many of the posts about upgrading 32bit XP to 64bit
Vista.

People seem to agree that the retail upgrade disk will be bootable for
troubleshooting purposes.

However, there still seems to be controversy as to whether a person can
install 64bit Vista as a bootable disc. So far, the discussion tends to
favour that it won't be possible.

Can anyone provide a once for all answer, from experience with an actual
Retail Upgrade Disc or definite knowledge from Microsoft? This would also
help others with this same question, without need to read through all the
posts.

Thanks.

Since there aren't any retail discs available anywhere yet, there is no
answer for this yet. There is, however, no controversy on the 32 bit to 64
bit path ... there is no upgrade path from 32 bit to 64 bit.

--
Richard G. Harper [MVP Shell/User] rgharper@gmail.com
* NEW! Catch my blog ... http://msmvps.com/blogs/rgharper/
* PLEASE post all messages and replies in the newsgroups
* The Website - http://rgharper.mvps.org/
* HELP us help YOU ... http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm


"Grungeon" <Grungeon@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:03D286C1-5BA2-4B8B-9D27-4A67AD3F03C4@microsoft.com...
> Hello, I've been reading many of the posts about upgrading 32bit XP to
> 64bit
> Vista.
>
> People seem to agree that the retail upgrade disk will be bootable for
> troubleshooting purposes.
>
> However, there still seems to be controversy as to whether a person can
> install 64bit Vista as a bootable disc. So far, the discussion tends to
> favour that it won't be possible.
>
> Can anyone provide a once for all answer, from experience with an actual
> Retail Upgrade Disc or definite knowledge from Microsoft? This would also
> help others with this same question, without need to read through all the
> posts.
>
> Thanks.

Oh and one more question that had been raised but I don't think has been
answered.

If people cannot upgrade 32bit XP to 64bit Vista, is this inability to
upgrade a technical block or legal block to the process?

If it's a technical block, then will the process eventually be changed to
allow upgrading from 32bit XP to 64bit Vista?

"Grungeon" wrote:

> Hello, I've been reading many of the posts about upgrading 32bit XP to 64bit
> Vista.
>
> People seem to agree that the retail upgrade disk will be bootable for
> troubleshooting purposes.
>
> However, there still seems to be controversy as to whether a person can
> install 64bit Vista as a bootable disc. So far, the discussion tends to
> favour that it won't be possible.
>
> Can anyone provide a once for all answer, from experience with an actual
> Retail Upgrade Disc or definite knowledge from Microsoft? This would also
> help others with this same question, without need to read through all the
> posts.
>
> Thanks.

Thansk for the reply Richard. I typed my 2nd post without knowing you had
already replied.

Could you provide a link to a source that says there's no upgrade path from
32bit to 64bit? Thanks.

Is the inability to upgrade from 32bit to 64bit a technical or legal block?
(I guess if the link you provide is from Microsoft, then it's a legal block)

Michael

"Richard G. Harper" wrote:

> Since there aren't any retail discs available anywhere yet, there is no
> answer for this yet. There is, however, no controversy on the 32 bit to 64
> bit path ... there is no upgrade path from 32 bit to 64 bit.
>
> --
> Richard G. Harper [MVP Shell/User] rgharper@gmail.com
> * NEW! Catch my blog ... http://msmvps.com/blogs/rgharper/
> * PLEASE post all messages and replies in the newsgroups
> * The Website - http://rgharper.mvps.org/
> * HELP us help YOU ... http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
>
>
> "Grungeon" <Grungeon@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:03D286C1-5BA2-4B8B-9D27-4A67AD3F03C4@microsoft.com...
> > Hello, I've been reading many of the posts about upgrading 32bit XP to
> > 64bit
> > Vista.
> >
> > People seem to agree that the retail upgrade disk will be bootable for
> > troubleshooting purposes.
> >
> > However, there still seems to be controversy as to whether a person can
> > install 64bit Vista as a bootable disc. So far, the discussion tends to
> > favour that it won't be possible.
> >
> > Can anyone provide a once for all answer, from experience with an actual
> > Retail Upgrade Disc or definite knowledge from Microsoft? This would also
> > help others with this same question, without need to read through all the
> > posts.
> >
> > Thanks.
>
>
>

Grungeon wrote:

> Oh and one more question that had been raised but I don't think has been
> answered.
>
> If people cannot upgrade 32bit XP to 64bit Vista, is this inability to
> upgrade a technical block or legal block to the process?
>
> If it's a technical block, then will the process eventually be changed to
> allow upgrading from 32bit XP to 64bit Vista?

Grungeon:

It is a technical block because MS has decided that upgrades can only be
launched from within the qualifying OS, and you cannot launch a 64-bit
program from a 32-bit one.

David Wilkinson

If you are running Win2k or XP x86 you cannot upgrade to Vista x64. You can
only upgrade to Vista x86. Period. You can only install Vista x64 from a
full edition.

The only legacy Windows you can run a Vista x64 Upgrade Edition on is XP Pro
x64.

An upgrade dvd will boot the system. However when you type in the upgrade
product key you will be prompted to reboot and run Setup from your legacy
system desktop. The x64 Setup.exe will not run on an x86 desktop.
Therefore it is not possible to use an x64 Upgrade Edition on a computer
running an x86 legacy version of Windows.

"Grungeon" <Grungeon@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:03D286C1-5BA2-4B8B-9D27-4A67AD3F03C4@microsoft.com...
> Hello, I've been reading many of the posts about upgrading 32bit XP to
> 64bit
> Vista.
>
> People seem to agree that the retail upgrade disk will be bootable for
> troubleshooting purposes.
>
> However, there still seems to be controversy as to whether a person can
> install 64bit Vista as a bootable disc. So far, the discussion tends to
> favour that it won't be possible.
>
> Can anyone provide a once for all answer, from experience with an actual
> Retail Upgrade Disc or definite knowledge from Microsoft? This would also
> help others with this same question, without need to read through all the
> posts.
>
> Thanks.

Vista x64 Setup.exe will not run on an x86 desktop. Technical issue. End
of story.

"Grungeon" <Grungeon@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:CAE2DEC9-D4B8-48E2-82FA-119E557462AB@microsoft.com...
> Thansk for the reply Richard. I typed my 2nd post without knowing you had
> already replied.
>
> Could you provide a link to a source that says there's no upgrade path
> from
> 32bit to 64bit? Thanks.
>
> Is the inability to upgrade from 32bit to 64bit a technical or legal
> block?
> (I guess if the link you provide is from Microsoft, then it's a legal
> block)
>
> Michael
>

"Colin Barnhorst" <colinbarharst@msn.com> wrote in message
news:E6D1F8A8-CD1A-4437-9208-D66B8C55C580@microsoft.com...
>
> An upgrade dvd will boot the system. However when you type in the upgrade
> product key you will be prompted to reboot and run Setup from your legacy
> system desktop.
I have wondered what would happen if you booted from an Upgrade disc but
didn't enter a product key. Would Vista install? Assuming it would, what
would happen when an (upgrade) key is then entered? This question applies to
both 32 and 64-bit versions

Yes, Vista will install. If you do not enter a PK and choose to proceed you
will get a menu offering Home Basic, Home Premium, Business, and Ultimate.
You would then have 30 days to evaluate the product. If you then later
tried to enter an upgrade pk it wouldn't work because not entering a pk in
the beginning results in a full edition installation. However, you could
enter a full edition pk within the 30 days that corresponded to the edition
you installed in the event you had decided to go that route.

A product key is bitness agnostic. The same key works for x86 and x64.
What the key determines is the license. It determines whether you are
installing a volume license, upgrade, or full edition and whether it is Home
Basic, Home Premium, Business, Enterprise, or Ultimate. Setup branches to
the installation routine "unlocked" by your pk.

Bitness is not an issue because you cannot upgrade from x86 to x64 anyway.
In fact, the only users that can take advantage of a Vista x64 Upgrade Setup
are those already running XP Pro x64.

"Brian W" <brian.NOSPAMwescombe@PLEASEntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:5gkfh.5433$Dr3.1941@newsfe2-gui.ntli.net...
>
> "Colin Barnhorst" <colinbarharst@msn.com> wrote in message
> news:E6D1F8A8-CD1A-4437-9208-D66B8C55C580@microsoft.com...
>>
>> An upgrade dvd will boot the system. However when you type in the
>> upgrade product key you will be prompted to reboot and run Setup from
>> your legacy system desktop.
> I have wondered what would happen if you booted from an Upgrade disc but
> didn't enter a product key. Would Vista install? Assuming it would, what
> would happen when an (upgrade) key is then entered? This question applies
> to both 32 and 64-bit versions
>
>

It's a technical issue - you can't run x64 setup from an x86 desktop. It
will stop and tell you so if you try. You have to clean-install if you wish
to go from x86 to x64.

--
Richard G. Harper [MVP Shell/User] rgharper@gmail.com
* NEW! Catch my blog ... http://msmvps.com/blogs/rgharper/
* PLEASE post all messages and replies in the newsgroups
* The Website - http://rgharper.mvps.org/
* HELP us help YOU ... http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm


"Grungeon" <Grungeon@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:CAE2DEC9-D4B8-48E2-82FA-119E557462AB@microsoft.com...
> Thansk for the reply Richard. I typed my 2nd post without knowing you had
> already replied.
>
> Could you provide a link to a source that says there's no upgrade path
> from
> 32bit to 64bit? Thanks.
>
> Is the inability to upgrade from 32bit to 64bit a technical or legal
> block?
> (I guess if the link you provide is from Microsoft, then it's a legal
> block)