Vista - Confused Re Upgrade vs Full Version Install

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/930985/en-us

If I read this correctly the upgrade versions of Home and Basic will not
install on a blank/new drive without first installing a previous version of
Windows, but the Ultra upgrade version will. Previous versions of Windows
(98/XP e.g.) would boot from the CD and during the install would ask for a
previous version disk to be inserted and after verification of the disk
would continue the install. Is my assumption correct that if I have Vista
Home Premium Upgrade and my hard drive dies unexpectedly and I buy a new
drive, I'll have to install my XP version and then the Vista version?

"Les" wrote

> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/930985/en-us
>
> If I read this correctly the upgrade versions of Home and Basic will not
> install on a blank/new drive without first installing a previous version
> of Windows, but the Ultra upgrade version will. Previous versions of
> Windows (98/XP e.g.) would boot from the CD and during the install would
> ask for a previous version disk to be inserted and after verification of
> the disk would continue the install. Is my assumption correct that if I
> have Vista Home Premium Upgrade and my hard drive dies unexpectedly and I
> buy a new drive, I'll have to install my XP version and then the Vista
> version?

Yes you are correct except for one thing. The Ultimate upgrade must also be
run from the legacy desktop. It's true for all the upgrades to an x86
version of Vista. Depending on what qualifying OS you're starting from and
what version of Vista your going to, you may have the option of either an in
place upgrade or custom install where with others it is only the custom
install.
--
Rock [MVP - User/Shell]

"Rock" <rock@nospam.net> wrote in message
news:eoTXRLcQHHA.1200@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> "Les" wrote
>
>> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/930985/en-us
>>
>> If I read this correctly the upgrade versions of Home and Basic will not
>> install on a blank/new drive without first installing a previous version
>> of Windows, but the Ultra upgrade version will. Previous versions of
>> Windows (98/XP e.g.) would boot from the CD and during the install would
>> ask for a previous version disk to be inserted and after verification of
>> the disk would continue the install. Is my assumption correct that if I
>> have Vista Home Premium Upgrade and my hard drive dies unexpectedly and I
>> buy a new drive, I'll have to install my XP version and then the Vista
>> version?
>
> Yes you are correct except for one thing. The Ultimate upgrade must also
> be run from the legacy desktop. It's true for all the upgrades to an x86
> version of Vista. Depending on what qualifying OS you're starting from
> and what version of Vista your going to, you may have the option of either
> an in place upgrade or custom install where with others it is only the
> custom install.
> --
> Rock [MVP - User/Shell]

Thanks Rock. Seems rather dumb to have to do it this way but I guess MS
must have their reasons. I really don't have the money to spend for the
full install version so I reckon I'll just have to live with doing it the MS
way.

>> Rock [MVP - User/Shell]
>
> Thanks Rock. Seems rather dumb to have to do it this way but I guess MS
> must have their reasons. I really don't have the money to spend for the
> full install version so I reckon I'll just have to live with doing it the
> MS way.

It's not really dumb, well it is but I can see their reasoning... if it was
like XP and you just had to insert a disk as proof then why would anyone buy
retail when all you'd have to do is download a torrent of xp mce or pro,
burn to disk and use that with a vista upgrade.

In article <u#05rocQHHA.3304@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl>, Les says...

>
> Thanks Rock. Seems rather dumb to have to do it this way but I guess MS
> must have their reasons.

Punish the 140 million pirate Windows XP installs.

--
Conor

The United States, increasing quality by lowering standards since 1776.

Am I understanding this correctly:

1. An upgrade version of Vista will only work by being run from inside a
current OS (XP).

2. Upgrades will NOT let you install in/on a new drive or partition. The
will only install over a current OS.

3. #2 implies I cannot keep my duel boot system of XP & Vista?

4. Is it possible to format a 2nd drive with XP (creating 2 XP installs) and
use the 2nd install for my upgrade thereby creating a Vista & XP system?

Tnx for any help.

Jeff

"Les" wrote:

> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/930985/en-us
>
> If I read this correctly the upgrade versions of Home and Basic will not
> install on a blank/new drive without first installing a previous version of
> Windows, but the Ultra upgrade version will. Previous versions of Windows
> (98/XP e.g.) would boot from the CD and during the install would ask for a
> previous version disk to be inserted and after verification of the disk
> would continue the install. Is my assumption correct that if I have Vista
> Home Premium Upgrade and my hard drive dies unexpectedly and I buy a new
> drive, I'll have to install my XP version and then the Vista version?
>
>

If you use your XP license as a basis for qualifying for a Vista Upgrade,
you loose your XP license.


"Jeff" <Jeff@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:56CB3F8B-045B-45AC-A8E5-5E7916B8D448@microsoft.com...
| Am I understanding this correctly:
|
| 1. An upgrade version of Vista will only work by being run from inside a
| current OS (XP).
|
| 2. Upgrades will NOT let you install in/on a new drive or partition. The
| will only install over a current OS.
|
| 3. #2 implies I cannot keep my duel boot system of XP & Vista?
|
| 4. Is it possible to format a 2nd drive with XP (creating 2 XP installs) and
| use the 2nd install for my upgrade thereby creating a Vista & XP system?
|
| Tnx for any help.
|
| Jeff
|
| "Les" wrote:
|
| > http://support.microsoft.com/kb/930985/en-us
| >
| > If I read this correctly the upgrade versions of Home and Basic will not
| > install on a blank/new drive without first installing a previous version of
| > Windows, but the Ultra upgrade version will. Previous versions of Windows
| > (98/XP e.g.) would boot from the CD and during the install would ask for a
| > previous version disk to be inserted and after verification of the disk
| > would continue the install. Is my assumption correct that if I have Vista
| > Home Premium Upgrade and my hard drive dies unexpectedly and I buy a new
| > drive, I'll have to install my XP version and then the Vista version?
| >
| >

Another thought...

If I use the Upgrade version and install over my XP and I install XP on a
different partition creating a duel boot system again?

My preference would be to keep my XP install (since lots of apps installed)
and start a brand new Vista.

Jeff

"Jeff" wrote:

> Am I understanding this correctly:
>
> 1. An upgrade version of Vista will only work by being run from inside a
> current OS (XP).
>
> 2. Upgrades will NOT let you install in/on a new drive or partition. The
> will only install over a current OS.
>
> 3. #2 implies I cannot keep my duel boot system of XP & Vista?
>
> 4. Is it possible to format a 2nd drive with XP (creating 2 XP installs) and
> use the 2nd install for my upgrade thereby creating a Vista & XP system?
>
> Tnx for any help.
>
> Jeff
>
> "Les" wrote:
>
> > http://support.microsoft.com/kb/930985/en-us
> >
> > If I read this correctly the upgrade versions of Home and Basic will not
> > install on a blank/new drive without first installing a previous version of
> > Windows, but the Ultra upgrade version will. Previous versions of Windows
> > (98/XP e.g.) would boot from the CD and during the install would ask for a
> > previous version disk to be inserted and after verification of the disk
> > would continue the install. Is my assumption correct that if I have Vista
> > Home Premium Upgrade and my hard drive dies unexpectedly and I buy a new
> > drive, I'll have to install my XP version and then the Vista version?
> >
> >

"Jeff" <Jeff@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:C5E3E77E-E4AC-4EBB-AA3A-9F6D6431F37A@microsoft.com...
> Another thought...
>
> If I use the Upgrade version and install over my XP and I install XP on a
> different partition creating a duel boot system again?

You aren't supposed to do that.

> My preference would be to keep my XP install (since lots of apps installed)
> and start a brand new Vista.

You will need to buy the full retail version to do that.


> Jeff
>
> "Jeff" wrote:
>
>> Am I understanding this correctly:
>>
>> 1. An upgrade version of Vista will only work by being run from inside a
>> current OS (XP).
>>
>> 2. Upgrades will NOT let you install in/on a new drive or partition. The
>> will only install over a current OS.
>>
>> 3. #2 implies I cannot keep my duel boot system of XP & Vista?
>>
>> 4. Is it possible to format a 2nd drive with XP (creating 2 XP installs) and
>> use the 2nd install for my upgrade thereby creating a Vista & XP system?
>>
>> Tnx for any help.
>>
>> Jeff
>>
>> "Les" wrote:
>>
>> > http://support.microsoft.com/kb/930985/en-us
>> >
>> > If I read this correctly the upgrade versions of Home and Basic will not
>> > install on a blank/new drive without first installing a previous version of
>> > Windows, but the Ultra upgrade version will. Previous versions of Windows
>> > (98/XP e.g.) would boot from the CD and during the install would ask for a
>> > previous version disk to be inserted and after verification of the disk
>> > would continue the install. Is my assumption correct that if I have Vista
>> > Home Premium Upgrade and my hard drive dies unexpectedly and I buy a new
>> > drive, I'll have to install my XP version and then the Vista version?
>> >
>> >

"Jeff" wrote

> Am I understanding this correctly:
>
> 1. An upgrade version of Vista will only work by being run from inside a
> current OS (XP).

Correct.

> 2. Upgrades will NOT let you install in/on a new drive or partition. The
> will only install over a current OS.

This is not known yet, no one has had their hands on on upgrade edition to
check but it seems that would be the case since otherwise you could have
both installed which is not allowed.

> 3. #2 implies I cannot keep my duel boot system of XP & Vista?

The license for the qualifying OS that is used as the basis for the upgrade
to Vista is subsumed into the Vista license. So you cannot dual boot Vista
upgraded from XP and the XP it was upgraded from. You need two XP licenses
for that. The upgrade version of Vista is cheaper because it has to have an
underlying OS - you can't have both. If you want both then get a full
version of Vista. This was also the case when upgrading from Win98 to XP.
The Win98 license gets tied into the XP license.

> 4. Is it possible to format a 2nd drive with XP (creating 2 XP installs)
> and
> use the 2nd install for my upgrade thereby creating a Vista & XP system?

No, two installs of XP require two licenses.

--
Rock [MVP - User/Shell]