Vista - Vista Upgrade - Windows 95 to 98 to XP

I have been purchasing upgrades since Windows 95 and would like to know how
Vista will validate.

I want to reformat my drive and complete a fresh install of Vista.

Thanks,

Don

On Mon, 19 Feb 2007 22:48:25 -0800, DonM
<DonM@discussions.microsoft.com> spake thusly:

>I have been purchasing upgrades since Windows 95 and would like to know how
>Vista will validate.
>
>I want to reformat my drive and complete a fresh install of Vista.

I'd suggest a search of this newsgroup. The topic has come up *many*
times.

Also, this site has some good information.:

http://tinyurl.com/2rfwr

--
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"DonM" <DonM@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:56BF1B66-39DA-4CBC-8D30-E75AC1185E40@microsoft.com...
>I have been purchasing upgrades since Windows 95 and would like to know how
> Vista will validate.
>
> I want to reformat my drive and complete a fresh install of Vista.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Don

In a nutshell - the upgrade is started from inside your running activated
genuine Windows XP install on the PC.

--
Mike Brannigan

Neither Windows 95 nor Windows 98 qualify as a eligible product to upgrade
to Vista.

--
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/
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"DonM" <DonM@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:56BF1B66-39DA-4CBC-8D30-E75AC1185E40@microsoft.com...
>I have been purchasing upgrades since Windows 95 and would like to know how
> Vista will validate.
>
> I want to reformat my drive and complete a fresh install of Vista.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Don

How about my Win3.1 floppies?

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

"Richard G. Harper" <rgharper@email.com> wrote in message
news:%23iLy3qNVHHA.5100@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
> Neither Windows 95 nor Windows 98 qualify as a eligible product to upgrade
> to Vista.
>
> --
> 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
>
>
> "DonM" <DonM@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:56BF1B66-39DA-4CBC-8D30-E75AC1185E40@microsoft.com...
>>I have been purchasing upgrades since Windows 95 and would like to know
>>how
>> Vista will validate.
>>
>> I want to reformat my drive and complete a fresh install of Vista.
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Don
>
>

The upgrade has to be started from within an existing, qualifying OS, Don.
The upgrade disk is truly that, for an upgrade. Unlike previous upgrade
disks, they don't do clean installs by showing them a qualifying media disk
during setup. They only allow for a custom install as an alternative, which
basically allows for an install to a new folder. A clean install to a
formatted disk requires a full version disk.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

"DonM" <DonM@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:56BF1B66-39DA-4CBC-8D30-E75AC1185E40@microsoft.com...
>I have been purchasing upgrades since Windows 95 and would like to know how
> Vista will validate.
>
> I want to reformat my drive and complete a fresh install of Vista.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Don

I've been buying upgrades since about 95 as well.

Basically when I want to do a fresh install and a reformat of my HDD, then I
just insert the XP cd and it will tell me that no OS has been found that can
be updated and tell me to insert the disk. I then insert the 95 or 98 disk
and XP installs.

With Vista I believe that XP needs to actually be installed on the computer,
so you'll need to install XP first, then run the vista update from within
XP. Whether or not it will update XP to vista or do a fresh install or
allow you to choose which to do I really don't know, since I had XP Pro and
bought home premie of vista I had to do a fresh install which turned out
okay

If Im wrong, I'd love to hear it so that I know for 6 months time when I
want to reinstall my OS again.


"DonM" <DonM@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:56BF1B66-39DA-4CBC-8D30-E75AC1185E40@microsoft.com...
>I have been purchasing upgrades since Windows 95 and would like to know how
> Vista will validate.
>
> I want to reformat my drive and complete a fresh install of Vista.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Don

In article <56BF1B66-39DA-4CBC-8D30-E75AC1185E40@microsoft.com>, DonM
says...
> I have been purchasing upgrades since Windows 95 and would like to know how
> Vista will validate.
>
> I want to reformat my drive and complete a fresh install of Vista.
>
You're supposed to run it from within an installed WinXP.

HOWEVER, you can format, install without entering a CD Key then
reinstall with the CD Key.


--
Conor

Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright
until you hear them speak.........

In article <MPG.2044f6ca45c71d66989f13@news.karoo.co.uk>,
conor.turton@gmail.com says...
> In article <56BF1B66-39DA-4CBC-8D30-E75AC1185E40@microsoft.com>, DonM
> says...
> > I have been purchasing upgrades since Windows 95 and would like to know how
> > Vista will validate.
> >
> > I want to reformat my drive and complete a fresh install of Vista.
> >
> You're supposed to run it from within an installed WinXP.
>
> HOWEVER, you can format, install without entering a CD Key then
> reinstall with the CD Key.
>
>
>

You can also run it from Windows 2000, I assume, since Windows 2000 is a
qualifying upgrade product.

mbg.

Rick, how many times do we have to tell you, keep the private business on
the private list.

Oh, THOSE floppies. Never mind.

<GD&RVVF>

--
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


"Rick Rogers" <rick@mvps.org> wrote in message
news:OWjF7AOVHHA.1552@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
> How about my Win3.1 floppies?