Vista - How to install Vista upgrade without XP on disk

I bought a Vista upgrade pack and formatted the hard disk for a clean
install. Then the Vista upgrade disk told me it couldn't install because XP
wasn't there. So I got out my XP disk and tried to reinstall that, but it
won't install (apparently it's a bug that is known with this computer and
many others, it needs SP2 to install, but it's a pre-SP2 XP disk). Why do
Microsoft have to make it so difficult for genuine purchasers of their
products?! Any idea how I can fix this? I don't need XP any more, I just
want to install Vista, it should be simple...

What specific error(s) do you get when you try to install XP on your system
with your original XP installation disk on your reformatted disk?
"Aeronaut" <Aeronaut@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:490507E3-EEC4-4C4F-B78A-F9BCA6DC5D9C@xxxxxx

Set the BIOS to boot from CD/DVD Drive, insert XP disk, reboot; install XP
Then upgrade.

You can not do a clean install from NOTHING
--
Mick Murphy - Qld - Australia


"Aeronaut" wrote:

In order to install Windows Vista on a reformatted hard drive,
you'll need to purchase a "Full Version" of Windows Vista
and not an "Upgrade Version".

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows Desktop Experience -
Windows Vista Enthusiast

---------------------------------------------------------------

"Aeronaut" <Aeronaut@xxxxxx> wrote in message news:490507E3-EEC4-4C4F-B78A-F9BCA6DC5D9C@xxxxxx
I bought a Vista upgrade pack and formatted the hard disk for a clean
install. Then the Vista upgrade disk told me it couldn't install because XP
wasn't there. So I got out my XP disk and tried to reinstall that, but it
won't install (apparently it's a bug that is known with this computer and
many others, it needs SP2 to install, but it's a pre-SP2 XP disk). Why do
Microsoft have to make it so difficult for genuine purchasers of their
products?! Any idea how I can fix this? I don't need XP any more, I just
want to install Vista, it should be simple...

'Carey Frisch [MVP Wrote:Sorry for budding in. I currently am using Windows Vista Ultimate
(upgrade version) on my desktop. As my hard drive is short of space, I
am planning to upgrade to a larger drive. Is there any way for me to
install Vista on my new drive? Its not a new computer, so I don't see
why I should have to buy a new full version of Vista. I've heard about
"cloning" the old drive contents to the new, but this is all quite new
to me. Thanks.


--
alstein
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Here's a simplified overview of the steps that are required to clean-install the upgrade version of Vista:

Step 1. Boot the PC from the Vista DVD.

Step 2. Select "Install Now," but do not enter the Product Key from the Vista packaging. Leave the input box blank. Also, turn off the option Automatically activate Windows when I'm online. In the next dialog box that appears, confirm that you really do want to install Vista without entering a Product Key.

Step 3. Correctly indicate the version of Vista that you're installing: Home Basic, Home Premium, Business, or Ultimate.

Step 4. Select the "Custom (Advanced)" install, not the "Upgrade" install.

Step 5. Vista copies files at length and reboots itself one or more times. Wait for the install to complete. At this point, you might think that you could "activate" Vista, but you can't. That's because you haven't installed the Vista upgrade yet. To do that, run the DVD's setup.exe program again, but this time from the Vista desktop. The easiest way to start setup again is to eject and then reinsert the DVD.

Step 6. Click "Install Now." Select Do not get the latest updates for installation. (You can check for these updates later.)

Step 7. This time, do enter the Product Key from the Vista packaging. Once again, turn off the option Automatically activate Windows when I'm online.

Step 8. On this second install, make sure to select "Upgrade," not "Custom (Advanced)." You're not doing a clean install now, you're upgrading to Vista.

Step 9. Wait while Vista copies files and reboots itself. No user interaction is required. Do not boot from the DVD when asked if you'd like to do so. Instead, wait a few seconds and the setup process will continue on its way. Some DOS-like, character-mode menus will appear, but don't interact with them. After a few seconds, the correct choice will run for you automatically.

Step 10. After you click a button labeled Start in the Thank You dialog box, Vista's login screen will eventually appear. Enter the username and password that you selected during the first install. You're done upgrading to Vista.

Step 11. Within 30 days, you must "activate" your copy of Vista or it'll lose functionality. To activate Vista, click Show more details in the Welcome Center that automatically displays upon each boot-up, then click Activate Windows now. If you've dismissed the Welcome Center, access the correct dialog box by clicking Start, Control Panel, System & Maintenance, System. If you purchased a legitimate copy of Vista, it should quickly activate over the Internet. (You can instead activate by calling Microsoft on the phone, which avoids your PC exchanging information with Microsoft's server.)

Boot up your Vista CD. Remove the C: partition. Restart. It will prompt you to install the full OS CD, if you have an upgrade CD for your previous OS. You just insert your full OS CD and when prompted switch back. It is called security for Microsoft. You can only upgrade a full OS version. You can have issues with OEM full CDs. On some versions of Windows you can't upgrade OEM. OEM must stay with the original box. You can only upgrade full retail versions. I usually just buy full retail versions of each OS so I can install the previous OS on another box.

JColt;3755836 Wrote:Thanks for the information. Would it also be possible to back up the
entire contents of my old hard drive and then restore it to the new
drive? Would I then have vista automatically restored as well?


--
alstein
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