I do a lot of IT Support side jobs for people and have some questions about
the CD-Keys, Upgrades, and Activation Process.



1. Does a Vista Upgrade require Windows 2000 or XP to be installed prior to
upgrading?

2. If you were reformatting your upgraded Vista computer and wanted vista
back on it, would you have to reinstall 2000/XP first?

3. Can you do a fresh install of the Vista Upgrade to a blank HD and then
enter your 2000/XP key and/or enter the CD during the installation process?

4. Does the Vista Upgrade require just the 2000/XP key or the key and the CD?

5. I am aware that Vista lets you install without a key and runs for 60 days
without activation. This is awesome because when people say "i have the
software and key, i just cant find it right now", I can reinstall Vista for
them and tell them "you have 60 days to put your valid key in and activate
it" and then walk away. In that 60 days, what happens when they enter a key
from an 'upgrade' version if it was installed to a blank drive as a full
version?

1. Yes
2. Yes
3. No
4. Either Windows 2000 or Windows XP must be actually installed
prior to upgrading to Windows Vista.
5. The grace period for running Vista w/o a Product Key is thirty (30) days,
not sixty (60) days.

The behavior of reduced functionality mode in Windows Vista
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/925582/en-us

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows Shell/User

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

"NeufusionX" wrote:

I do a lot of IT Support side jobs for people and have some questions about
the CD-Keys, Upgrades, and Activation Process.

1. Does a Vista Upgrade require Windows 2000 or XP to be installed prior to
upgrading?

2. If you were reformatting your upgraded Vista computer and wanted vista
back on it, would you have to reinstall 2000/XP first?

3. Can you do a fresh install of the Vista Upgrade to a blank HD and then
enter your 2000/XP key and/or enter the CD during the installation process?

4. Does the Vista Upgrade require just the 2000/XP key or the key and the CD?

5. I am aware that Vista lets you install without a key and runs for 60 days
without activation. This is awesome because when people say "i have the
software and key, i just cant find it right now", I can reinstall Vista for
them and tell them "you have 60 days to put your valid key in and activate
it" and then walk away. In that 60 days, what happens when they enter a key
from an 'upgrade' version if it was installed to a blank drive as a full
version?

On 18/01/2007 in message
<3D8166B6-393E-4350-867C-2A64CB4FDA85@microsoft.com> NeufusionX wrote:

>I do a lot of IT Support side jobs for people and have some questions about
>the CD-Keys, Upgrades, and Activation Process.
>
>1. Does a Vista Upgrade require Windows 2000 or XP to be installed prior to
>upgrading?

Yes, and in the case of XP it must also be activated.

>2. If you were reformatting your upgraded Vista computer and wanted vista
>back on it, would you have to reinstall 2000/XP first?

Yes, if it's an upgrade version of Vista.

>3. Can you do a fresh install of the Vista Upgrade to a blank HD and then
>enter your 2000/XP key and/or enter the CD during the installation process?

No.

>4. Does the Vista Upgrade require just the 2000/XP key or the key and the
>CD?

No, it must be installed/activated.

>5. I am aware that Vista lets you install without a key and runs for 60
>days
>without activation. This is awesome because when people say "i have the
>software and key, i just cant find it right now", I can reinstall Vista for
>them and tell them "you have 60 days to put your valid key in and activate
>it" and then walk away. In that 60 days, what happens when they enter a key
>from an 'upgrade' version if it was installed to a blank drive as a full
>version?

Have to pass on that.

NB, these answers are for Vista 32, there are differences with Vista 64.

--
Jeff Gaines

What are the differences with Vista 64?

"Jeff Gaines" wrote:
>
> NB, these answers are for Vista 32, there are differences with Vista 64.
>
> --
> Jeff Gaines
>

In that 30 days, what happens when they enter a key
from an 'upgrade' version if it was installed to a blank drive as a full
version with no key?

In other words, if a customer loses his upgrade key, do I have to install
Windows 2000 and then upgrade to Vista with no key OR can i just do a fresh
full install from a Full Version Vista and let him put in his Vista Upgrade
key once he locates it?

"Carey Frisch [MVP]" wrote:
> 5. The grace period for running Vista w/o a Product Key is thirty (30) days,
> not sixty (60) days.
>
> 5. I am aware that Vista lets you install without a key and runs for 60 days
> without activation. This is awesome because when people say "i have the
> software and key, i just cant find it right now", I can reinstall Vista for
> them and tell them "you have 60 days to put your valid key in and activate
> it" and then walk away. In that 60 days, what happens when they enter a key
> from an 'upgrade' version if it was installed to a blank drive as a full
> version?

The "upgrade version" product key will not be accepted if a "full version"
of Windows Vista was installed. In that case, the customer can elect to
purchase a Windows Vista "full version" product key and install it, or
start from scratch and reinstall Windows 2000/XP then upgrade it to
Windows Vista. If the customers loses his upgrade product key, then
he'll need to purchase a new product key or contact Microsoft and see
if they can replace it.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows Shell/User

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

"NeufusionX" wrote:

In that 30 days, what happens when they enter a key
from an 'upgrade' version if it was installed to a blank drive as a full
version with no key?

In other words, if a customer loses his upgrade key, do I have to install
Windows 2000 and then upgrade to Vista with no key OR can i just do a fresh
full install from a Full Version Vista and let him put in his Vista Upgrade
key once he locates it?

What a massive headache...

Reinstallation of XP is one of the easiest and most effective ways to get a
customers PC up and running like new. Simply backup the important apps and
data to an external USB drive, boot off the cd, and install.

So now for all the users out there upgrading to Vista, if they want me to
reformat their system, I have to install Windows 2000 or XP first, connect to
the internet to activate, and then upgrade to Vista to start the Vista
installation?

Well congrats to Microsoft for making that process twice as long and
difficult... Good thing I charge by the hour.

"Carey Frisch [MVP]" wrote:

> The "upgrade version" product key will not be accepted if a "full version"
> of Windows Vista was installed. In that case, the customer can elect to
> purchase a Windows Vista "full version" product key and install it, or
> start from scratch and reinstall Windows 2000/XP then upgrade it to
> Windows Vista. If the customers loses his upgrade product key, then
> he'll need to purchase a new product key or contact Microsoft and see
> if they can replace it.
>
> --
> Carey Frisch
> Microsoft MVP
> Windows Shell/User
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> "NeufusionX" wrote:
>
> In that 30 days, what happens when they enter a key
> from an 'upgrade' version if it was installed to a blank drive as a full
> version with no key?
>
> In other words, if a customer loses his upgrade key, do I have to install
> Windows 2000 and then upgrade to Vista with no key OR can i just do a fresh
> full install from a Full Version Vista and let him put in his Vista Upgrade
> key once he locates it?
>
>

On 18/01/2007 in message
<0E00C302-8EB6-4F43-AD41-3413E9F2B1BE@microsoft.com> NeufusionX wrote:

>What are the differences with Vista 64?

I can't answer that, but I think it has been answered in another thread.

With regard to your customers have a look at the image backup option in
Vista, that could be a real time saver and it works very well.

--
Jeff Gaines

Nothing that relates to the questions you asked. There is a little
different methodology when using an x64 upgrade edition, but nothing that
changes the answers already given.

One thing I would note is that it will not work to run without a product key
for 30 days if the product key to be entered eventually is an upgrade
edition pk. When you don't enter a pk you get to select the edition to
install, but what is installed is a full edition. When you come back later
and enter the upgrade edition pk it will be rejected.

Since there is no difference between the retail upgrade and full edition
dvd's Setup cannot know that you are setting up an upgrade edition unless
you enter the pk.

"NeufusionX" <NeufusionX@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:0E00C302-8EB6-4F43-AD41-3413E9F2B1BE@microsoft.com...
> What are the differences with Vista 64?
>
> "Jeff Gaines" wrote:
>>
>> NB, these answers are for Vista 32, there are differences with Vista 64.
>>
>> --
>> Jeff Gaines
>>

Your educated customers will do the math and determine
it would be more cost effective to purchase "Full Versions"
of Windows Vista rather than paying you an hourly rate to reinstall
Windows XP, then upgrading to Vista.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows Shell/User
Microsoft Community Newsgroups
news://msnews.microsoft.com/

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

"NeufusionX" wrote:

| What a massive headache...
|
| Reinstallation of XP is one of the easiest and most effective ways to get a
| customers PC up and running like new. Simply backup the important apps and
| data to an external USB drive, boot off the cd, and install.
|
| So now for all the users out there upgrading to Vista, if they want me to
| reformat their system, I have to install Windows 2000 or XP first, connect to
| the internet to activate, and then upgrade to Vista to start the Vista
| installation?
|
| Well congrats to Microsoft for making that process twice as long and
| difficult... Good thing I charge by the hour.
|
| "Carey Frisch [MVP]" wrote:
|
| > The "upgrade version" product key will not be accepted if a "full version"
| > of Windows Vista was installed. In that case, the customer can elect to
| > purchase a Windows Vista "full version" product key and install it, or
| > start from scratch and reinstall Windows 2000/XP then upgrade it to
| > Windows Vista. If the customers loses his upgrade product key, then
| > he'll need to purchase a new product key or contact Microsoft and see
| > if they can replace it.
| >
| > --
| > Carey Frisch
| > Microsoft MVP
| > Windows Shell/User
| >
| > --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| >
| > "NeufusionX" wrote:
| >
| > In that 30 days, what happens when they enter a key
| > from an 'upgrade' version if it was installed to a blank drive as a full
| > version with no key?
| >
| > In other words, if a customer loses his upgrade key, do I have to install
| > Windows 2000 and then upgrade to Vista with no key OR can i just do a fresh
| > full install from a Full Version Vista and let him put in his Vista Upgrade
| > key once he locates it?
| >
| >