Vista - Are you still able to dual boot XP/Vista after a clean install of Vista using upgrade disc?

Hi

There seems to be some discrepancy about whether or not existing XP
installations are made unusable once Vista is activated.

So here's the scenario...

You have XP running and done a clean install of Vista using an upgrade disc
and can dual boot XP/Vista.

Some say once Vista is activated then XP will no longer function and
therefore dual booting will not be possible

Some say they can still dual boot and XP continues to run fine after months.

Forgive the repetition but just to be clear we are talking about a clean
install of Vista from a retail upgrade version and not the full retail
version or beta versions.

Looking forward to your replies.

Thanks

Ian

If you upgrade a Windows XP installation to Windows Vista,
then you cannot use the Windows XP license to install XP
separately since that license is now part of the Vista upgrade license.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows Shell/User

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

"Ian R" wrote:

Hi

There seems to be some discrepancy about whether or not existing XP
installations are made unusable once Vista is activated.

So here's the scenario...

You have XP running and done a clean install of Vista using an upgrade disc
and can dual boot XP/Vista.

Some say once Vista is activated then XP will no longer function and
therefore dual booting will not be possible

Some say they can still dual boot and XP continues to run fine after months.

Forgive the repetition but just to be clear we are talking about a clean
install of Vista from a retail upgrade version and not the full retail
version or beta versions.

Looking forward to your replies.

Thanks

Ian

Ian,

Below is a post I made to the general group which will help answer your
question:

Bob S.
...........................................................

I presently have WinXP Pro, Vista x86 and Vista x64 all installed on one
system right now - and all are activated. WinXP with its own license and
both Vista Ultimate installs using the one product key. I initially
installed (dual-boot config) Vista x64 and activated it via the net. Found
that some drivers and app's I use are not ready for prime time (64 bit
versions). Installed Vista 32 bit and activated by phone just fine. Asked
tech if I can have all these active and got the one PC, one license, one
active OS - speech ( it sounded like it was read from a script) which the
above configuration meets - so yes you can.

Read the EULA for Vista Ultimate (it differs from other variants) and you
will see that with Vista Ultimate (either 32/64 bit, upgrade or full) you
can run in a virtual PC mode also -and- there are no restrictions in the
EULA that disallow this that I could find. But I'm not using a virtual mode,
rather a multi-boot configuration with each system on a different drive. (it
could as well just be on a separate partitions on the same drive if you have
the room).

Used no work-around or technical slight-of-hand tricks. Also, the now well
documented, "undocumented" feature of being able to use an upgrade version
to do a clean install has been published so no need to purchase the "full"
version ($400) you get the same functionality in the "upgrade" ($250)
version and you get both DVD's for the 32/64 bit versions.

If you are running both products at the same time and both are being used by
an operator, then by the EULA requires a second license but... the EULA
allows Vista Ultimate to be run under a virtual PC scenario and they the
EULA does not state a second license is required for that. I believe this
is their concession to the developers so they can legally test compatibility
of the same hardware/software etc., on the same machine and verify
interoperability.

May be wrong but I've done a fair amount of research on this and I've heard
others say "no" but no one can show a reference to back that up so far.
So if anyone has solid proof and references (and not out of context blurps
or their interpretations...) that state you cannot legally do the above, I'd
like to know and I'll abide accordingly. But so far, nothing say's I can't.
I'll add that I did retire one WinXP license since I purchased the upgrade
package. If you get the full package, then you would not need to do even
that.

Technically - it certainly works. And if you don't want to activate Vista
right away - you don't have to and can stretch the evaluation period out to
120 days if you want using a built-in feature of Vista that allows for 3
more 30 day trial periods for a total of 120 days. Search the net for that
one if you chose to use it.

Bob S.


"Ian R" <sorry@nospamthanks.com> wrote in message
news:OIPWv4qXHHA.1300@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> Hi
>
> There seems to be some discrepancy about whether or not existing XP
> installations are made unusable once Vista is activated.
>
> So here's the scenario...
>
> You have XP running and done a clean install of Vista using an upgrade
> disc
> and can dual boot XP/Vista.
>
> Some say once Vista is activated then XP will no longer function and
> therefore dual booting will not be possible
>
> Some say they can still dual boot and XP continues to run fine after
> months.
>
> Forgive the repetition but just to be clear we are talking about a clean
> install of Vista from a retail upgrade version and not the full retail
> version or beta versions.
>
> Looking forward to your replies.
>
> Thanks
>
> Ian
>
>
>

Hi Ian R-


There is no contradiction or discrepancy whatsoever. You upgrade one XP to
Vista and you aren't going to be going back to that XP. There won't be any
dual booting in that scenario with those two. However...

If you upgrade the existing legacy system which in your case is XP to Vista,
you aren't going to be dual booting it by definition.

You could theoretically then install XP onto another partition and dual
boot, but that often is fraught with probelms. You are definitely supposed
to install older Windows OS's first on dual or multiboots.

You are much better off doing thisL Make a partition and install XP on it.
Then if you want to upgrade the other XP installation to Vista, you can
without problem.

CH

"Ian R" <sorry@nospamthanks.com> wrote in message
news:OIPWv4qXHHA.1300@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> Hi
>
> There seems to be some discrepancy about whether or not existing XP
> installations are made unusable once Vista is activated.
>
> So here's the scenario...
>
> You have XP running and done a clean install of Vista using an upgrade
> disc
> and can dual boot XP/Vista.
>
> Some say once Vista is activated then XP will no longer function and
> therefore dual booting will not be possible
>
> Some say they can still dual boot and XP continues to run fine after
> months.
>
> Forgive the repetition but just to be clear we are talking about a clean
> install of Vista from a retail upgrade version and not the full retail
> version or beta versions.
>
> Looking forward to your replies.
>
> Thanks
>
> Ian
>
>
>

Chad Harris wrote:
> Hi Ian R-
[...]
> You are much better off doing this: Make a partition and install XP on
> it. Then if you want to upgrade the other XP installation to Vista, you
> can without problem.

Very clever! I'm just not able to think of workarounds like this. I
guess that's why my wife always catches me when I try to be sneaky...

It is possible to dual boot between XP and an Upgrade Vista version. Your XP
install will not be incapciated by the Vista Upgrade install if you have XP
on one partition and Vista on another. You would have to install the Vista
Upgrade "clean". There are many documented ways to do this and below is a
link to one.

http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase...rade_clean.asp

Hope this answers your question.

Keith

"Ian R" <sorry@nospamthanks.com> wrote in message
news:OIPWv4qXHHA.1300@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> Hi
>
> There seems to be some discrepancy about whether or not existing XP
> installations are made unusable once Vista is activated.
>
> So here's the scenario...
>
> You have XP running and done a clean install of Vista using an upgrade
> disc
> and can dual boot XP/Vista.
>
> Some say once Vista is activated then XP will no longer function and
> therefore dual booting will not be possible
>
> Some say they can still dual boot and XP continues to run fine after
> months.
>
> Forgive the repetition but just to be clear we are talking about a clean
> install of Vista from a retail upgrade version and not the full retail
> version or beta versions.
>
> Looking forward to your replies.
>
> Thanks
>
> Ian
>
>
>

An upgrade license replaces your original XP license. After you upgrade, you
no longer have a license to run XP.

Paul Riemerman

"Ian R" <sorry@nospamthanks.com> wrote in message
news:OIPWv4qXHHA.1300@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> Hi
>
> There seems to be some discrepancy about whether or not existing XP
> installations are made unusable once Vista is activated.
>
> So here's the scenario...
>
> You have XP running and done a clean install of Vista using an upgrade
> disc
> and can dual boot XP/Vista.
>
> Some say once Vista is activated then XP will no longer function and
> therefore dual booting will not be possible
>
> Some say they can still dual boot and XP continues to run fine after
> months.
>
> Forgive the repetition but just to be clear we are talking about a clean
> install of Vista from a retail upgrade version and not the full retail
> version or beta versions.
>
> Looking forward to your replies.
>
> Thanks
>
> Ian
>
>
>