Vista - Problems With Activation (Ultimate Upgrade Edition)

Ok, heres the story.

I have a Dell XPS 700, it came preinstalled with XP Pro/Media Center Edition
2005. I also have previous versions of windows from other computers (xp home
sp2 & xp Pro sp1)

I wanted to try vista, so I backed up all my important files and upgraded my
Machine using a friends Ultimate Edition Disk (OEM 32bit)

I liked vista a lot, so as the time to activate approached I went out and
purchased an upgrade version for £250 ( a large sum of money given you get it
for almost 1/2 that if you pay in $... but anyhow...on with the story.

I put the product key in and I get a message saying that the key only works
if your upgrading. "damn". I had assumed that I would just need to enter a
serial number for a previous version of windows to get it validated. No
problem I thought. I'll just put xp back on and then upgrade again.

So I put my XP Pro Media Center edition disk in and try and install... I get
to the copying files stage & by about 4% I keep getting told that setup
cannot copy the files. I look at the disk and there doesnt seem to be a
problem with the disk. "damn" (again!) I have a few more attempts, with the
same result.

So Put my XP home sp2 disk in, and try and install from that. This time, I
dont get as far as the copying files stage. I dont even get ot choose wich
hard drive to install on. The setup program gets to the stage where its
loaded all the drivers, hangs on the "setup is installing windows" stage and
then I get a blue screen of death.

I was just wondering if anyone could advise me who I need to speak too and
what the hell I should say in order to get my copy of windows activated. I
dont want to reinstall every month.

Thanks in advance, Roger.

Oh yeah, and incase your wondering i'm using vista now with no product key.
If possible i'd like a solution that doesnt involve putting XP back on a)
because its a pain b) because its REALLY not wanting to install

Roger wrote:
> Ok, heres the story.
>
> I have a Dell XPS 700, it came preinstalled with XP Pro/Media Center Edition
> 2005. I also have previous versions of windows from other computers (xp home
> sp2 & xp Pro sp1)
>
> I wanted to try vista, so I backed up all my important files and upgraded my
> Machine using a friends Ultimate Edition Disk (OEM 32bit)
>
> I liked vista a lot, so as the time to activate approached I went out and
> purchased an upgrade version for £250 ( a large sum of money given you get it
> for almost 1/2 that if you pay in $... but anyhow...on with the story.
>
> I put the product key in and I get a message saying that the key only works
> if your upgrading...

You left out some details. What were you doing when you entered the
key? Were you really upgrading over your existing Vista? That is the
usual trick for installing with an upgrade key (well documented on the
internet, I'm told, but I can't cite references for you).

In any case, since you have a legal product key, you can do a telephone
activation. You may need to explain the situation to a real human, but
I've read that they are cooperative once they understand the problem.

An Upgrade Version of Vista should be installed starting from within
Windows. Then your key will be accepted. In other words, don't boot from
the installation disc; put the disc in, and start the installation from your
desktop.


"Roger" <Roger@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:84E972D7-ABD1-41BD-91FE-26AF36EBC5B3@microsoft.com...
> Ok, heres the story.
>
> I have a Dell XPS 700, it came preinstalled with XP Pro/Media Center
> Edition
> 2005. I also have previous versions of windows from other computers (xp
> home
> sp2 & xp Pro sp1)
>
> I wanted to try vista, so I backed up all my important files and upgraded
> my
> Machine using a friends Ultimate Edition Disk (OEM 32bit)
>
> I liked vista a lot, so as the time to activate approached I went out and
> purchased an upgrade version for £250 ( a large sum of money given you get
> it
> for almost 1/2 that if you pay in $... but anyhow...on with the story.
>
> I put the product key in and I get a message saying that the key only
> works
> if your upgrading. "damn". I had assumed that I would just need to enter
> a
> serial number for a previous version of windows to get it validated. No
> problem I thought. I'll just put xp back on and then upgrade again.
>
> So I put my XP Pro Media Center edition disk in and try and install... I
> get
> to the copying files stage & by about 4% I keep getting told that setup
> cannot copy the files. I look at the disk and there doesnt seem to be a
> problem with the disk. "damn" (again!) I have a few more attempts, with
> the
> same result.
>
> So Put my XP home sp2 disk in, and try and install from that. This time,
> I
> dont get as far as the copying files stage. I dont even get ot choose
> wich
> hard drive to install on. The setup program gets to the stage where its
> loaded all the drivers, hangs on the "setup is installing windows" stage
> and
> then I get a blue screen of death.
>
> I was just wondering if anyone could advise me who I need to speak too and
> what the hell I should say in order to get my copy of windows activated.
> I
> dont want to reinstall every month.
>
> Thanks in advance, Roger.

Hi Roger,

Is the key you bought the same version of Vista as you installed (Ultimate)?
You won't be able to reinstall any version of XP without formatting and
wiping out the existing installation. I was under the impression that you
could enter the license key 'after the fact' even when you upgrade, so I am
unsure why it's not working for you.

--
Best of Luck,

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

"Roger" <Roger@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:84E972D7-ABD1-41BD-91FE-26AF36EBC5B3@microsoft.com...
> Ok, heres the story.
>
> I have a Dell XPS 700, it came preinstalled with XP Pro/Media Center
> Edition
> 2005. I also have previous versions of windows from other computers (xp
> home
> sp2 & xp Pro sp1)
>
> I wanted to try vista, so I backed up all my important files and upgraded
> my
> Machine using a friends Ultimate Edition Disk (OEM 32bit)
>
> I liked vista a lot, so as the time to activate approached I went out and
> purchased an upgrade version for £250 ( a large sum of money given you get
> it
> for almost 1/2 that if you pay in $... but anyhow...on with the story.
>
> I put the product key in and I get a message saying that the key only
> works
> if your upgrading. "damn". I had assumed that I would just need to enter
> a
> serial number for a previous version of windows to get it validated. No
> problem I thought. I'll just put xp back on and then upgrade again.
>
> So I put my XP Pro Media Center edition disk in and try and install... I
> get
> to the copying files stage & by about 4% I keep getting told that setup
> cannot copy the files. I look at the disk and there doesnt seem to be a
> problem with the disk. "damn" (again!) I have a few more attempts, with
> the
> same result.
>
> So Put my XP home sp2 disk in, and try and install from that. This time,
> I
> dont get as far as the copying files stage. I dont even get ot choose
> wich
> hard drive to install on. The setup program gets to the stage where its
> loaded all the drivers, hangs on the "setup is installing windows" stage
> and
> then I get a blue screen of death.
>
> I was just wondering if anyone could advise me who I need to speak too and
> what the hell I should say in order to get my copy of windows activated.
> I
> dont want to reinstall every month.
>
> Thanks in advance, Roger.