I have a full OEM version of Windows Vista Business installed on a new
computer I built myself. I would like to do a clean reinstall and don’t need
to back up any programs or files outside of those already stored on a second
drive.

My thought was to boot from CD, do a custom install, reformat the RAID 0
drive and install the operating system. I am not given that option but told
I must access the CD from within windows.
I can get to the option that sounds like a virtual clean install with some
old files backed up in a folder. Is the drive formatted in any way or all
other programs and files just deleted?
I suppose I could reinstall XP and then reinstall Vista but isn’t there an
easier way to reformat and do a clean install? Will I have an issue
activating the product again since it is an OEM version?



Finally, if I purchase an upgrade anytime to Ultimate is my copy now
considered retail?

"Cameraman" <Cameraman@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:FD6B291D-400C-4164-8E1B-16CC7761488A@xxxxxx

>I have a full OEM version of Windows Vista Business installed on a new
> computer I built myself. I would like to do a clean reinstall and don't
> need
> to back up any programs or files outside of those already stored on a
> second
> drive.
>
> My thought was to boot from CD, do a custom install, reformat the RAID 0
> drive and install the operating system. I am not given that option but
> told
> I must access the CD from within windows.
> I can get to the option that sounds like a virtual clean install with some
> old files backed up in a folder. Is the drive formatted in any way or all
> other programs and files just deleted?
> I suppose I could reinstall XP and then reinstall Vista but isn't there an
> easier way to reformat and do a clean install? Will I have an issue
> activating the product again since it is an OEM version?
>
> Finally, if I purchase an upgrade anytime to Ultimate is my copy now
> considered retail?

Why not install it the same way you did the original install when you built
the "new" computer? Was the hard drive new? Did you boot from the OEM DVD
to start the installation?

-Paul Randall

I built a new computer just before Vista was released. The copy of XP Pro
included an upgrade coupon and the full version of Vista allowed me to boot
from the CD, reformat the hard drive and perform a clean install. I haven’t
been able to figure out how to do a reinstall now that Vista is installed.

"Paul Randall" wrote:

>
> "Cameraman" <Cameraman@xxxxxx> wrote in message
> news:FD6B291D-400C-4164-8E1B-16CC7761488A@xxxxxx

> >I have a full OEM version of Windows Vista Business installed on a new
> > computer I built myself. I would like to do a clean reinstall and don't
> > need
> > to back up any programs or files outside of those already stored on a
> > second
> > drive.
> >
> > My thought was to boot from CD, do a custom install, reformat the RAID 0
> > drive and install the operating system. I am not given that option but
> > told
> > I must access the CD from within windows.
> > I can get to the option that sounds like a virtual clean install with some
> > old files backed up in a folder. Is the drive formatted in any way or all
> > other programs and files just deleted?
> > I suppose I could reinstall XP and then reinstall Vista but isn't there an
> > easier way to reformat and do a clean install? Will I have an issue
> > activating the product again since it is an OEM version?
> >
> > Finally, if I purchase an upgrade anytime to Ultimate is my copy now
> > considered retail?

>
> Why not install it the same way you did the original install when you built
> the "new" computer? Was the hard drive new? Did you boot from the OEM DVD
> to start the installation?
>
> -Paul Randall
>
>
>

I think you are seeing one drawback to using an upgrade. If you follow the
EULA to the letter, reinstalling the software means installing the chain of
the original software and all upgrades in the chain. You get a discount on
the upgrade (free in your case), but get the pain of installing previous
versions so that you can upgrade again. 'Free' has different meanings to
different people.

There is a way to do a clean install with an upgrade DVD:
http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase...rade_clean.asp
This should work for you, but Microsoft may have plans to close this
loophole; months or years from now the Genuine program may flag this type of
installation as NOT genuine, according to the rumor.

-Paul Randall

"Cameraman" <Cameraman@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:0CB36B18-04D5-404C-A9D5-D07AEF48240F@xxxxxx

>I built a new computer just before Vista was released. The copy of XP Pro
> included an upgrade coupon and the full version of Vista allowed me to
> boot
> from the CD, reformat the hard drive and perform a clean install. I haven't
> been able to figure out how to do a reinstall now that Vista is installed.
>
> "Paul Randall" wrote:
>

>>
>> "Cameraman" <Cameraman@xxxxxx> wrote in message
>> news:FD6B291D-400C-4164-8E1B-16CC7761488A@xxxxxx

>> >I have a full OEM version of Windows Vista Business installed on a new
>> > computer I built myself. I would like to do a clean reinstall and
>> > don't
>> > need
>> > to back up any programs or files outside of those already stored on a
>> > second
>> > drive.
>> >
>> > My thought was to boot from CD, do a custom install, reformat the RAID
>> > 0
>> > drive and install the operating system. I am not given that option but
>> > told
>> > I must access the CD from within windows.
>> > I can get to the option that sounds like a virtual clean install with
>> > some
>> > old files backed up in a folder. Is the drive formatted in any way or
>> > all
>> > other programs and files just deleted?
>> > I suppose I could reinstall XP and then reinstall Vista but isn't there
>> > an
>> > easier way to reformat and do a clean install? Will I have an issue
>> > activating the product again since it is an OEM version?
>> >
>> > Finally, if I purchase an upgrade anytime to Ultimate is my copy now
>> > considered retail?

>>
>> Why not install it the same way you did the original install when you
>> built
>> the "new" computer? Was the hard drive new? Did you boot from the OEM
>> DVD
>> to start the installation?
>>
>> -Paul Randall
>>
>>
>>

The "Upgrade Coupon" provided an equivalant Vista DVD to the XP Pro I
purchased at the time. I have a Full OEM Vista Business DVD, not the upgrade
version

"Paul Randall" wrote:

> I think you are seeing one drawback to using an upgrade. If you follow the
> EULA to the letter, reinstalling the software means installing the chain of
> the original software and all upgrades in the chain. You get a discount on
> the upgrade (free in your case), but get the pain of installing previous
> versions so that you can upgrade again. 'Free' has different meanings to
> different people.
>
> There is a way to do a clean install with an upgrade DVD:
> http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase...rade_clean.asp
> This should work for you, but Microsoft may have plans to close this
> loophole; months or years from now the Genuine program may flag this type of
> installation as NOT genuine, according to the rumor.
>
> -Paul Randall
>
> "Cameraman" <Cameraman@xxxxxx> wrote in message
> news:0CB36B18-04D5-404C-A9D5-D07AEF48240F@xxxxxx

> >I built a new computer just before Vista was released. The copy of XP Pro
> > included an upgrade coupon and the full version of Vista allowed me to
> > boot
> > from the CD, reformat the hard drive and perform a clean install. I haven't
> > been able to figure out how to do a reinstall now that Vista is installed.
> >
> > "Paul Randall" wrote:
> >

> >>
> >> "Cameraman" <Cameraman@xxxxxx> wrote in message
> >> news:FD6B291D-400C-4164-8E1B-16CC7761488A@xxxxxx
> >> >I have a full OEM version of Windows Vista Business installed on a new
> >> > computer I built myself. I would like to do a clean reinstall and
> >> > don't
> >> > need
> >> > to back up any programs or files outside of those already stored on a
> >> > second
> >> > drive.
> >> >
> >> > My thought was to boot from CD, do a custom install, reformat the RAID
> >> > 0
> >> > drive and install the operating system. I am not given that option but
> >> > told
> >> > I must access the CD from within windows.
> >> > I can get to the option that sounds like a virtual clean install with
> >> > some
> >> > old files backed up in a folder. Is the drive formatted in any way or
> >> > all
> >> > other programs and files just deleted?
> >> > I suppose I could reinstall XP and then reinstall Vista but isn't there
> >> > an
> >> > easier way to reformat and do a clean install? Will I have an issue
> >> > activating the product again since it is an OEM version?
> >> >
> >> > Finally, if I purchase an upgrade anytime to Ultimate is my copy now
> >> > considered retail?
> >>
> >> Why not install it the same way you did the original install when you
> >> built
> >> the "new" computer? Was the hard drive new? Did you boot from the OEM
> >> DVD
> >> to start the installation?
> >>
> >> -Paul Randall
> >>
> >>
> >>

>
>
>

You said earlier that you did your first install of Vista like this:

>> > the full version of Vista allowed me to
>> > boot
>> > from the CD, reformat the hard drive and perform a clean install.

Then you said you tried to do a clean install again:

>> >> > My thought was to boot from CD, do a custom install, reformat the
>> >> > RAID
>> >> > 0
>> >> > drive and install the operating system. I am not given that option
>> >> > but
>> >> > told
>> >> > I must access the CD from within windows.

Now I think your question is how to do a clean install of Vista Business
Full Version with RAID 0. I don't know whether there are any differences
between Vista Business and Vista Ultimate that affect setting up a RAID 0
system, but here is a tutorial for doing the ultimate setup:

http://www.legitreviews.com/article/454/1/

Hopefully this will help guide you to achieve your goals.

-Paul Randall

"Cameraman" <Cameraman@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:E05EB124-8790-473A-BD97-D5D37DB62A7F@xxxxxx

> The "Upgrade Coupon" provided an equivalant Vista DVD to the XP Pro I
> purchased at the time. I have a Full OEM Vista Business DVD, not the
> upgrade
> version
>
> "Paul Randall" wrote:
>

>> I think you are seeing one drawback to using an upgrade. If you follow
>> the
>> EULA to the letter, reinstalling the software means installing the chain
>> of
>> the original software and all upgrades in the chain. You get a discount
>> on
>> the upgrade (free in your case), but get the pain of installing previous
>> versions so that you can upgrade again. 'Free' has different meanings to
>> different people.
>>
>> There is a way to do a clean install with an upgrade DVD:
>> http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase...rade_clean.asp
>> This should work for you, but Microsoft may have plans to close this
>> loophole; months or years from now the Genuine program may flag this type
>> of
>> installation as NOT genuine, according to the rumor.
>>
>> -Paul Randall
>>
>> "Cameraman" <Cameraman@xxxxxx> wrote in message
>> news:0CB36B18-04D5-404C-A9D5-D07AEF48240F@xxxxxx

>> >I built a new computer just before Vista was released. The copy of XP
>> >Pro
>> > included an upgrade coupon and the full version of Vista allowed me to
>> > boot
>> > from the CD, reformat the hard drive and perform a clean install. I
>> > haven't
>> > been able to figure out how to do a reinstall now that Vista is
>> > installed.
>> >
>> > "Paul Randall" wrote:
>> >
>> >>
>> >> "Cameraman" <Cameraman@xxxxxx> wrote in message
>> >> news:FD6B291D-400C-4164-8E1B-16CC7761488A@xxxxxx
>> >> >I have a full OEM version of Windows Vista Business installed on a
>> >> >new
>> >> > computer I built myself. I would like to do a clean reinstall and
>> >> > don't
>> >> > need
>> >> > to back up any programs or files outside of those already stored on
>> >> > a
>> >> > second
>> >> > drive.
>> >> >
>> >> > My thought was to boot from CD, do a custom install, reformat the
>> >> > RAID
>> >> > 0
>> >> > drive and install the operating system. I am not given that option
>> >> > but
>> >> > told
>> >> > I must access the CD from within windows.
>> >> > I can get to the option that sounds like a virtual clean install
>> >> > with
>> >> > some
>> >> > old files backed up in a folder. Is the drive formatted in any way
>> >> > or
>> >> > all
>> >> > other programs and files just deleted?
>> >> > I suppose I could reinstall XP and then reinstall Vista but isn't
>> >> > there
>> >> > an
>> >> > easier way to reformat and do a clean install? Will I have an issue
>> >> > activating the product again since it is an OEM version?
>> >> >
>> >> > Finally, if I purchase an upgrade anytime to Ultimate is my copy now
>> >> > considered retail?
>> >>
>> >> Why not install it the same way you did the original install when you
>> >> built
>> >> the "new" computer? Was the hard drive new? Did you boot from the
>> >> OEM
>> >> DVD
>> >> to start the installation?
>> >>
>> >> -Paul Randall
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>

>>
>>
>>