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Windows Vista You cannot use an upgrade key to perform a clean installation

Discussion in 'Legacy Windows' started by Fang, 2007/01/27.

  1. 2007/01/27
    Fang

    Fang Inactive Thread Starter

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    I have heard a lot on this and other forums that it was possible to do a clean install but this article posted micro site says otherwise.

    You cannot use an upgrade key to perform a clean installation of Windows Vista
    http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/930985/en-us
     
    Fang,
    #1
  2. 2007/01/27
    Alpha_and_Omega

    Alpha_and_Omega Well-Known Member

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    Very true..... hehe, I found that out the hard way.....
     

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  4. 2007/01/27
    Admin.

    Admin. Administrator Administrator Staff

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    Really stupid!
     
  5. 2007/01/27
    Fang

    Fang Inactive Thread Starter

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    Perhaps this was an option in the beta editions and everyone assumed that an upgrade would work this way. :confused:
     
    Fang,
    #4
  6. 2007/01/27
    Evan Omo

    Evan Omo Computer Support Technician Staff

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    That option is so stupid. I can't believe Microsoft won't let you perform a clean install of vista with an upgrade disk. :mad: Its probably because Microsoft wants you to spend more money on buying a full installation of Vista rather than perform a clean install with Vista using an upgrade disk which would be alot cheaper. :(
     
  7. 2007/01/27
    Zander

    Zander Geek Member Alumni

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    Well, it's not real clear to me just what that means. For starters, it says this at the bottom.
    APPLIES TO
    So, apparently it doesn't apply to all versions of the OS?

    Second is this.
    The fact that it says an upgrade key and not an upgrade DVD or version makes me wonder if they are talking about purchasing an upgrade key using the anytime upgrade thing instead of purchasing an upgrade DVD. In other words, I'm thinking you can probably still do a clean install with an upgrade version of Vista but if somewhere down the road you decide you want to upgrade that OS to another one via anytime upgrade (Home Premium to Ultimate for example) the OS would have to be on the system already for the key to work. So, if you wanted a clean install using that key, you'd have to first format and install the OS as you normally would using the key that came with your Windows DVD, then use the upgrade key to upgrade the OS to the version the key pertains to.

    I'm guessing that XP wouldn't be a qualifying version for these keys because all they do is unlock certain features of the OS you currently have. All Vista DVDs contain all versions of the OS. You can upgrade that OS to a better one (for lack of a better term :) ) simply by purchasing a new key. The new key for the upgrade I mentioned costs about $200. If you were to upgrade to the new OS the old fashioned way, at the very least you'd have to purchase an Ultimate Upgrade disk at a store which would cost about $250 dollars.

    So, I kind of wonder if this the "key" they are talking about. I could be wrong about this but can't help but wonder. Time will tell I guess. More about Anytime Upgrade here.

    Microsoft Unveils New Ways for Consumers to Get Windows Vista
     
  8. 2007/01/28
    usasma

    usasma Inactive

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    Earlier this week I installed an upgrade version of Vista Home Premium on a system that had XP Pro installed on it.

    The option to upgrade the XP installation was greyed out - and the only option available was a clean install (which was done with no problems).

    Vista will only allow upgrades in certain specific scenarios - the most common path is a clean install, no matter if the package is a full or upgrade version.

    More info on this is available at the Vista home pages.
     
  9. 2007/01/29
    Arie

    Arie Administrator Administrator Staff

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    Yes, that is not a supported upgrade path. XP Pro can only be upgraded to Business or Ultimate.

    See: Upgrade Paths from Previous Versions
     
    Arie,
    #8
  10. 2007/01/29
    usasma

    usasma Inactive

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    There's a bit of confusion with the "upgrade" terminology.

    Upgrade on the packaging indicates merely that you've got to have a qualifying product to use it (rather than the Full version, which doesn't require a qualifying product).

    Upgrade during the installation is actually referred to by Microsoft as an In Place Upgrade or an Upgrade In Place (a niggling distinction, but it's important none-the-less)

    So, you can perform an Upgrade In Place by purchasing an Upgrade package as long as your versions are listed in the link that was provided. But if you don't have the supported path, then you'll be only given the option to Clean Install from the Upgrade package DVD.

    I'd suspect that the same will hold true for the Full retail package.
     
  11. 2007/01/30
    Arie

    Arie Administrator Administrator Staff

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    OK, I'm still trying to get to the bottom of this.

    Consensus is right now that the KB article is plain wrong.

    It is possible that the "Anytime Upgrade" key's would require the qualifying OS to be installed, which I don't think should be a problem.

    If you want to upgrade a pre Vista OS with a Vista Upgrade, you should be able to do a clean install without the need to install the original OS. Vista setup should just prompt you to insert your media - just like Windows XP setup did.

    I'll update when I get definite answers.
     
  12. 2007/01/30
    Fang

    Fang Inactive Thread Starter

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    I plan on a upgrade myself so I will report back later if my son finishes all his homework before I go to bed tonite. :)
     
  13. 2007/01/30
    Arie

    Arie Administrator Administrator Staff

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    Well, it is as bad as I originally thought it was:

     
  14. 2007/01/30
    Zander

    Zander Geek Member Alumni

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    So basically, a clean install can be done only by choosing to install it to a folder other than the one that the upgradeable OS is installed to? Bummer. Gee, I've never been a Microsoft basher at all but this stuff just keeps getting more and more restrictive it seems. Maybe it won't be as bad a thing as I think but you can't format and get rid of all the extra baggage built up over the past few years?

    Well, after thinking about it a bit, if you can install it to a different folder than the original OS, I suppose you could format the drive, install XP and then immediately install Vista to a different folder. Then deal with getting rid of XP after that. But, even if you can do that, my goodness. What a pain.

    I think I'm going to have to give some serious thought to reconsidering my Microsoft bashing status at this time. Rediculous. :mad: :(
     
  15. 2007/01/30
    Fang

    Fang Inactive Thread Starter

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    OK I purchased a Vista Home Premium Upgrade disk and it did allow me to install to another drive and keep my existing XP. So now I have a dual boot system. Very painless and a 45 minute install.
    Now I assume that the key with it is a upgrade key.
    It does state in the book that if you have the previous version disk then you can format yourself then do a clean install.
    :)
     
  16. 2007/01/30
    Zander

    Zander Geek Member Alumni

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    This seems to contradict what Arie found. So, is it possible that once it sees that you have a qualifying OS installed that it will then offer you the choice to format and install it clean? I don't know. Did you have the option to format and install?
     
  17. 2007/01/30
    charlesvar

    charlesvar Inactive Alumni

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    I was wondering why I got the Windows.old folder :rolleyes: Hoping it was an artifact of the RC.

    Zander, did get that folder on your install when you set up the Dual Boot?

    Regards - Charles
     
  18. 2007/01/30
    Fang

    Fang Inactive Thread Starter

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    The handbook states
    choose to do a clean install if:
    your current op sys cannot be upgraded to wv
    your comp has no op sys
    you dont want to keep your existing files, settings and programs
    you want to instanll WV on a specific partition

    :)

    I believe the article I posted is ****. and they may be referring to purchasinng a seperate key which I see you can do thru amazon.com :p
     
  19. 2007/01/30
    Zander

    Zander Geek Member Alumni

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    No, I didn't get that folder but that's due due to the fact that I disconnected my XP drive when I did the install. I wasn't taking any chances. I reconnected my XP drive after the install and to boot to Vista. I have to go into the bios and change my boot order. My XP boot menu remains intact and I see no boot menu when I boot to Vista (which is as it should be). So, being that I did things a bit different than most, I can't really comment on it. Sorry. :)
     
  20. 2007/01/30
    TonyT

    TonyT SuperGeek Staff

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    How to install Vista Upgrade on a blank disk:
    (found this here: http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1151184 )
     
  21. 2007/01/30
    Fang

    Fang Inactive Thread Starter

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    Duh :rolleyes:
     

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