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How to do a clean install of Vista using upgrade software

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eaglescouter

Frustrating Senior SETI Nut!
Joined
Dec 9, 2002
Location
CA- Not far from the Allen SETI array
If you have the Upgrade versions of Vista you are supposed to do a full XP install, then install vista over the top.

Most of us dislike these types of dirty installs, instead prefering to do an install to a clean drive or partition.

Here is a workaround:

1. Boot with the Windows Vista Upgrade DVD.
2. Click "Install Now."
3. Do not enter a Product Key When prompted.
4. When prompted, select the Vista product edition that you do have.
6. Install Vista normally.
7. Once the install is complete, restart the DVD-based Setup from
within Windows Vista. Perform an in-place upgrade.
8. Enter your Product Key when prompted.
 
Nice info!

BTW, I tried and failed to do a Vista upgrade from a rather fresh XP Pro OS. Crashed near the end of the install. So I tried a clean install now and finally have a working Vista Ultimate OS
 
eaglescouter said:
If you have the Upgrade versions of Vista you are supposed to do a full XP install, then install vista over the top.

Most of us dislike these types of dirty installs, instead prefering to do an install to a clean drive or partition.

Here is a workaround:

1. Boot with the Windows Vista Upgrade DVD.
2. Click "Install Now."
3. Do not enter a Product Key When prompted.
4. When prompted, select the Vista product edition that you do have.
6. Install Vista normally.
7. Once the install is complete, restart the DVD-based Setup from
within Windows Vista. Perform an in-place upgrade.
8. Enter your Product Key when prompted.
It's really that easy? Sheesh...
 
eaglescouter said:
If you have the Upgrade versions of Vista you are supposed to do a full XP install, then install vista over the top.

Most of us dislike these types of dirty installs, instead prefering to do an install to a clean drive or partition.

Here is a workaround:

1. Boot with the Windows Vista Upgrade DVD.
2. Click "Install Now."
3. Do not enter a Product Key When prompted.
4. When prompted, select the Vista product edition that you do have.
6. Install Vista normally.
7. Once the install is complete, restart the DVD-based Setup from
within Windows Vista. Perform an in-place upgrade.
8. Enter your Product Key when prompted.

Really so all you do is install no Key, load the DVD and upgrade from Vista itself? Seriously?

If thats the case I know I got the Ultimate (signature edition ooooh) from BB today just incase that was true, heck got free software with it as well. If thats the case im starting the install tonight.
 
Actually decided to give it a whirl. Worked like a charm no isssues here. Amazed me though it took longer to upgrade then to do the first install.
 
everything Ive read says upgrade installs result in a slower system. no personal experience though. just mags and web reviews.
 
ares350 said:
everything Ive read says upgrade installs result in a slower system. no personal experience though. just mags and web reviews.

Not the way Vista is suppose to do it. I don't remember where I read or saw it but it uses it suppositly if upgrading from XP, it identifies the files, puts things into a seperate directory, then from there it goes and installs Vista. After that all information not needed is deleted and all the rest is transfered over.

Im sure theres left overs moved over but it sounded slick.

But upgrading from um fresh Vista install to another, I doubt theres a hit more or less its just going to take longer to install.
 
I have to ask and yes, this maybe a stupid question but, was this off a formatted/blank HD?
 
Did mine off a freshly created RAID 0 drive. Can't get any cleaner then that except a new HDD maybe.
 
eaglescouter said:
If you have the Upgrade versions of Vista you are supposed to do a full XP install, then install vista over the top.

Most of us dislike these types of dirty installs, instead prefering to do an install to a clean drive or partition.

Here is a workaround:

1. Boot with the Windows Vista Upgrade DVD.
2. Click "Install Now."
3. Do not enter a Product Key When prompted.
4. When prompted, select the Vista product edition that you do have.
6. Install Vista normally.
7. Once the install is complete, restart the DVD-based Setup from
within Windows Vista. Perform an in-place upgrade.
8. Enter your Product Key when prompted.

Wait, so does that mean you can use the upgrade verison to install Vista? No need to buy full verison at all?
 
darksparkz said:
Wait, so does that mean you can use the upgrade verison to install Vista? No need to buy full verison at all?

That be a roger. I didn't touch my XP disk thank god, man so many issues trying to get raid to work I don't think so, not anymore.

Overall installation time on Raid 0 (2 drives)

Primary install (15min)
Upgrade install to Activate (30min)
No need to have XP installed to Upgrade (Priceless)
 
deathman20 said:
That be a roger. I didn't touch my XP disk thank god, man so many issues trying to get raid to work I don't think so, not anymore.

Overall installation time on Raid 0 (2 drives)

Primary install (15min)
Upgrade install to Activate (30min)
No need to have XP installed to Upgrade (Priceless)
After years of development and countless hundreds of millions of dollars... a completely legal and legitimate workaround that Microsoft never saw coming....
You know this is getting addressed in SP1 (reas somewhere it was slated for the end of this year).
 
Ducatti said:
After years of development and countless hundreds of millions of dollars... a completely legal and legitimate workaround that Microsoft never saw coming....
You know this is getting addressed in SP1 (reas somewhere it was slated for the end of this year).

Ya good chance it will be addressed sadly. I just wonder how they will change some things since they get rid of all the XP files prior to getting within windows to do the update and its not like you need the computer hooked up to the web to install Vista. It would have to be done on the disk level so more or less if they did address it, never revs of the disk will have it on there.
 
I hope the Vista Ultimate upgrade DVD I purchased from Newegg yesterday will work like this. I didn't want to purchase an upgrade version and install it over my WinXP Pro, but nearly $400.00 for an OS is to much for me.

Richie
 
Hi folks,

A friend of mine told me that this proceedure works, but the catch is that it ends up installing Vista Ultimate as a trial. If you decide to keep it, you end up having to reinstall Vista a second time, only this time type in the product key. To save the full retail price, the catch is it may have to be installed twice. I'll know for sure in a few days, but still worth it to me to save all that extra money.

Richie
 
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