Upgrade vs Upgrade - not a faq but maybe some answers. Comments and Corrections welcomed.

1. any version of XP or windows2000 qualifies you to use the upgrade
version of vista (32 bit or 64 bit)

2. 32 bit systems upgrading to 32 bit Vista can do a conventional
upgrade preserving compatible programs, user settings data files etc.

3. Going from any version of XP (or 2000) to 64 bit Vista is not what
you would normally call an upgrade.

4. If you have a 32 bit xp and decide to install 64 bit vista, you
are probably going to have to boot into the vista dvd to start the
install.

5. If you have a 64 bit version of XP, the install may be started
from windows, but will put all that exists on the system drive in a
folder called windows.old. If you want to make any changes to your
Hard Drive, ie format or repartition and format or extend it, you must
boot off the Vista install dvd. Also, the anytime upgrade process
will act just like your initial install, except I believe it must be
started from windows, but the 64 bit version once again will move
everything on the system drive into windows.old. As yet I have no
experience with the 32 bit anytime upgrade.

6. During the install of 64 bit Vista if you have booted off the
Vista dvd and you tell it to format the drive, there is no Are you
sure? followed by "to format the drive press F" So be sure of what
you want to do before answering any prompts.

7. If you purchase an Upgrade version, you must have an installed
previous version. Vista will not Qualify the upgrade by inserting
install media, So no "bare metal" installs with upgrade Product Keys.
if you want to do a "bare metal" install you need the full product or
OEM product,

8. The only version that has both 64 and 32 bit media is Vista
Ultimate. If you get one of the other versions of the full product of
an Upgrade it will have only 32 bit media. OEM versions are available
in either 32 bit or 64 bit but not both in one package. If you buy a
32 bit version (Upgrade or Full Product) you may order the 64 bit
media from Microsoft. The Same product key will work for either. In
fact it is My understanding that all the 32 bit media is the same, and
all the 64 bit media is the same, the Product Key controls what you
can install off the media.


Hope this helps someone.

Paul

 

I would qualify point 2 to read that upgrading may be done from 32 bit XP,
but Windows 2000 will require a custom install.

Another point to mention is that one cannot upgrade from XP Pro (32 bit) to
any Vista Home (32 bit) version. That will require a custom install. due to
loss of functionality. There have been a few gripes about that already in
the Vista ngs. The upgrade matrix has sadly not been consulted by some.

 

7. If you purchase an Upgrade version, you must have an installed

It has been published in various places that you can do the following
bare metal install with an upgrade version:

Format disk
Install Upgrade Vista by disabling auto-online-authentication (ie you
will phone in) and do not allow it to update-now during install
Vista will install but not validate
Start over and do a normal upgrade install - it will find the existing
Vista and "upgrade" normally.

I have not tried this, but it is widely published. There is also a KB
item that states Vista upgrade will only install over existing
qualified OS versions, which includes Vista itself.

It makes perfect sense that there is a way engineered in to bypass
pesky problems on the myriad PC's that could confound most any
standard process. Without such a "bypass" mechanism Microsoft might
have to refund $$ if it would not upgrade install. I suspect there is
some imprecise weasel phrase in the EULA to allow this if one actually
does own a qualifying OS, or perhaps not. I could not imagine
Microsft refunding.

YMMV