Vista (upgrade)

[AD-15]

hello,

What do I need in order to be able to install Vista using the upgrade disc? Do I have to have the windows XP disc?

I do not have the XP disk, as my system was pre-built. Can I still use the Vista upgrade option?

[0iD]

No disc required iirc, just as long as a genuine copy of XP is already installed.
Might be a bit of a bind tho if you ever have to reinstall. Be ok if you have a recovery partition.

[barrybodgit]

Hi there,

No you don't need your XP disc, Vista will check for that a genuine full version of Windows XP or Vista is currently installed and will allow you to simply upgrade as normal!

[AD-15]

hello,

Thanks guys.

So it will be impossible for me then to install it on another hard drive?

I'm upgrading my PC soon, and will be using two new SATA drives. If I install my third (old, IDE) hard drive (the one with XP), and then pop the vista disc in, will it allow me to install Vista on one of the new drives?

I hope I'm being clear on what I mean.

[0iD]

Install it and ghost it over to the new drive with something like Acronis True Image.

[Agent]

http://www.infopackets.com/news/hard...revious_os.htm

[AD-15]

Wow, what an idea.

Is that legal Agent?

Also, would the installation program make sure everything is wiped again before beginning the second installation?

[Agent]

I don't know the ins and outs of the EULA, but MS hasn't stopped it in any of their updates or service packs. I don't know if the upgrade EULA says that the upgrade OS must be installed.

It's just food for thought.

[vinnyT]

It's not illegal, windows secrets published an article on how to do it last year.

[AD-15]

So will it definitely work?

Thanks!

[Agent]

It will defo work, yes, but It's not a clear cut case of it being legal because a site published how to do it as VinnyT claims above. The EULA is long and complex - All I can say for certain is that Microsoft have not stopped it, although they did have this to say on the matter:

http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/21...on-patch-vista

People without a licensed copy of XP that use this workaround are violating the terms of use agreed to when they purchased the upgrade version of Windows Vista, as such, we believe only a very small percentage of people will take the time to implement this workaround, and we encourage all customers to follow our official guidelines for upgrading to Windows Vista.

So it clearly breaks the terms - I don't know if the EULA specifies that XP must be installed already or if that you must just own it.

It's anyone guess if they take any action in the future.