So I paid for a retail version of Vista Ultimate Upgrade the day it came out,
upgrading from XP PRO. Everything was fine. One day my Vista install
starting giving me BSOD constantly and loss of audio so I finally after much
advice did a re-install of Vista, clean this time. After hours and hours of
work, reinstalling all of my programs and customizing everything again, it
came time to re-activate windows. I went ahead and said activate
online.....no dice, it says my key is already in use. I read the forums here
and everyone said go activate over the phone....again no dice, two phone
calls to Indian spekaing reps and they could not get me activated saying I
would have to call MS Support. I called MS Support and they rudely said I am
out of luck, I didn't re-install XP first before I fixed my Vista
install...my key is good but only if I upgraded, which I did on the initial
install by the way....I don't even have my XP disk anymore...this is crazy!
I told the tech support guy I wasn' able or willing to reinstall XP again and
completely and he said sorry cant help you then. I asked if I could pay the
difference to a full version of Vista Ultimate so I wouldnt have to reinstall
and they said no sorry. I asked for a Supervisor and he basicly let me know
how stupid I was for not installing XP again before I reinstalled Vista.....

This just all seems so wrong, horrible customer service. I have been a
loyal MS customer for 10 years buying all the the top end products including
Vista Ultime even though everyone said "don't do it youll be sorry!"

Is there some other way to solve my problem by talking to a different group?

Any help is appreciated, my Windows is not deactivated

On Tue, 29 Jan 2008 18:54:00 -0800, Jeff
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>So I paid for a retail version of Vista Ultimate Upgrade the day it came out,
>upgrading from XP PRO. Everything was fine. One day my Vista install
>starting giving me BSOD constantly and loss of audio so I finally after much
>advice did a re-install of Vista, clean this time. After hours and hours of
>work, reinstalling all of my programs and customizing everything again, it
>came time to re-activate windows. I went ahead and said activate
>online.....no dice, it says my key is already in use. I read the forums here
>and everyone said go activate over the phone....again no dice, two phone
>calls to Indian spekaing reps and they could not get me activated saying I
>would have to call MS Support. I called MS Support and they rudely said I am
>out of luck, I didn't re-install XP first before I fixed my Vista
>install...my key is good but only if I upgraded, which I did on the initial
>install by the way....I don't even have my XP disk anymore...this is crazy!
>I told the tech support guy I wasn' able or willing to reinstall XP again and
>completely and he said sorry cant help you then. I asked if I could pay the
>difference to a full version of Vista Ultimate so I wouldnt have to reinstall
>and they said no sorry. I asked for a Supervisor and he basicly let me know
>how stupid I was for not installing XP again before I reinstalled Vista.....
>
>This just all seems so wrong, horrible customer service. I have been a
>loyal MS customer for 10 years buying all the the top end products including
>Vista Ultime even though everyone said "don't do it youll be sorry!"
>
>Is there some other way to solve my problem by talking to a different group?
>
>Any help is appreciated, my Windows is not deactivated
There IS a way around this. The Upgrade version CAN validate itself
but you have to do it right. Unfortunately you will be forced to do a
reinstall.
The basic IDEA is NOT to enter the product key the first time but the
exact procedure escapes me.Search Google and you will find it.
This need to do a reinstall can be solved if you had Acronis Image
backup.

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

Yes!
Just don't mention that you clean installed.

"Jeff" wrote:

> So I paid for a retail version of Vista Ultimate Upgrade the day it came out,
> upgrading from XP PRO. Everything was fine. One day my Vista install
> starting giving me BSOD constantly and loss of audio so I finally after much
> advice did a re-install of Vista, clean this time. After hours and hours of
> work, reinstalling all of my programs and customizing everything again, it
> came time to re-activate windows. I went ahead and said activate
> online.....no dice, it says my key is already in use. I read the forums here
> and everyone said go activate over the phone....again no dice, two phone
> calls to Indian spekaing reps and they could not get me activated saying I
> would have to call MS Support. I called MS Support and they rudely said I am
> out of luck, I didn't re-install XP first before I fixed my Vista
> install...my key is good but only if I upgraded, which I did on the initial
> install by the way....I don't even have my XP disk anymore...this is crazy!
> I told the tech support guy I wasn' able or willing to reinstall XP again and
> completely and he said sorry cant help you then. I asked if I could pay the
> difference to a full version of Vista Ultimate so I wouldnt have to reinstall
> and they said no sorry. I asked for a Supervisor and he basicly let me know
> how stupid I was for not installing XP again before I reinstalled Vista.....
>
> This just all seems so wrong, horrible customer service. I have been a
> loyal MS customer for 10 years buying all the the top end products including
> Vista Ultime even though everyone said "don't do it youll be sorry!"
>
> Is there some other way to solve my problem by talking to a different group?
>
> Any help is appreciated, my Windows is not deactivated

"I don't even have my XP disk anymore"
You need to locate it.
That is part of your upgrade Windows Vista license and is part of your
complete Windows Vista license.

Exactly how did you perform a Clean Installation?

--
Jupiter Jones [MVP]
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar



"Jeff" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:0A29CE7D-EA67-4846-BE7C-(E-Mail Removed)...
> So I paid for a retail version of Vista Ultimate Upgrade the day it
> came out,
> upgrading from XP PRO. Everything was fine. One day my Vista
> install
> starting giving me BSOD constantly and loss of audio so I finally
> after much
> advice did a re-install of Vista, clean this time. After hours and
> hours of
> work, reinstalling all of my programs and customizing everything
> again, it
> came time to re-activate windows. I went ahead and said activate
> online.....no dice, it says my key is already in use. I read the
> forums here
> and everyone said go activate over the phone....again no dice, two
> phone
> calls to Indian spekaing reps and they could not get me activated
> saying I
> would have to call MS Support. I called MS Support and they rudely
> said I am
> out of luck, I didn't re-install XP first before I fixed my Vista
> install...my key is good but only if I upgraded, which I did on the
> initial
> install by the way....I don't even have my XP disk anymore...this is
> crazy!
> I told the tech support guy I wasn' able or willing to reinstall XP
> again and
> completely and he said sorry cant help you then. I asked if I could
> pay the
> difference to a full version of Vista Ultimate so I wouldnt have to
> reinstall
> and they said no sorry. I asked for a Supervisor and he basicly let
> me know
> how stupid I was for not installing XP again before I reinstalled
> Vista.....
>
> This just all seems so wrong, horrible customer service. I have
> been a
> loyal MS customer for 10 years buying all the the top end products
> including
> Vista Ultime even though everyone said "don't do it youll be sorry!"
>
> Is there some other way to solve my problem by talking to a
> different group?
>
> Any help is appreciated, my Windows is not deactivated

Jupiter Jones [MVP] wrote:
>
>Exactly how did you perform a >Clean Installation?
The upgrade has all of the code. If you dont enter product key you an install as a not activated demo. You reinstall again and it validates itself. Do a google for the exact steps.
--
Gil W0MN Yanoff +, the PDA reader
Creed en las obras y no en las palabras

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

When you install Vista from the upgrade disk say no when prompted whether to
activate now and let the install complete. Then when later asked to
activate call MS and don't tell them it was a clean install, i.e. you
reinstalled XP and then the Vista upgrade. There is nothing unethical about
this if you legitimately had XP and bought the Vista upgrade.
--

"Jeff" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:0A29CE7D-EA67-4846-BE7C-(E-Mail Removed)...
> So I paid for a retail version of Vista Ultimate Upgrade the day it came
> out,
> upgrading from XP PRO. Everything was fine. One day my Vista install
> starting giving me BSOD constantly and loss of audio so I finally after
> much
> advice did a re-install of Vista, clean this time. After hours and hours
> of
> work, reinstalling all of my programs and customizing everything again, it
> came time to re-activate windows. I went ahead and said activate
> online.....no dice, it says my key is already in use. I read the forums
> here
> and everyone said go activate over the phone....again no dice, two phone
> calls to Indian spekaing reps and they could not get me activated saying I
> would have to call MS Support. I called MS Support and they rudely said I
> am
> out of luck, I didn't re-install XP first before I fixed my Vista
> install...my key is good but only if I upgraded, which I did on the
> initial
> install by the way....I don't even have my XP disk anymore...this is
> crazy!
> I told the tech support guy I wasn' able or willing to reinstall XP again
> and
> completely and he said sorry cant help you then. I asked if I could pay
> the
> difference to a full version of Vista Ultimate so I wouldnt have to
> reinstall
> and they said no sorry. I asked for a Supervisor and he basicly let me
> know
> how stupid I was for not installing XP again before I reinstalled
> Vista.....
>
> This just all seems so wrong, horrible customer service. I have been a
> loyal MS customer for 10 years buying all the the top end products
> including
> Vista Ultime even though everyone said "don't do it youll be sorry!"
>
> Is there some other way to solve my problem by talking to a different
> group?
>
> Any help is appreciated, my Windows is not deactivated

GTS, that is exactly what I did but they are saying they won't activate my
Vista because I didn't install XP first. I have talked with a tech and a
supervisor, they were not even nice about it, I think they enjoyed my copy of
Windows being deactivated.

I am starting to understand why people steal software....

"GTS" wrote:

> When you install Vista from the upgrade disk say no when prompted whether to
> activate now and let the install complete. Then when later asked to
> activate call MS and don't tell them it was a clean install, i.e. you
> reinstalled XP and then the Vista upgrade. There is nothing unethical about
> this if you legitimately had XP and bought the Vista upgrade.
> --
>
> "Jeff" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:0A29CE7D-EA67-4846-BE7C-(E-Mail Removed)...
> > So I paid for a retail version of Vista Ultimate Upgrade the day it came
> > out,
> > upgrading from XP PRO. Everything was fine. One day my Vista install
> > starting giving me BSOD constantly and loss of audio so I finally after
> > much
> > advice did a re-install of Vista, clean this time. After hours and hours
> > of
> > work, reinstalling all of my programs and customizing everything again, it
> > came time to re-activate windows. I went ahead and said activate
> > online.....no dice, it says my key is already in use. I read the forums
> > here
> > and everyone said go activate over the phone....again no dice, two phone
> > calls to Indian spekaing reps and they could not get me activated saying I
> > would have to call MS Support. I called MS Support and they rudely said I
> > am
> > out of luck, I didn't re-install XP first before I fixed my Vista
> > install...my key is good but only if I upgraded, which I did on the
> > initial
> > install by the way....I don't even have my XP disk anymore...this is
> > crazy!
> > I told the tech support guy I wasn' able or willing to reinstall XP again
> > and
> > completely and he said sorry cant help you then. I asked if I could pay
> > the
> > difference to a full version of Vista Ultimate so I wouldnt have to
> > reinstall
> > and they said no sorry. I asked for a Supervisor and he basicly let me
> > know
> > how stupid I was for not installing XP again before I reinstalled
> > Vista.....
> >
> > This just all seems so wrong, horrible customer service. I have been a
> > loyal MS customer for 10 years buying all the the top end products
> > including
> > Vista Ultime even though everyone said "don't do it youll be sorry!"
> >
> > Is there some other way to solve my problem by talking to a different
> > group?
> >
> > Any help is appreciated, my Windows is not deactivated
>
>
>

See http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/68...ade-vista.html
for details.

--

"Jeff" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:0A29CE7D-EA67-4846-BE7C-(E-Mail Removed)...
> So I paid for a retail version of Vista Ultimate Upgrade the day it came
> out,
> upgrading from XP PRO. Everything was fine. One day my Vista install
> starting giving me BSOD constantly and loss of audio so I finally after
> much
> advice did a re-install of Vista, clean this time. After hours and hours
> of

Why are you telling me how to do something when I asked the OP what
process was used for the clean installation?

--
Jupiter Jones [MVP]
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar


"Gil Baron" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:47a045c4$0$18851$(E-Mail Removed)...
Jupiter Jones [MVP] wrote:
>
>Exactly how did you perform a >Clean Installation?
The upgrade has all of the code. If you dont enter product key you an
install as a not activated demo. You reinstall again and it validates
itself. Do a google for the exact steps.
--
Gil W0MN Yanoff +, the PDA reader
Creed en las obras y no en las palabras

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

> So I paid for a retail version of Vista Ultimate Upgrade the day it
> came out, upgrading from XP PRO. Everything was fine. One day my
> Vista install starting giving me BSOD constantly and loss of audio so
> I finally after much advice did a re-install of Vista, clean this
> time. After hours and hours of work, reinstalling all of my programs
> and customizing everything again, it came time to re-activate
> windows. I went ahead and said activate online.....no dice, it says
> my key is already in use. I read the forums here and everyone said
> go activate over the phone....again no dice, two phone calls to
> Indian spekaing reps and they could not get me activated saying I
> would have to call MS Support. I called MS Support and they rudely
> said I am out of luck, I didn't re-install XP first before I fixed my
> Vista install...my key is good but only if I upgraded, which I did on
> the initial install by the way....I don't even have my XP disk
> anymore...this is crazy! I told the tech support guy I wasn' able or
> willing to reinstall XP again and completely and he said sorry cant
> help you then. I asked if I could pay the difference to a full
> version of Vista Ultimate so I wouldnt have to reinstall and they
> said no sorry. I asked for a Supervisor and he basicly let me know
> how stupid I was for not installing XP again before I reinstalled
> Vista.....
>
> This just all seems so wrong, horrible customer service. I have been
> a loyal MS customer for 10 years buying all the the top end products
> including Vista Ultime even though everyone said "don't do it youll
> be sorry!"
>
> Is there some other way to solve my problem by talking to a different
> group?
>
> Any help is appreciated, my Windows is not deactivated

IF I read you correctly, you "upgraded" from XP to Vista. As with any
other "upgrade", you need to hold onto the old CD to prove that you
owned something that enabled you to update. An update is just that: it
updates you to a new OS from the old one.
You'll have to relocate your original XP CD; that should make it
easy.

I don't think you HAVE to install XP; just provide it the CD when it
says it can't find a previous version to upgrade from. When that step
is done, toss the V CD back in and continue.

Or have I misunderstood? Your description isn't really very clear.

--
Twayne

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