I believe it has been posted that the upgrade DVDs are the same as the
Full version, the only difference is when you input your product key. If
that is so, then is it theoretically possible for a person to purchase
the Vista Home Basic Upgrade DVD ($99.00) , install it without a product
key as Vista Ultimate, run it for 30 days without activating it, then
backup all important data, wipe clean his computer, the do another
install of Vista without the product key as Vista Ultimate and then
repeat the process every 30 days?

I doubt MS if losing much sleep over the number of users willing to do that!

And, btw, given the wide availability of the RTM version on the P2P
networks, a true cheapskate/pirate willing to obliterate his hard drive
every 29 days, 23 hours and 59 minutes wouldn't spend the $99 to buy any
Vista DVD at all.

P.S. I am *NOT* so sure that Vista doesn't call home and say hello to MS
whether you activate or not. Enough 30 day cycles as you describe and a
flag may go off somewhere at MS and the hardware ID obtained during some
other registration may get matched with a name/address, followed by a polite
inquiry from the legal department at MS.

Were I the lawyer drafting that inquiry, it would be in plain English: "Are
you f'ing nuts?"


"William" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:#(E-Mail Removed)...
>I believe it has been posted that the upgrade DVDs are the same as the Full
>version, the only difference is when you input your product key. If that is
>so, then is it theoretically possible for a person to purchase the Vista
>Home Basic Upgrade DVD ($99.00) , install it without a product key as Vista
>Ultimate, run it for 30 days without activating it, then backup all
>important data, wipe clean his computer, the do another install of Vista
>without the product key as Vista Ultimate and then repeat the process every
>30 days?

As Robert says, who wants to live that way? I would wait and see if MS
releases a trial edition and at least you would get a few months out of it.

"William" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:%(E-Mail Removed)...
>I believe it has been posted that the upgrade DVDs are the same as the Full
>version, the only difference is when you input your product key. If that is
>so, then is it theoretically possible for a person to purchase the Vista
>Home Basic Upgrade DVD ($99.00) , install it without a product key as Vista
>Ultimate, run it for 30 days without activating it, then backup all
>important data, wipe clean his computer, the do another install of Vista
>without the product key as Vista Ultimate and then repeat the process every
>30 days?

Hey, Robert:
Subscribed to TechNet two days ago, got charged, and just got a
Subscriber ID number this evening, using which I signed in, and got the
impression that my subscription order is still, nevertheless,
incomplete. I can't find a benefits portal and have gone around and
around in circles without finding anything to download that wouldn't
have been available to me without subscribing. Do I still need to await
further processing of my subscription order, do you think, or is there
some secret to finding the "benefits" of which I am still unaware?

Daze

Robert Blacher wrote:
> I doubt MS if losing much sleep over the number of users willing to do
> that!
>
> And, btw, given the wide availability of the RTM version on the P2P
> networks, a true cheapskate/pirate willing to obliterate his hard drive
> every 29 days, 23 hours and 59 minutes wouldn't spend the $99 to buy any
> Vista DVD at all.
>
> P.S. I am *NOT* so sure that Vista doesn't call home and say hello to
> MS whether you activate or not. Enough 30 day cycles as you describe
> and a flag may go off somewhere at MS and the hardware ID obtained
> during some other registration may get matched with a name/address,
> followed by a polite inquiry from the legal department at MS.
>
> Were I the lawyer drafting that inquiry, it would be in plain English:
> "Are you f'ing nuts?"
>
>
> "William" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:#(E-Mail Removed)...
>> I believe it has been posted that the upgrade DVDs are the same as the
>> Full version, the only difference is when you input your product key.
>> If that is so, then is it theoretically possible for a person to
>> purchase the Vista Home Basic Upgrade DVD ($99.00) , install it
>> without a product key as Vista Ultimate, run it for 30 days without
>> activating it, then backup all important data, wipe clean his
>> computer, the do another install of Vista without the product key as
>> Vista Ultimate and then repeat the process every 30 days?
>

I changed the name of the msg, but we really don't belong in this group for
this thread.

Did you associate your Technet subscriber ID with your Windows Live ID? If
so, when you are logged into Windows Live, Technet's home page will know it
and you will automatically have the additional options of a "Plus"
subscriber.

Notes: Call 1-800-344-2121 for help getting your account setup. While I
eventually bumbled into getting it to work without them, they're there and
it doesn't count as one of your 2 Tech Support calls (those are reserved for
when something you downloaded causes your monitor to explode -- just
kidding).

Second, although you got the email, I got mine about 4 hours before the
account was actually activated on MS's side. So, my subscriber ID kept
getting refused and after 3 tries, it would lock me out for 10 minutes, etc.
etc.

Third note: While I just checked and the Benefits Portal seems alive and
well at this very second, it tends to go down now and again for a few
minutes. Fortunately that has no effect on transfers you are either running
or have queued.

Fourth: I did warn that the user interface of TechNet is ... er ... for
techies. But, keep at it. You'll get it to work eventually.

Not to be impolite (but I guess this will inevitably be so): That's the last
"how do I use TechNet Plus" question in this newsgroup from anyone to which
I will respond at all. I'm not capable of it, willing to do it, and this is
the wrong place anyway. Search the msnews.microsoft.com news server for
"technet" and you'll find a bit of help there from time to time in more
appropriate groups.





"Daze N. Knights" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:#(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hey, Robert:
> Subscribed to TechNet two days ago, got charged, and just got a Subscriber
> ID number this evening, using which I signed in, and got the impression
> that my subscription order is still, nevertheless, incomplete. I can't
> find a benefits portal and have gone around and around in circles without
> finding anything to download that wouldn't have been available to me
> without subscribing. Do I still need to await further processing of my
> subscription order, do you think, or is there some secret to finding the
> "benefits" of which I am still unaware?
>
> Daze
>

Thanks a lot, Robert!

Robert Blacher wrote:
> I changed the name of the msg, but we really don't belong in this group
> for this thread.
>
> Did you associate your Technet subscriber ID with your Windows Live ID?
> If so, when you are logged into Windows Live, Technet's home page will
> know it and you will automatically have the additional options of a
> "Plus" subscriber.
>
> Notes: Call 1-800-344-2121 for help getting your account setup. While I
> eventually bumbled into getting it to work without them, they're there
> and it doesn't count as one of your 2 Tech Support calls (those are
> reserved for when something you downloaded causes your monitor to
> explode -- just kidding).
>
> Second, although you got the email, I got mine about 4 hours before the
> account was actually activated on MS's side. So, my subscriber ID kept
> getting refused and after 3 tries, it would lock me out for 10 minutes,
> etc. etc.
>
> Third note: While I just checked and the Benefits Portal seems alive and
> well at this very second, it tends to go down now and again for a few
> minutes. Fortunately that has no effect on transfers you are either
> running or have queued.
>
> Fourth: I did warn that the user interface of TechNet is ... er ... for
> techies. But, keep at it. You'll get it to work eventually.
>
> Not to be impolite (but I guess this will inevitably be so): That's the
> last "how do I use TechNet Plus" question in this newsgroup from anyone
> to which I will respond at all. I'm not capable of it, willing to do
> it, and this is the wrong place anyway. Search the msnews.microsoft.com
> news server for "technet" and you'll find a bit of help there from time
> to time in more appropriate groups.
>
>
>
>
>
> "Daze N. Knights" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:#(E-Mail Removed)...
>> Hey, Robert:
>> Subscribed to TechNet two days ago, got charged, and just got a
>> Subscriber ID number this evening, using which I signed in, and got
>> the impression that my subscription order is still, nevertheless,
>> incomplete. I can't find a benefits portal and have gone around and
>> around in circles without finding anything to download that wouldn't
>> have been available to me without subscribing. Do I still need to
>> await further processing of my subscription order, do you think, or is
>> there some secret to finding the "benefits" of which I am still unaware?
>>
>> Daze
>>
>
>

yes you can theoretically do that...

But thats a lot of time wasted...


"William" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:%(E-Mail Removed)...
>I believe it has been posted that the upgrade DVDs are the same as the Full
>version, the only difference is when you input your product key. If that is
>so, then is it theoretically possible for a person to purchase the Vista
>Home Basic Upgrade DVD ($99.00) , install it without a product key as Vista
>Ultimate, run it for 30 days without activating it, then backup all
>important data, wipe clean his computer, the do another install of Vista
>without the product key as Vista Ultimate and then repeat the process every
>30 days?