Anytime Upgrade Digital Locker Empty

[Michael Gerbasio]

Hi,
I installed Vista Home Premium and activated it. Then I purchased the
anytime update through vista, buying the software from Circuit City. I have
a receipt showing my credit card was charged with a link to click that
starts the upgrade installation process. If I do that, I'm asked to install
my Upgrade CD, but I don't have an upgrade CD, just the regular Vista Home
CD I was shipped. If I insert that CD, it goes through the installation
process but fails at the end.

I went to the digital locker, following the instructions on the MS site, but
it is empty. I checked the spam folder in my email account to be sure a
message wasn't removed fom the inbox. So now I'm confused about what to do
next. Any suggestions?

Regards-Michael G.

 

[Mark Honzell]

It can take up to four days for your license to be "posted" in the Digital
Locker.
Recommend you download it and store it, once it becomes available, so you
can get to it without going through the locker.

 

[Michael Gerbasio]

Thank Mark. Wow, four days. So much for anytime update. Did I do anything
wrong when I placed the order or is this normal?

Regards-Michael G.

 

[Mark]

No. You are experiencing my exact same problem.
You should have been given a download link in an e-mail which you can use
again.

Here was MS's response:

"This is in response to your email regarding your Windows Anytime Upgrade.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused you. The Windows
Anytime Upgrade license is placed in the Microsoft Digital Locker 4 days
after you click "Upgrade Now" or when you click the download link in the
confirmation e-mail message.

The Windows Anytime Upgrade does not contain a product key. The Windows
Anytime upgrade file you download is a file which unlocks the upgrade
content that is already pre-installed on your computer or that you have
loaded from your Windows Anytime Upgrade DVD."


Actual time for mine to show up was about 24 hours.
Two important factors:
1. The disc you own must state "Includes Windows Anytime Upgrade" on the
surface. This is common.
2. The Vista product you are attempting to upgrade must be activated.

I met both and still had the end "failure to upgrade, restoring previous
version" error.
Best advice, try again. Mine worked the second time around. Don't know why.
But, once installed and working. Install all apps and make a complete
backup!
Then, if you need to re-install for any reason you only have to reinstall
your backup (which is already activated.) You won't have to install the
original, the home premium upgrade, the anytime upgrade and then the apps
with all the errors between each one.

 

[Mark]

PS. The download file DOES contain a new product key which you can view with
notepad, but it is special in that it will not work unless the version you
are upgrading from is already activated. (If you've activated less than 120
days ago, then you will be calling MS to activate.)

In my case, I also moved to 64 bit version. So, I got to phone MS to
activate three times in one day.

I've tried to bypass the triple installation by using the key directly. No
go. Next time... buy the full version.

 

[Michael Gerbasio]

Mark,
Thanks again. I retried the installation, this time I remembered to pull my
USB devices as that caused a problem during the original installation. I got
all the way to the end and Vista reported a problem configuing a component,
cancelled the installation and restored the original. I'm currently running
Vista so I can't imagine why this is a problem now and there doesn't seem to
be a way to find out which component couldn't be configured.

I went back, downloaded the upgrade adviser and it tells me the nvidia
8800GTX and creative x-fi have no compatibility data so I guess this was the
problem. I'm running the latest drivers, and Vista Home, so I guess I'll
just have to call MS later today.

Regards-Michael G.

 

[Guest]

I think the problems with the 8800GTX are solved, but Creative still has
problems. You could remove the card, perform the install and then put the
card back in.

 

[Michael Gerbasio]

Mark,
Thanks. I'm up and running now but had to call MS for help. I disabled the
video and sound cards before installing the update along with some other
setting changes and it worked.

Regards-Michael G.