dual boot 32 and 64

[Mr Bennett]

From what I am told Vista Ultimate's retail packages come with both 32 and 64
bit in the box. Is it possible to have these concurrently installed as a
dual boot, or would they conflict with eachother. What if I were do do it on
separate physical drives, disconnecting the other one before each install so
that they don't detect eachother?

 

[Dustin Harper]

Technically, it is possible. But, you would need 2 copies of Vista. AFAIK,
the retail version contains both versions, but only one can be installed and
activated at a time.

They don't really conflict with each other, but the system restore can cause
issues (it does with Windows XP/Vista dual booted). It may have been
resolved in SP1, though.

--

Dustin Harper
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[Mr Bennett]

So what you're saying is, if I follow correctly, it comes with both versions
on disk, but I only have 1 key, and I can only use that key for one version
or another at a time. Is that correct?
If that's the case, if I was running 64 and having too many problems could I
uninstall it and put 32 in or does the key get tied to one version once it is
used on it?

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

Correct. The EULA states that media for both x86 and x64 may be included
but that only one may be used with the product key, your choice. You may
switch but you may not run both concurrently. The same pk works for either.
The pk determines the edition of Vista but the dvd determines x86 or x64.
The pk is always valid for either so reinstalling with the other dvd is not
a problem whenever you want to do it.

btw, all x86 retail dvds are exactly alike as are all x64 retail dvds. It
is the product key that determines the edition and whether it is an upgrade
license or standard. Therefore you would only need a second pk in order to
run both the x86 and x64 versions of your edition (or any other) of your
Vista. A second pk would not have to be the same edition as the pk you
already have. The dvds you have support all retail editions.

 

[Mr Bennett]

Ok so as I understand it then a product key for home basic would work to
activate the second installation of ultimate off of the disk? Thanks a bunch

 

[Dustin Harper]

No. The product key is what determines the version, not the disk. The disk
is the same for Ultimate as it is for Home Basic.

If you use the Ultimate DVD with the Basic key, you will be installing the
Basic version of Vista.

If you use the Basic DVD with the Ultimate key, then you will have Ultimate.

--

Dustin Harper
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[Mr Bennett]

So, if I wanted to install vista ultimate 64 and vista ultimate 32 on the
same machine, I would need to buy two vista ultimate liscences? If that's
the case I might as well forget about the whole thing and ride it out with XP
until 7 comes out. One would think microsoft would allow for the contingency
of having them both for backup. It's not like they'd ever be used at the
same time.

 

[Dustin Harper]

Yes, that is true. You would need two keys to install both the 32 bit and
the 64 bit version on the same machine. Even if you don't use them at the
same time. It's similar to running two computers with the same key. Even if
you have only one turned on at a time, it's against the EULA.

It's one of the legalities of it. Some don't agree, but like you said... You
can always stick with XP until Windows 7 is released.

--

Dustin Harper
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http://www.vistarip.com | Vista Resource & Information Page

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