"tricking" Vista ultimate upgrade to install on clean HDD?

[Rock]

Like a billion other people, I own Windows XP but I'd like to do a
clean install of Vista Ultimate using only the upgrade version. Is it
possible to trick the installer into thinking you have XP installed,
perhaps by copying the entire XP disc to your hard drive? I reinstall
my OS frequently and it will suck if I have to install XP AND Vista
every time.

Though you can't do a traditional clean install of Vista with an upgrade
copy, you can do a custom install. The Vista installation is an image
install, not a file by file transfer so the installation is clean in that
sense. But XP does have to be installed, activated and genuine, and you
start the upgrade from the XP desktop. If you can't live with that
restriction then the solution is get the full version.

So far I know of know way to otherwise trick Vista's installation routine.

 

[Rock]

Like a billion other people, I own Windows XP but I'd like to do a
clean install of Vista Ultimate using only the upgrade version. Is it
possible to trick the installer into thinking you have XP installed,
perhaps by copying the entire XP disc to your hard drive? I reinstall
my OS frequently and it will suck if I have to install XP AND Vista
every time.

To add to my first post, after installing Vista from an installed XP OS,
image the installation, that way if you have to do a reinstall, then just
restore this fresh install image instead of going through an installation of
XP and the upgrade to Vista.

 

[Twista]

http://www.microscum.com/carey/

- Twista

: The "trick" is to purchase a "Full License" version of Windows Vista.
: Do you not understand the meaning of the word "upgrade"?
: If you wish to use an upgrade version of Vista to completely
: reinstall Vista, then you'll have to install and activate Windows XP and
: then use the Windows Vista "upgrade" DVD to "upgrade" to Vista.
:
: --
: Carey Frisch
: Microsoft MVP
: Windows Shell/User
:
: --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
:
: "Ninjak on FW" wrote:
:
: Like a billion other people, I own Windows XP but I'd like to do a
: clean install of Vista Ultimate using only the upgrade version. Is it
: possible to trick the installer into thinking you have XP installed,
: perhaps by copying the entire XP disc to your hard drive? I reinstall
: my OS frequently and it will suck if I have to install XP AND Vista
: every time.
:

 

[Fun Time Frankie]

But XP does have to be installed, activated and genuine, and you
start the upgrade from the XP desktop.

This is incorrect. XP does not have to be activated to upgrade to
Vista.

I have just upgraded Home XP to Vista without having to activate XP.

 

[jim]

thats exactly what I said... see my 2 posts in this thread

 

[Roscoe]

The only reason he wouldn't understand the meaning of the word "upgrade" is
that MS changed the definition of this word. What a PITA!!

 

[Roscoe]

You dumbass.

you dont need silly imaging software. its builtin to vista. seems you
should know that being you tested it for so long.
karma karma karma... i bet youre ugly too

 

[Kerry Brown]

Did you use an upgrade version of Vista or a full version?

 

[Guest]

Not only is the repsonse rude, but it shows some ignorance with respect to
prior "upgrade" versions of Windows. In each prior OS, you could typically
just insert a CD or floppy to prove ownership of the prior version - you did
not need to install the OS.

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

It's a technological problem (x86 only). Once an OS is running you cannot
format its system volume. The volume is locked. Format will refuse to
work. The requirement to run from the desktop is what causes this
situation.

x64 Vista upgrade editions probably do permit a format prior to installation
because, unlike x86, you do not run setup from the legacy desktop. Since
the old OS is not running, its system volume is not locked and I suspect
that you can do a classic clean installation with an x64 dvd.

In any case, Vista installs very differently from earlier version of Windows
and a reformat is not neccessary. The problem of leftover bits and pieces
of the old OS simply doesn't happen with Vista. Every installation, upgrade
or custom, is a clean install of the OS. The is the consequence of using an
image installation instead of the old file copy method.

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

I am trying to figure out where Chad is getting this too. I'm completely
baffled. He knows that all retail dvd's are identical, so if you can boot
with the dvd in the full edition box and use the tools then you can surely
boot with the one in the upgrade edition box and use the tools just as
easily. I don't get where he's coming from this time.

 

[DevilsPGD]

In message <[email protected]> "Colin Barnhorst"

I am trying to figure out where Chad is getting this too. I'm completely
baffled. He knows that all retail dvd's are identical, so if you can boot
with the dvd in the full edition box and use the tools then you can surely
boot with the one in the upgrade edition box and use the tools just as
easily. I don't get where he's coming from this time.

My understanding is that the upgrade CDs will not boot at all in 32bit
mode -- Is this correct?

If so, that prevents a recovery install (which was a popular fix-all for
XP)

 

[Jane C]

An Upgrade DVD is bootable. If you try to start the upgrade install, after
entering the upgrade product key, you will be prompted to reboot the
computer and upgrade from the desktop of your current XP. You can't upgrade
with an upgrade edition by booting with the DVD.

 

[Daze N. Knights]

If I'm not mistaken, in this situation one could use Ultimate's
"Complete PC Backup" instead of Acronis to image the setup to a DVD,
then when one wishes to reinstall Vista, and could just boot from the
Vista Upgrade DVD, go to the Repair options, and choose to do a restore
from the DVD backups.

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

This is becoming a real misunderstanding.

THERE ARE NO RETAIL UPGRADE DVD'S! (sorry for the caps)

There are only x86 and x64 dvd's. They are all the same. There are retail
upgrade product keys and retail standard (full edition) product keys. It is
the pk's that effect the change in behavior of Setup, not any characteristic
of the dvd's.

All retail dvd's are bootable and since they are all the same they must all
of necessity have the tools.

Golly, I'm glad I got that out of my system!

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

You have got it nailed!

If I'm not mistaken, in this situation one could use Ultimate's "Complete
PC Backup" instead of Acronis to image the setup to a DVD, then when one
wishes to reinstall Vista, and could just boot from the Vista Upgrade DVD,
go to the Repair options, and choose to do a restore from the DVD backups.

 

[Rock]

This is becoming a real misunderstanding.

THERE ARE NO RETAIL UPGRADE DVD'S! (sorry for the caps)

There are only x86 and x64 dvd's. They are all the same. There are
retail upgrade product keys and retail standard (full edition) product
keys. It is the pk's that effect the change in behavior of Setup, not any
characteristic of the dvd's.

All retail dvd's are bootable and since they are all the same they must
all of necessity have the tools.

Golly, I'm glad I got that out of my system!

Leaving out Family discount pack downloads, eh - unless one orders the DVD
too. I wonder about the downloads from Windows Marketplace.

 

[jim]

yeah.. but not everyone will have ultimate...

it should have been in the business edition too.... is it?

if its not then vista stinks, for once again.. LOL

 

[Jane C]

Complete PC Backup is indeed in Business Edition

 

[jim]

good.. because that is the one I will be getting, not ultimate.. I dont need
media center...