Clean Install on two computers

[NSA]

I have two computers both with WIN XP. I purcahsed two Vista's OS. The Vista
Home Premium was for a clean install on one computer (desktop); the other
Vista is a Home Basic upgrade intended for the laptop. I now prefer to do a
clean install on both computers. Can I clean install the Premium on the
laptop as a trial; then install the upgrade Basic on the laptop as a
registered; and then clean install the Premium on the desktop as a
registered version?

NSA

 

[Rick Rogers]

Hi,

No, you can't install Basic over the Premium. Instead, start the Basic
upgrade without inserting the product key by booting from the disk. Choose
Basic from the picklist after bypassing the product key prompt and complete
setup. Once finished, start the system and reinsert the Basic disk and
restart setup, this time entering the product key.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

 

[Eric]

You could clean install it on your notebook and not activate it which would
work like a full version, but only for 30 days. However, you probably won't
be able to "upgrade" the system to Basic after installing Premium on it as
basic really isn't an "upgrade" in that sense. The upgrades are intended to
bring your system to a newer or better version of the OS, not an older or
less of an OS. You would probably have to do a clean install again on it
with the Basic version but you would then loose everything that you have put
on the notebook since trying it out with Premium. I wouldn't suggest doing
this unless you want to try it and if you like it then activate the version
on your notebook. Only thing is, with each copy, you got a license for 1
computer and it is only going to let you activate it on one computer. If
you try any other computers, it isn't going to let you activate them unless
you purchase another license!

 

[Gary VanderMolen]

Any particular reason why you want to try out Premium
on the laptop? You can do it, but after the trial is over
you'll have to totally wipe the laptop's hard drive before
installing Basic on it. Use the following procedure to do
a clean install with an upgrade version:
http://windowssecrets.com/comp/070201#story1