How to install Vista upgrade without XP on disk

[Aeronaut]

I bought a Vista upgrade pack and formatted the hard disk for a clean
install. Then the Vista upgrade disk told me it couldn't install because XP
wasn't there. So I got out my XP disk and tried to reinstall that, but it
won't install (apparently it's a bug that is known with this computer and
many others, it needs SP2 to install, but it's a pre-SP2 XP disk). Why do
Microsoft have to make it so difficult for genuine purchasers of their
products?! Any idea how I can fix this? I don't need XP any more, I just
want to install Vista, it should be simple...

 

[Curious]

What specific error(s) do you get when you try to install XP on your system
with your original XP installation disk on your reformatted disk?

 

[Mick Murphy]

Set the BIOS to boot from CD/DVD Drive, insert XP disk, reboot; install XP
Then upgrade.

You can not do a clean install from NOTHING

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

In order to install Windows Vista on a reformatted hard drive,
you'll need to purchase a "Full Version" of Windows Vista
and not an "Upgrade Version".

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows Desktop Experience -
Windows Vista Enthusiast

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I bought a Vista upgrade pack and formatted the hard disk for a clean
install. Then the Vista upgrade disk told me it couldn't install because XP
wasn't there. So I got out my XP disk and tried to reinstall that, but it
won't install (apparently it's a bug that is known with this computer and
many others, it needs SP2 to install, but it's a pre-SP2 XP disk). Why do
Microsoft have to make it so difficult for genuine purchasers of their
products?! Any idea how I can fix this? I don't need XP any more, I just
want to install Vista, it should be simple...