Installing Ultimate 64bit with Ultimate Upgrade Key

  • Thread starter Thread starter Jreg
  • Start date Start date
J

Jreg

Hi there,

I want to reformat my computer and install Vista Ultimate 64-bit as my
operating system. I'd rather not spend a couple hundred dollars to do this
when I already own Vista Ultimate 32-bit. My computer came with Home Premium
and I purchased a Vista Ultimate Upgrade CD (32 bit). Now what I want to know
is if I buy the $30 non liscensed Vista Ultimate (64 bit) CD, can I use my
Ultimate (32 bit) Activation key to activate it?

This would save me around $150. I talked to the Microsoft guys via chat but
we just kept going around and around and they never really answered whether
or not the Ultimate 64 bit would accept my Ultimate 32 bit upgrade key.

Will this work???

Thanks for all the help!
 
Jreg said:
Hi there,

I want to reformat my computer and install Vista Ultimate 64-bit as my
operating system. I'd rather not spend a couple hundred dollars to do this
when I already own Vista Ultimate 32-bit. My computer came with Home Premium
and I purchased a Vista Ultimate Upgrade CD (32 bit). Now what I want to know
is if I buy the $30 non liscensed Vista Ultimate (64 bit) CD, can I use my
Ultimate (32 bit) Activation key to activate it?
Click to expand...


It certainly shouldn't, no. If you want 64-bit, go out and buy it like
the rest of us.






--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:


http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/555375

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. ~Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. ~Bertrand Russell

The philosopher has never killed any priests, whereas the priest has
killed a great many philosophers.
~ Denis Diderot
 
Bruce Chambers said:
It certainly shouldn't, no. If you want 64-bit, go out and buy it like
the rest of us.






--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:


http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/555375

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. ~Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. ~Bertrand Russell

The philosopher has never killed any priests, whereas the priest has
killed a great many philosophers.
~ Denis Diderot
Click to expand...

So you are saying that the ultimate activation key is biased as to whether
or not you are installing a 32 or 64 bit? And unlike "everone else" I am more
inclined to go with a cheaper solution as long as it's legal. I already own
Vista Ultimate. I already payed the money for it. Do I have to buy a
completely different liscense to operate the same OS but 64bit instead of
32bit? For a college student that hurts the pockets.... BUT, if this won't
work I will indeed go out and purchase ANOTHER copy of vista ultimate...
 
Backup your system.
Install Home Premium 32-bit.
If the product is OEM and You are the system builder, choose not to
activate at this time.
If manufacturer OEM, this means either the recovery disk or partition
restoration will be used.
If the product is OEM (Dell, HP, Asus, etc.), google "Vista" "ABR"
and run the program that will copy your OEM license to a USB flash drive.
Insert and boot from 64-bit disk.
If retail or your OEM, choose to install Home Premium 64-bit using
your Home Premium Product key.
If orignal was manufacturer OEM, do not insert a product key. Wait
until installed and then use the ABR to restore your license.
The install is a custom instal,l which is normal for 64-bit migration
from 32-bit.
Now, install Vista Ultimate 64-bit using your upgrade product key.

You've installed the original system with the original product key and
perform an upgrade with the upgrade key on the machine each were licensed to
work.
 
Yeah, as replacement media from Microsoft for $10.
Use your upgrade DVD product key when you enter the information for
purchase.
 
Jreg,
Are you saying that you have purchased the retail Vista Ultimate package.
If you did then it should have come with both a 32bit installation DVD and a
64 bit installation DVD and a single key which can be used it install either
the 32 bit or the 64 bit version.
The product key that came on the sticker with your system is a 32bit Home
premium key and probably states that it on the sticker.
 
Thnx Mark, I will definately give that a try.

Mark H said:
Backup your system.
Install Home Premium 32-bit.
If the product is OEM and You are the system builder, choose not to
activate at this time.
If manufacturer OEM, this means either the recovery disk or partition
restoration will be used.
If the product is OEM (Dell, HP, Asus, etc.), google "Vista" "ABR"
and run the program that will copy your OEM license to a USB flash drive.
Insert and boot from 64-bit disk.
If retail or your OEM, choose to install Home Premium 64-bit using
your Home Premium Product key.
If orignal was manufacturer OEM, do not insert a product key. Wait
until installed and then use the ABR to restore your license.
The install is a custom instal,l which is normal for 64-bit migration
from 32-bit.
Now, install Vista Ultimate 64-bit using your upgrade product key.

You've installed the original system with the original product key and
perform an upgrade with the upgrade key on the machine each were licensed to
work.
Click to expand...
 
What JW is saying is that if you purchased the 32 bit Ultimate upgrade
package (Black labeled plastic case that says "Windows Vista Ultimate" and
has the upgrade sticker (red and silver) on the front of the label you also
have inside a DVD for the 64 bit Ultimate (I'm looking a the package on my
desk now.) If you obtained the Upgrade disk somewhere else, it is probably
not a "legal" version (unless you obtained that as an anytime upgrade, in
which case I do not think you get the free 64 bit disk and your 32 bit
license probably won't work on the 64 bit disk.) The two disks come stacked
one on top of the other in the package.
 
Jreg said:
I have the Ultimate UPGRADE disc, not the full retail package.
Click to expand...


By upgrade disc, do you mean the Anytime Upgrade? If so, unlike the retail
package, you do not get to use both x86 and x64 media. I think the AU
product key is specific both to what you upgraded from and what you upgraded
to, both by editions and bitness.

A retail upgrade product key will work for any combination of original
Windows and the new edition regardless of x86 or x64 but AU pks are very
specific.

An AU pk will not work on the Alternate Media website to order an x64 dvd.
If you do have an AU disc and pk it will not be transferrable to a new
computer because your original Vista is not transferrable. AU cannot be
independently transferred like a retail upgrade package can. AU can be
transferred if the original Vista was retail but not if it was OEM.
 
Mark H said:
Backup your system.
Install Home Premium 32-bit.
If the product is OEM and You are the system builder, choose not to
activate at this time.
If manufacturer OEM, this means either the recovery disk or partition
restoration will be used.
If the product is OEM (Dell, HP, Asus, etc.), google "Vista" "ABR"
and run the program that will copy your OEM license to a USB flash drive.
Insert and boot from 64-bit disk.
If retail or your OEM, choose to install Home Premium 64-bit using
your Home Premium Product key.
If orignal was manufacturer OEM, do not insert a product key. Wait
until installed and then use the ABR to restore your license.
The install is a custom instal,l which is normal for 64-bit migration
from 32-bit.
Now, install Vista Ultimate 64-bit using your upgrade product key.

You've installed the original system with the original product key and
perform an upgrade with the upgrade key on the machine each were licensed
to
work.
Click to expand...


Except I am afraid Jreg is talking about an Anytime Upgrade kit and not a
retail upgrade kit.
 
Student upgrade with it specifying only 32 bit available, I would really
doubt that the license would work on the 64 bit version.
 
Possibly, Colin.
If it's an upgrade "kit" then alternate media may not be orderable. (I'd be
surprised based on the OP's other post.)

All other combinations will work just fine:

I purchased a Windows Anytime Upgrade (before SP1 and "kits".)
My original purchase was Vista HP Upgrade 32-bit.
I upgraded using WAU download file to Vista Ultimate 32-bit.
Later, ordered alternate media for my Vista HP Upgrade to get 64-bit.
This allowed me to install both HP 64-bit, and later upgrade with the WAU
license to VU 64-bit.

When SP1 came out, I ordered another alternate media disk (64-bit with SP1
already on it.)
I re-installed my HP 32-bit Upgrade, migrated to HP 64-bit with SP1, then
used my WAU license to upgrade to VU 64-bit SP1.

On a laptop, same 64-bit disk, I converted my manufacturer OEM Vista HP
32-bit to OEM Vista HP 64-bit. (Yes, I removed all the garbage trialware by
installing from this disk.)

On another desktop, I converted retail HP 32-bit upgrade to HP 64-bit
upgrade.

The $10 disk will do what you need. The question Colin poses (based on
assumptions from your OP) is whether you can get the $10 disk. But, in
another post, you state that the package included instructions for you to
get the disk. So, get the disk... you will be fine.
 
Jreg said:
Hmm I'm putting a link the a similar product to my Upgrade disc that I
have.
It mentions that it only includes the media for 32-bit. But it does not
say
that if I buy the media (like $10 i think) for a 64-bit, will this
liscense
still work with it.

http://e5.onthehub.com/WebStore/Off...0a431-5e02-dd11-89b0-0030485a6b08&JSEnabled=1
Click to expand...


The student option and the price suggest it is not a retail upgrade kit.
Also I see the Note, "[Please Note: This media is available in 32-bit
ONLY.]" The form factor is the retail box but the license may not be. You
would have to get hold of a 64bit dvd from somebody who has one to see if
the product key would still work. Since you are doing an upgrade you would
have a chance to back out before any changes would be made to your computer
should the key not work. I suspect that it would but I have no way to
verify. One thing is clear, you would have to come up with the dvd at your
own expense.
 
LVTravel said:
Student upgrade with it specifying only 32 bit available, I would really
doubt that the license would work on the 64 bit version.
Click to expand...

It might.
 
It works just fine.
Been there. Done that.
Just order the alternate media disk.

Colin Barnhorst said:
Jreg said:
Hmm I'm putting a link the a similar product to my Upgrade disc that I
have.
It mentions that it only includes the media for 32-bit. But it does not
say
that if I buy the media (like $10 i think) for a 64-bit, will this
liscense
still work with it.

http://e5.onthehub.com/WebStore/Off...0a431-5e02-dd11-89b0-0030485a6b08&JSEnabled=1
Click to expand...


The student option and the price suggest it is not a retail upgrade kit.
Also I see the Note, "[Please Note: This media is available in 32-bit
ONLY.]" The form factor is the retail box but the license may not be.
You would have to get hold of a 64bit dvd from somebody who has one to see
if the product key would still work. Since you are doing an upgrade you
would have a chance to back out before any changes would be made to your
computer should the key not work. I suspect that it would but I have no
way to verify. One thing is clear, you would have to come up with the dvd
at your own expense.
Click to expand...
 
Well thanks for all the replys people, I will definately go out and buy the
64 bit media disc then and try to get it going on my maching.

thnx again!
 
Jreg said:
Hi there,

I want to reformat my computer and install Vista Ultimate 64-bit as my
operating system. I'd rather not spend a couple hundred dollars to do this
when I already own Vista Ultimate 32-bit. My computer came with Home Premium
and I purchased a Vista Ultimate Upgrade CD (32 bit). Now what I want to know
is if I buy the $30 non liscensed Vista Ultimate (64 bit) CD, can I use my
Ultimate (32 bit) Activation key to activate it?

This would save me around $150. I talked to the Microsoft guys via chat but
we just kept going around and around and they never really answered whether
or not the Ultimate 64 bit would accept my Ultimate 32 bit upgrade key.

Will this work???

Thanks for all the help!
Click to expand...
Just take the 64-bit DVD from the Vista Ultimate box and use the
original key because a Vista key can be used on both 32-bit and 64-bit
systems.
 
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