Just exactly how does Anytime Upgrade work?

[pc nerd]

How does it work? I click on "Anytime Upgrade" & I go to a website where I
pay for the upgrade license key, correct? Let's say, for instance, that I
want to upgrade from Home Premium to Ultimate. It is an upgrade not the full
version, correct? If I format the hard drive & reinstall Windows, can I go
straight to Ultimate or must I reinstall Home Premium first & then install
the upgrade to Ultimate?

Thank you.
David

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

Q. "If I format the hard drive & reinstall Windows, can I go
straight to Ultimate or must I reinstall Home Premium first & then install
the upgrade to Ultimate?"

A. You would have to install Vista Home Premium, then upgrade to Ultimate.


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

---------------------------------------------------------------

How does it work? I click on "Anytime Upgrade" & I go to a website where I
pay for the upgrade license key, correct? Let's say, for instance, that I
want to upgrade from Home Premium to Ultimate. It is an upgrade not the full
version, correct? If I format the hard drive & reinstall Windows, can I go
straight to Ultimate or must I reinstall Home Premium first & then install
the upgrade to Ultimate?

Thank you.
David

 

[Adam Albright]

How does it work? I click on "Anytime Upgrade" & I go to a website where I
pay for the upgrade license key, correct? Let's say, for instance, that I
want to upgrade from Home Premium to Ultimate. It is an upgrade not the full
version, correct? If I format the hard drive & reinstall Windows, can I go
straight to Ultimate or must I reinstall Home Premium first & then install
the upgrade to Ultimate?

Thank you.
David

Why are you thinking about reformatting the hard drive?

Assuming you already have Home Premium up and running on your system
you can "upgrade" to Ultimate with more features. If you remove your
old version first you gain nothing and actually create extra steps.
During the upgrade process what needs to be removed and changed will
be automatically.

The upgrade is just that, a UPGRADE that will look for a qualifying
version already on your system.

The only difference between a full version and a upgrade is the cost.
You're getting a discount since you already bought a lessor version.

 

[Hobbes]

Why are you thinking about reformatting the hard drive?

Assuming you already have Home Premium up and running on your system
you can "upgrade" to Ultimate with more features. If you remove your
old version first you gain nothing and actually create extra steps.
During the upgrade process what needs to be removed and changed will
be automatically.

The upgrade is just that, a UPGRADE that will look for a qualifying
version already on your system.

The only difference between a full version and a upgrade is the cost.
You're getting a discount since you already bought a lessor version.

Probably he means if down the road , he reformats.

 

[pcnerd]

Last month I got my first laptop with Home Premium. I read something on the
'net about Anytime Upgrade in February 2008, but I don't remember what it
was. The laptop came with restore CDs. I'm thinking about upgrading the
laptop to Ultimate. Do I download an executable file that I can save to
upgrade to Ultimate? Suppose that I want to format the hard drive some time
in the future & use the restore CDs to reinstall Home Premium. I would have
already paid for the upgrade to Ultimate, so how to I install the upgrade
after I've reinstalled Home Premium? The only way that I know of is to save
the executable file that I downloaded & use it to upgrade to Ultimate. Or do
I pay for an upgrade CD that I use to upgrade to Ultimate after I reinstall
Home Premium?

Thank you.
David

 

[Spaceman]

Hi David,
Vista CD's have basically all versions on them,
When you pay for an anytime upgrade you will get a new
install "key" and it will allow the upgrade version to
install from the same CD you orignally used for the lower version.

 

[pcnerd]

I might just upgrade my laptop to Ultimate. I got the 64-bit version of Home
Premium with my laptop. I got it at Best buy & the Geek Squad created 3
restore CDs. After I sent the e-mail yesterday, I browsed around the
Microsoft website & found out that I can get an upgrade "kit" in the mail.
Can I specify 32-bit or 64-bit when I order the upgrade? If I should want to
reinstall Vista in the future, I would first use the restore CDs & then
install the upgrade to Ultimate, correct?

Thank you.
David

 

[Gary S. Terhune]

Ummmm... Vista comes on DVDs, <s>.

 

[Gary S. Terhune]

You managed to find that Microsoft site and couldn't also find the answers
to your questions?
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-vista/get/anytime-upgrade-faq.aspx

"Can I change the system type during the upgrade (for example, switch from
32-bit to 64-bit)?"

"No. Your upgrade disc must match your current system type; 32-bit upgrades
are valid only for 32-bit systems, and 64-bit upgrades are valid only for
64-bit systems"

Considering how they have it set up, if you needed to flatten the system,
yes, it would appear that you have to reinstall the original system and then
do the Upgrade.

--
Gary S. Terhune
MS-MVP Shell/User
http://grystmill.com

I might just upgrade my laptop to Ultimate. I got the 64-bit version of
Home
Premium with my laptop. I got it at Best buy & the Geek Squad created 3
restore CDs. After I sent the e-mail yesterday, I browsed around the
Microsoft website & found out that I can get an upgrade "kit" in the mail.
Can I specify 32-bit or 64-bit when I order the upgrade? If I should want
to
reinstall Vista in the future, I would first use the restore CDs & then
install the upgrade to Ultimate, correct?

Thank you.
David

 

[Gary S. Terhune]

Hmm question:
In my case I have a VIsta 64 (HP M9350F).

when u upgrade and get the new key for the higher version, is the old
key no longer valid?

No. In fact, should you want to flatten and reinstall the system from
scratch, you'll need the old Product Key. The new key goes along with the
Upgrade pack.

Ie; example (though I cant see ever doing it)... I decided to take that
pc back to ViSTA HOME... is it possible with the existing keys?
No.

I would assume that the new key makes the old key invalid?

Bad assumption.

I appologize if this was answered (somewhat) but I didnt see that
varient of this deal.

I could see upgrading to a non-WMC VISTA 64.

See my latest reply to pcnerd.

 

[Spaceman]

Oops yup.
my bad

Ummmm... Vista comes on DVDs, <s>.

 

[Gary S. Terhune]

Hey, I was over in Windowsxp.General earlier insisting that special drivers
needed for Setup could be loaded via a number of ways besides the
old-fashioned floppy. Felt pretty goofy when it was pointed out that, no, in
Windows XP, they can only be loaded via floppy. Couple more back & forths
until I realized I was thinking Vista, not XP.

--
Gary S. Terhune
MS-MVP Shell/User
http://grystmill.com

Oops yup.
my bad