MSDN Vista x64 DVD will not install with product key provided

[Greg Saunders]

Ok... We are MSDN Universal and Technet Plus Subscribers. Today I went on
MSDN and downloaded Vista from the following location:
Operating Systems / Windows Vista / English / Windows Vista (x64) - DVD
(English)

Once downloaded the file was called: en_windows_vista_x64_dvd_X12-
40712.iso.

I burned this to DVD and then proceeded to get the Windows Vista Ultimate
Key. I had to check the box and click the request key on MSDN which
promptly provided the key. I had also did this key generation on Technet
so I now had to Windows Vista Ultimate keys.

I then took my notebook which currently has XP Pro and once had Vista
RC1... I removed the partition with XP Pro installed and then booted to
the DVD. When I was prompted for the key neither of the keys would work
from MSDN or Technet. The error was: "your product key cannot be
validated". Because I didn't want this to stop me I went ahead and
installed without the key and figured I would try to enter it again after
the install.

After installation I tried the keys again and nothing worked. I noticed
on the desktop it showed the following version: "Windows Vista (TM) RC2
Evaluation Copy. Build 5744"

So I figured maybe the ISO wasn't really the RTM release. I then used the
key labeled "Windows Vista Ultimate Beta2/RC1/RC2" and this worked.... BUT
I DON'T KNOW WHY. I thought the ISO was the RTM version.

Any ideas what is going on?

And if it is really the RC2 version can I somehow get the RTM version and
update it to that version or will I be starting over?

Thanks.

 

[Rick Rogers]

Hi Greg,

The file name for RTM is correct, are you certain you grabbed the right .iso
to burn? I'm not trying to be critical, but I've done that myself (usually
because I'm in the wrong folder). The fact of the label on the desktop and
that the RC key worked indicates that you used a beta build for
installation. I didn't try an RC2 to RTM upgrade, but it should work.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

 

[Greg Saunders]

Hi Greg,

The file name for RTM is correct, are you certain you grabbed the right .iso
to burn? I'm not trying to be critical, but I've done that myself (usually
because I'm in the wrong folder). The fact of the label on the desktop and
that the RC key worked indicates that you used a beta build for
installation. I didn't try an RC2 to RTM upgrade, but it should work.

I'm starting to wonder myself whether I burned the correct image, but I
never pulled down the RC2 version (ever) in the past. I am re-pulling it
from another machine, but it is going 4 times slower now. Just waiting
and will see what happens. Thanks for the reply.

Greg

 

[Harry Ohrn]

Rick.
RC2->RTM upgrade does work. I've tried it but would advise a clean install
rather than upgrading a beta.

 

[Rick Rogers]

Noted, thanks Harry.

I knew RC1 to RTM worked, but hadn't done it with RC2. As you mentioned, the
clean install is much preferred.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

Rick.
RC2->RTM upgrade does work. I've tried it but would advise a clean install
rather than upgrading a beta.

--

Harry Ohrn MS MVP [Shell/User]

Hi Greg,

The file name for RTM is correct, are you certain you grabbed the right
.iso to burn? I'm not trying to be critical, but I've done that myself
(usually because I'm in the wrong folder). The fact of the label on the
desktop and that the RC key worked indicates that you used a beta build
for installation. I didn't try an RC2 to RTM upgrade, but it should work.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

 

[Greg Saunders]

Noted, thanks Harry.

I knew RC1 to RTM worked, but hadn't done it with RC2. As you mentioned, the
clean install is much preferred.

I'll be doing a clean install... I just don't know why it shows as RC2
when I am 99.9% sure I have the correct everything. We will see what
happens on the second go around pulling down the file from MSDN from a
different computer.

Thanks again.

 

[Greg Saunders]

I'm starting to wonder myself whether I burned the correct image, but I
never pulled down the RC2 version (ever) in the past. I am re-pulling it
from another machine, but it is going 4 times slower now. Just waiting
and will see what happens. Thanks for the reply.

Greg

Well... all is working now. It looks like I may have burnt an image from
an old ISO, but I have yet to find the ISO on my computer that was the
non-RTM version. Very strange. Oh well... time to run a search on the
whole computer for iso files and find the culprit.

Anyway... just wanted to pass on the update.

Later

 

[Rick Rogers]

Cool, thanks for the update.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org