Questions re Customer Preview Program and Vista Release

[Guest]

I have been in the Customer Preview Program for Vista since 9/06 and have
successfully run Beta1, Beta2 and 5744 - which I am now using. That version
(5744) is the only one that I boot from. Two questions:
1. I probably misunderstood, but I thought that by participating in the CPP
and by submitting problems and suggestions re Vista to Microsoft during the
evaluation period through the "Feedback" and "Beta Client Program" that we
would be sent a free version of Windows Vista Ultimate when it was released.
Is this assumption correct?
2. Assuming I'm stupid and that Microsoft is not going to provide me with a
free version, then what version of Vista should I buy? Since my only
operating system is 5744 (Ultimate?) and since I only want - or need - to
install Home Premium will I need to buy the upgrade version or the full
version of Home Premium? Will I need to do a clean install over 5744 or will
I be able to upgrade Home Premium over 5744?
Thanks for any help. Bill S.

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

Only the folks who were accepted and registered as Windows Vista beta
testers through Microsoft Connect, and submitted bug reports, were offered a
complimentary copy of Windows Vista. This does not include the general
public who participated in the CPP offering.

Since one cannot upgrade over a beta version of Vista, I would suggest
purchasing a "Full Version" of Windows Vista Home Premium Edition and
perform a "clean install".

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows Shell/User

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

:

I have been in the Customer Preview Program for Vista since 9/06 and have
successfully run Beta1, Beta2 and 5744 - which I am now using. That version
(5744) is the only one that I boot from. Two questions:
1. I probably misunderstood, but I thought that by participating in the CPP
and by submitting problems and suggestions re Vista to Microsoft during the
evaluation period through the "Feedback" and "Beta Client Program" that we
would be sent a free version of Windows Vista Ultimate when it was released.
Is this assumption correct?
2. Assuming I'm stupid and that Microsoft is not going to provide me with a
free version, then what version of Vista should I buy? Since my only
operating system is 5744 (Ultimate?) and since I only want - or need - to
install Home Premium will I need to buy the upgrade version or the full
version of Home Premium? Will I need to do a clean install over 5744 or will
I be able to upgrade Home Premium over 5744?
Thanks for any help. Bill S.

 

[Guest]

Hey Carey,
Don't you think you'll be able to do a clean install with your windows XP
Disk like in the past???
Thanks
Op

 

[John Whitworth]

Hey Carey,
Don't you think you'll be able to do a clean install with your windows XP
Disk like in the past???
Thanks
Op

From what I have learnt here, an upgrade must be done over the top of a
working Windows installation. And therefore just having the disk is no
longer good enough!

JW

 

[Rick Rogers]

Hi Bill,

1. There was never any suggestion that you would get a free copy of the
final release by participating in the CPP, only an offer to preview for free
the prerelease versions. Even those technical beta testers that did get one
did not know there would be an offer until after Vista was released to the
manufacturers. For that matter, we were emphatically told several times
during the beta that it would not happen.

2. As you are looking to go with Home Premium, you will need to buy a full
version and do a clean installation. RC2 can be upgrade to the final release
only of Ultimate, and only using a full version. It does not qualify an
upgrade disk.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

 

[Richard Urban]

Right. Too many people "borrow" a CD from their friend/relative to *prove*
that they have an earlier qualifying version of the operating system.

Hooray for Microsoft for finally getting a handle on this.

--


Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
(For email, remove the obvious from my address)

Quote from George Ankner:
If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

If one were to purchase an "Upgrade Version" of Windows Vista,
the installation process must begin at the Desktop of an existing
Windows XP installation that has been activated and validated
as "genuine". Then one would have the choice of upgrading
or performing a clean install. Thus, there is no inserting a
Windows XP CD in the CD drive as this procedure is not
available with Windows Vista.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows Shell/User

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

:

Hey Carey,
Don't you think you'll be able to do a clean install with your windows XP
Disk like in the past???
Thanks
Op

 

[Rock]

Hey Carey,
Don't you think you'll be able to do a clean install with your windows XP
Disk like in the past???

No, the upgrade process has been changed for Vista. When upgrading an x86
version of XP to an x86 version of Vista, XP has to be installed and
validated. The upgrade is started by running the DVD from the installed
XP's desktop.

 

[Bucko21]

Hi Carey, let me see if I have to correct.. If I buy the upgrade I have to
boot to the desktop then I can choose whether I want to upgrade or clean
install? How would the clean install work then? Reboot and start the install
like a full version? The main reason I ask is I made the mistake when XP
came out and did a upgrade installation with XP Home and after fighting with
it for a few weeks I did a clean install and everything worked like a charm
now I prefer to just do clean installs. The way I see it I would rather
spend $259 for the upgrade to Ultimate then $399 for a few version
especially since I own Media center on the machine it will go on..

Al

 

[Bucko21]

Sorry but here is another question.. If I buy a new hard drive, install it I
have to install XP then install Vista? If this is the way it is this whole
upgrade process has gotten rediculous, legitimate software owners have to
spend probably 2 hours doing a clean install of an operating system they
legally purchased. I'm, sorry if this sounds like a rant but that is
rediculous, installing an operating system which is not being used so you
can install another one. Microsoft is not hurting the pirates with this,
they are hurting the legal owners of the software who have to waste a day
installing an operating system when other operating systems such as Linux
install in about 30 minutes..

Al

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

Too many folks have abused/misused the upgrade Windows XP license in the past.
That's why the Vista upgrade procedure changed.

Best advice: Purchase a "Full Version" of Windows Vista.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows Shell/User

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

:

Sorry but here is another question.. If I buy a new hard drive, install it I
have to install XP then install Vista? If this is the way it is this whole
upgrade process has gotten rediculous, legitimate software owners have to
spend probably 2 hours doing a clean install of an operating system they
legally purchased. I'm, sorry if this sounds like a rant but that is
rediculous, installing an operating system which is not being used so you
can install another one. Microsoft is not hurting the pirates with this,
they are hurting the legal owners of the software who have to waste a day
installing an operating system when other operating systems such as Linux
install in about 30 minutes..

Al

 

[Michael Jennings]

If you want to save money and live with instability, jump through the upgrade
hoops to obtain a thing that would be nice to have, but you don't really need.

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

The upgrade edition is designed to do just what it says; upgrade. The x86
upgrade editions must be run from a Win2k or XP SP2 desktop. If you are
running Win2k a custom installation of Vista is required. If using XP SP2
you may do an upgrade or custom installation, depending on what edition of
Vista you are installing. You cannot do a classic clean install where you
do a reformat before installing. Use the custom install option instead.

Once Vista is set up, image the drive to avoid having to reinstall the
legacy Windows and applying the Vista upgrade a second time.

If you want the kind of clean installation where you reformat the drive
before installing Vista, purchase a full edition rather than an upgrade
edition.

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

You cannot use the upgrade edition of any version of Vista to upgrade RC2.
RC2 is pre-release software and only has an evaluation copy license. You
can upgrade RC2 to Vista Ultimate final by purchasing a Vista Ulimate full
edition and using the upgrade option in Setup to upgrade the bits. If you
purchase a Vista Home Premium full edition you will not be able to use the
upgrade option (you cannot perform a downgrade from Ultimate to Home
Premium) and will have to use the custom option. Use the Windows Easy
Transfer wizard to save your files and settings and then restore them after
installation. You will have to reinstall your apps.

 

[Bucko21]

Thanks for the info guys. I don't agree with it, but I guess that is why
there are options..

 

[David Wilkinson]

Right. Too many people "borrow" a CD from their friend/relative to
*prove* that they have an earlier qualifying version of the operating
system.

Hooray for Microsoft for finally getting a handle on this.

And too bad they were'nt smart enough to realize that it's the PK that
matters, not the disk. Nobody will lend his/her PK.

David Wilkinson

 

[Guest]

Bucko21,

Will you re-consider your decision that Microsoft is abusing legitimate
Software owners? The solo reason for the *new* upgrade method, enhancing
Security.

So, do you respect and desire enhanced Security?

Or, do you desire a *hacker happy* Open Source Code OS?

The decision is yours for the making, no one is forcing you for using Vista.

For you, how important is Secutiry in respect to your compuuters?

Respectfully,
--
Firewall

Disclaimer:
Accept Vista as it is, or, Abandon Vista

 

[Bruce Sanderson]

"Upgrade" wrt "versions" means upgrade from existing previously "released"
Windows (e.g. Windows XP) installation, not "upgrade" form any Vista beta
version.

If you have XP installed on a computer, you can use the "Upgrade" version of
Vista to "upgrade" the XP installation to Vista.

The difference between the "upgrade" and "full" version is really a
"licensing"/"marketing" thing - you get a break on the cost if you are
"upgrading" from a previous Microsoft OS (e.g. Windows XP).

 

[DevilsPGD]

In message <[email protected]> "Bruce

The difference between the "upgrade" and "full" version is really a
"licensing"/"marketing" thing - you get a break on the cost if you are
"upgrading" from a previous Microsoft OS (e.g. Windows XP).

Except that, as I understand it, Vista Upgrade won't do a clean install,
it will insist on being launched from within an existing OS?

Personally, I consider that unacceptable, and I'm really hoping I've
misunderstood -- I don't mind providing my previous license key, or even
media, but I have never once had an upgraded OS anywhere near as
reliable as a fresh install.

 

[Rock]

Except that, as I understand it, Vista Upgrade won't do a clean install,
it will insist on being launched from within an existing OS?

Personally, I consider that unacceptable, and I'm really hoping I've
misunderstood -- I don't mind providing my previous license key, or even
media, but I have never once had an upgraded OS anywhere near as
reliable as a fresh install.

That is correct when upgrading from x86 XP to x86 Vista. The qualifying OS
must be installed and activated. The Vista upgrade is different in other
ways, as well. The Vista OS installs clean as an image, not a file copy
over the existing OS. To come as close as possible to a "clean install", do
a clean install of XP without any application installs, then do the upgrade.
This will essentially be the same as doing a custom install of Vista.
Nothing will be carried over from the XP installation.