Running Vista Ultimate Release Candidate 1, can't install Vista Ho

[Guest]

Please help
I downloaded the Vista Ultimate RC1 a couple of months ago as an evaluation
copy. I have now purchased Vista Home Premium upgrade but I cannot install
it. I get a message saying I can only upgarde to Vista Ultimate. I was
previously running XP.
I have tried booting from the disc but it won't run.
Any ideas?
Many thanks

 

[Ronnie Vernon MVP]

David

Sorry, but there has never been a way to "downgrade" a Windows OS, which is
what you are trying to do.

Your best option would be to return the upgrade version of Home Premium and
get the full version. There is an alternative, but it is not a supported
scenario. Go to the following website and read that entire article before
proceeding.

Get Vista upgrade:
http://windowssecrets.com/comp/070201#story1

 

[Mike Brannigan]

Please help
I downloaded the Vista Ultimate RC1 a couple of months ago as an
evaluation
copy. I have now purchased Vista Home Premium upgrade but I cannot
install
it. I get a message saying I can only upgarde to Vista Ultimate. I
was
previously running XP.
I have tried booting from the disc but it won't run.
Any ideas?
Many thanks

David,

You are not entitled to use the upgrade disk as you do not have a
properly qualifying operating system currently installed on that PC.
Qualifying upgrades are listed here.
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsvista/buyorupgrade/upgradepaths.mspx
If you do not qualify then you must purchase a Full (not upgrade)
version of Windows Vista.
You will have to do a clean install as you cannot downgrade from
Ultimate to Home Premium.

If you previously had Windows XP on that PC then reinstall XP and then
you will be able to use your Upgrade DVD, by putting it in once you
are logged onto your XP install.

 

[Rock]

Please help
I downloaded the Vista Ultimate RC1 a couple of months ago as an
evaluation
copy. I have now purchased Vista Home Premium upgrade but I cannot install
it. I get a message saying I can only upgarde to Vista Ultimate. I was
previously running XP.
I have tried booting from the disc but it won't run.
Any ideas?

RC1 is not a qualifying OS for using an upgrade version, and RC1 is
Ultimate. The only way to upgrade the installation you have is to use the
Ultimate full version.

You can use VHP upgrade if you go back to XP then install it. Use the
Windows Easy Transfer tool (WET) to save the data and settings, then do the
install of VHP, reinstall the applications, and then use WET to bring back
the data and settings.

There has been published a way to install Vista from an upgrade edition
without having the qualifying OS installed first, but I don't recommend it
at this point until we get more info on what happens down the line with it.
Here is a link with info on how to do it, but I don't recommend it.

 

[Chris]

Hi, clean installing from a Vista upgrade DVD works fine and MS state it can
be done...
ChrisC