TWO VISTA UPGRADE QUESTIONS:

[its_my_dime]

1) My recently bought laptop came with Windows XP + drivers and essential
software in a "hidden" hard disk partition so that XP could be repaired /
reloaded without additional disks. Will Vista completely wipe out / replace
this partition with the Vista OS so that XP is gone or will XP remain until
the entire hard drive is reformatted? If the latter, how can a Vista
"hidden" partition be created?

2) Some of my software (Office 2003, for example) has been loaded and
unloaded enough times (due to disk crashes, reformatting, etc) that it has
reached the end of its total number of allowed activations. While Microsoft
seems realistic about dealing with this over the phone, Symantec is most
difficult and their automatic response is -buy another copy of the program.

What does Microsoft plan to do about extending the number of activations for
those who upgrade?

Thank you.

 

[Dave B.]

1) Vista will not touch the hidden recovery partition, that partition was
created by the laptop mfg and has nothing to do with XP itself, vista will
not modify it and it won't delete it unless you tell it to. There is no need
for a vista hidden partition, once you upgrade from the original OS that
hidden partition serves no purpose other than to reinstall the original OS.

2)There is no limit on how many times you can activate Office, doing it over
the phone if necessary is fairly easy.
Sounds like a good time to rid yourself of all Symantec applications and
switch to a better product.

 

[Rock]

1) My recently bought laptop came with Windows XP + drivers and essential
software in a "hidden" hard disk partition so that XP could be repaired /
reloaded without additional disks. Will Vista completely wipe out /
replace this partition with the Vista OS so that XP is gone or will XP
remain until the entire hard drive is reformatted? If the latter, how can
a Vista "hidden" partition be created?

2) Some of my software (Office 2003, for example) has been loaded and
unloaded enough times (due to disk crashes, reformatting, etc) that it has
reached the end of its total number of allowed activations. While
Microsoft seems realistic about dealing with this over the phone, Symantec
is most difficult and their automatic response is -buy another copy of the
program.

What does Microsoft plan to do about extending the number of activations
for those who upgrade?

Vista will install to whatever partition you tell it. If you want to leave
this one intact then do so. It won't have any use in the Vista environment.

Extending the number of activations of what? I don't see how the
introduction of a new OS will change the activation issues for software that
activates independent of the OS, such as the Office suites.

Vista newsgroups for Vista related issues. Here is one of them.
news://msnews.microsoft.com/microsoft.public.windows.vista.general