Upgrading to Visa on three home computers

[Gordon]

I recently bought a new Compaq Presario C501NR laptop with Vista
Home Basic installed on it. This computer came with a Windows
Anytime Upgrade CD, but I have not yet used it.

I would like to upgrade my two desktop computers, currently
running Windosw XP Pro, and this new laptop to Windows Vista Home
Premium. Can I do this without having to buy a separate copy of
Vista Home Premium for each computer?

Is there a way to use the Windows Anytime Upgrade CD to upgrade
my new laptop computer to Premium, and at the same time purchase
some digital license, passwords or other means for following up
with an upgrade to Premium for each desktop computer? If so, what
would the cost breakdown be?

Thanks, Gordon

 

[FreeComputerConsultant.com]

I recently bought a new Compaq Presario C501NR laptop with Vista
Home Basic installed on it. This computer came with a Windows
Anytime Upgrade CD, but I have not yet used it.

This is no big value as far as I know, it may prevent you from needing
to download a LOT of code when purchasing the upgrade, but it still costs.

The question is: can the hardware in your new laptop really handle
anything more, such as the Aero interface you get with the upgrade? If
not, you may be better off sticking with Basic.

I would like to upgrade my two desktop computers, currently
running Windosw XP Pro, and this new laptop to Windows Vista Home
Premium. Can I do this without having to buy a separate copy of
Vista Home Premium for each computer?

No. [Trend Micro anti-virus comes with licenses for 3, a value at
$49.95]. Microsoft sells each license separately, for a much higher price.

Is there a way to use the Windows Anytime Upgrade CD to upgrade
my new laptop computer to Premium, and at the same time purchase
some digital license, passwords or other means for following up
with an upgrade to Premium for each desktop computer? If so, what
would the cost breakdown be?

Thanks, Gordon

You may be able to reuse the CD, paying each time; but the real
question, again, is: will your hardware adequately support Vista Home
Premium and all of its eye candy (presuming that's what you want).

Unless those other PC's are new and powerful, Vista just isn't for them.
And always check for compatible drivers first.

Here's some info and links to useful Microsoft web pages:

http://www.freecomputerconsultant.com/vista-upgrade.html

 

[philo]

I recently bought a new Compaq Presario C501NR laptop with Vista
Home Basic installed on it. This computer came with a Windows
Anytime Upgrade CD, but I have not yet used it.

I would like to upgrade my two desktop computers, currently
running Windosw XP Pro, and this new laptop to Windows Vista Home
Premium. Can I do this without having to buy a separate copy of
Vista Home Premium for each computer?

Is there a way to use the Windows Anytime Upgrade CD to upgrade
my new laptop computer to Premium, and at the same time purchase
some digital license, passwords or other means for following up
with an upgrade to Premium for each desktop computer? If so, what
would the cost breakdown be?

Thanks, Gordon

One copy of Vista (or any MS operating system) to a computer.

Now why in the world would you want to take your machines which run XP
perfectly
and go ruin them by installing Vista? Save your money and don't bother.

 

[peter]

The Anytime Upgrade CD is only for upgrading your present Vista Home Basic
to a higher edition of Vista.
In order to install Vista on any of the other computers you will need to buy
another Vista CD of whatever version you wish to use.
One Vista License per system.
Look at this MS offer
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsvista/buyorupgrade/familydiscount.mspx

peter

 

[Gordon]

I recently bought a new Compaq Presario C501NR laptop with Vista
Home Basic installed on it. This computer came with a Windows
Anytime Upgrade CD, but I have not yet used it.

I would like to upgrade my two desktop computers, currently
running Windosw XP Pro, and this new laptop to Windows Vista Home
Premium. Can I do this without having to buy a separate copy of
Vista Home Premium for each computer?

Is there a way to use the Windows Anytime Upgrade CD to upgrade
my new laptop computer to Premium, and at the same time purchase
some digital license, passwords or other means for following up
with an upgrade to Premium for each desktop computer? If so, what
would the cost breakdown be?

Thanks, Gordon

Thanks for these answers. I've decided to "let sleeping dogs lie"
so to speak and not change any of my OS setups. I think the Vista
Home Basic that came with my laptop is entirely adequate for the
work I do with it, and I do like the XP setups on the two
desktops, so I'm going to stay with what I have, for the time
being.

One more quesition...is there any way to print out a file list
from one of the Windows Explorer folders. I want to print the
file names an also the file size, date, etc. just as it appears
in the Explorer window. I remember doing this back in the days of
Windows 98, but can't figure out how to do it in XP. Maybe it
can't be done in XP. Gordon

 

[peter]

With the Explorer Window Open press CTRL+PRT SCR
then open the Paint Program and under Edit..click Paste.
You now have an image of the Folder's files that you can save as an image or
print.
peter

 

[Gordon]

With the Explorer Window Open press CTRL+PRT SCR
then open the Paint Program and under Edit..click Paste.
You now have an image of the Folder's files that you can save as an image or
print.
peter

Thanks, Peter. I was told yesterday by a friend that there is
also a way to do this using MS Outlook. Clidk the Other Shortcuts
button at the bottom left in Outlook, then click My Computer.
Select the folder to print then click Print. Gordon

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

With the Explorer Window Open press CTRL+PRT SCR
then open the Paint Program and under Edit..click Paste.
You now have an image of the Folder's files that you can save as an
image or print.

First, note that it's Alt-PrtScrn to get an image of the active window into
the clipboard, not Ctrl-PrtScrn.

But this is really not a very satisfactory way to do it, since it's a very
clumsy method if the number of files in the folder is enough that they don't
all fit into a single explorer window without scrolling. Since most people
who want to do this have a significantly large bunch of file names to print,
one of the following ways is usually much better:


1. Go to a command prompt and issue the command

dir [drive:folder] > c:\tempfilename (you can use any name and put it in any
folder you want)

Then open notepad, open tempfilename, and print it from there.

2. Write (for example in Notepad) a 1-line text file:
DIR %1 /O >LPT1:

Save it as "printdir.bat" in the "Send To" folder.

Then, to print list of files in any folder, right-click that folder and
select Send to | printdir.bat

To include subfolders, change the comand to DIR %1 /O/S >LPT1:

3. Go to http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;Q321379 and
follow the instructions there.

4. Download and use any of the several freeware/shareware utilities that can
do this, such as the popular
http://www.karenware.com/powertools/ptdirprn.asp