Vista Home Premium Activation Issue

[Roques]

I recently purchased a computer with a demo version of Windows Vista Home
Edition loaded on it, the tech. wanted to give me 30 days to decide if I
liked it. I did and purchased my own copy of WVHP, the delima is I've
customized this copy and wanted to enter the information for the "purchased"
version prior to my 20 days left, how do I do that? It is an upgrade
version...I own XP Pro, XP Home (2 copies), Me, 98se, and 95.

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

Win9x/ME do you no good. Only Win2000 and later qualifies for upgrade to
Vista.

Since the tech did not enter a product key when installing Vista, the
installer loaded a full edition. Trial installations are always full
editions. Your upgrade product key therefore will not work. Only a full
edition product key will work.

If you had purchased a full edition then you could simply start the
activation wizard and when it requests a product key enter it.

(btw, you cannot enter a product key using the "change product key" link
because no product key was ever entered that can be changed. You will get
an error message.)

You will have to reinstall Windows to use the upgrade edition product key.

Use Windows Easy Transfer to save your files and settings. You will have to
reinstall your apps.

Assuming that you have a 32bit version of VHP, you need to run the upgrade
edition Setup from the desktop of existing Windows. While that can be done
on the desktop of the trial version already installed, MS does not support
that use of an upgrade edition product key and there is some risk that MS
will take steps to void the activation of such installations at some time in
the future. That info has already filtered into some newsgroups and seems
to have some validity. It is a risk to consider.

The safest method is to install XP then upgrade to Vista Home Premium OR
return the VHP upgrade edition and buy a full edition so you can convert the
trial to permanent with the full edition product key. I recommend buying
the full edition so you can do that.

There is a little more flexibility with the 64bit versions in how the
installation can be performed but product key problem will be the same.

 

[Roques]

First, Thank you for taking the time to review my post. I purchased the
upgrade edition because I already purchased prior editions and as a loyal MS
customer I thought that I would at least get that much for my continued
patronage.

So there "isn't" any way to provide the activation code for the currently
installed version of Vista Home Premium, due to the fact that it was
installed as a full edition and not an upgrade. (as I understood your post)
What is the difference between, "Full" and "Upgrade"? Obviousily, the
prerequisites but is there a difference in the features that are installed?
Is there a telephone support person that I can call to just apply some form
of a change?

I work three different jobs (including the Military) and it took a
painstaking week to install my applications, look up inconsistencies and find
a way to make them work together (USB Storage, Mobo, Cell Phone...) and not
have the system go belly up and destroy my progress. I'm going through
negotiations and I really don't need for Vista to lock up or to find lost
access to applications as time goes by. Are there any other options, the
tech. told me that there was defin. a way to update...not upgrade my system
with what I purchased. Help!!!

 

[Roques]

Will Windows easy transfer transfer everything?(IE, programs, settings,
files, MS Office Outlook) If so how can I tell it to?

 

[WAW8]

The "tech" lied -- there is no "demo" version. Instead, you have the ability to run Vista for up to 30 days without entering a product key.

If you have a valid product key, all you have to do is activate it and you're good to go. But the version of the key you have must match the version the "tech" installed.

Click on Start --> Computer --> properties and check the top of the panel to see which version is running. IF that matches the one for which you have the key, scroll down to the bottom of the panel. There should be a link there for activating Vista. Just click that and provide the product key.


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