Installing Vista UPGRADE on XP

MJB · 11-02-2009, 17:12

I've just spent 2 hours surfing for this info and am still confused!

I have a student copy of Vista Ultimate UPGRADE that I want to put on my current XP machine. I'm getting conflicting details:

1. do I install WITHIN XP (would that actually be a clean install or would XP still be there somewhere?)
2. Do I boot from disc and not validate Vista and then reinstall from within Vista to activate? (Can this still be done or have Microsfot prevented this now?)

Furthermore I have read I cannot partition the drive whilst installing (I wanted to partition my HD so Vista was on its own).

Has anyone had expereince of this and any help / advice for me please?

11-02-2009, 18:06

boot inside xp and follow instructions. It should make itself clear

as far as partitioning you can not create a dual boot with xp as the upgrade process kills xp. You could create a partition using something like partition magic first and try your luck though

MJB · 11-02-2009, 18:14

I can do that BUT I need to disable my raid drivers in the bios BEFORE I install Vista. How would that work installing whilst my old OS is still running?

11-02-2009, 19:12

eeerrrrm

Dai · 11-02-2009, 20:01

Probably worth trying the dual install, although I'm not certain if it actually checks for an installed XP.

http://www.vistarewired.com/2007/02/...a-upgrade-disc

If it looks for a valid XP installation I'd guess you're stuffed.

monkey2468 · 11-02-2009, 20:12

Depends on what you want. If you just want to upgrade xp then run disk from within XP. If you want BOTH xp and vista, do the following.
Install the upgrade as a seperate install without inputting the serial code at that start. (choose to input the serial later) Boot into the new vista OS (dual boot) and then run the update disk again but from the new vista OS. (upgrade the upgrade!) Then activate vista. I bit of a loop hole in the upgrade vista version as you get a full vista install instead of just an upgrade.

---------- Post added at 19:12 ---------- Previous post was at 19:11 ----------

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaiNasty

Probably worth trying the dual install, although I'm not certain if it actually checks for an installed XP.

http://www.vistarewired.com/2007/02/...a-upgrade-disc

If it looks for a valid XP installation I'd guess you're stuffed.

It doesn't check for xp, just that there is a microsoft OS present.

Dai · 11-02-2009, 21:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by monkey2468

It doesn't check for xp, just that there is a microsoft OS present.

But if I read that correctly and the OP wants to disable an existing RAID setup then XP will not be visible as an existing OS..

That's where it gets uncertain for me.

MJB · 11-02-2009, 21:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by monkey2468

I bit of a loop hole in the upgrade vista version as you get a full vista install instead of just an upgrade.

.

This is what I'd planned to do, but all the places I've read about it were dated several years ago and I was thinking maybe Microsoft have stopped you from doing this now.

And I don't want a dual boot system; I want to install Vista INSTEAD of XP but I currently have XP on a raid 0 set up; however I want to disable the raid and just put Vista on a partition of one of my HDs and use the other for back up.

It all sounds so "if /but / or maybe" and I'm a bit worried I might cock up the whole thing

---------- Post added at 20:50 ---------- Previous post was at 20:42 ----------

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaiNasty

But if I read that correctly and the OP wants to disable an existing RAID setup then XP will not be visible as an existing OS..

That's where it gets uncertain for me.

What if (and I know this is VERY long-winded) I reinstalled XP first without the raid, THEN installed Vista? It would at least get over the raid problem?

Dai · 11-02-2009, 21:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by MJB

What if (and I know this is VERY long-winded) I reinstalled XP first without the raid, THEN installed Vista? It would at least get over the raid problem?

That would work. Unless anyone comes up with a quicker way.

11-02-2009, 22:05

iirc you can upgrade install without any os installed it just asks for the media or key or whatever at some point during the install

MJB · 11-02-2009, 22:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by zinglebarb

iirc you can upgrade install without any os installed it just asks for the media or key or whatever at some point during the install

I don't want to appear rude, but, are you sure? I came across a forum where someone said this was the case and they got shot down in flames

11-02-2009, 22:10

No I am not sure but monkeys way works

MJB · 11-02-2009, 22:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by zinglebarb

No I am not sure but monkeys way works

Which one: installing from within XP or the double Vista install?

11-02-2009, 22:24

double vista

Noggo · 17-02-2009, 17:53

I know you're probably installed by now. But I think you can perform a clean install with an vista upgrade disk, as you could with XP upgrade disk. Here's one link from google search: http://www.vistarewired.com/2007/02/...a-upgrade-disc but there are many to choose from.