Vista Upgrade

[jimmyjames]

Just a quick query...

Anyone know that when you get purchase a copy of xp and you get the upgrade voucher to Vista..does that copy of Vista have to be installed on the same pc or can it be installed on a new machine?

Cheers

 

[Ben]

Well, right here. But there are reasons I would not do this upgrade. And I think you would have to install it on that same machine, sadly.

First reason. When you upgrade, it takes about 3 hours longer then it would with a fresh install.

Second reason. When you upgrade, you're only getting Vista Home Basic. That means no aero, and less features. Home Basic is pretty much a windows xp theme, there's no reason to get it.

Third reason. When you upgrade, you get to install it once, and that's it. If you ever need to format your hard drive and install the OS again.

You get to buy it again. Personally, I see no reason in buying XP just to get an upgrade to a cheap version of Vista. I would go with Home Premium and up.

 

[jimmyjames]

Actually... sorry for being a real spooner here if I install a copy of xp (any version) to my current computer does that mean its locked to that Pc and I wont be able to use it if I buy a new one?

Hence the main reason why wanted to know if the vista upgrade was literally just an upgrade. Theres no point me upgrading to Vista with my current Pc (which has windows 98 on it) as there will be lots of things that just wont be supported. However there are a couple thing i can't run properly on Windows 98 and want to at least go to xp.

 

[Ben]

Actually... sorry for being a real spooner here if I install a copy of xp (any version) to my current computer does that mean its locked to that Pc and I wont be able to use it if I buy a new one?

Locked? I'm not sure I understand....if you buy a new copy of XP you can install it on any computer. Including the one you already have it on. What exactly are you trying to accomplish?

 

[jimmyjames]

Sorry im getting myself confused... its OEM versions of windows that can only be used on one machine correct?

If you try and install it onto another Pc it wouldn't let you....

Retail versions can be installed onto a new machine if its already been installed on a previous computer?

Basically I don't want to pay for a new version of windows for my current PC and find that I have to then buy a new OS when i finally get round to buying a new pc.

 

[Geoff]

They are "supposed" to be used on only one PC at a time, but you can uninstall it from one PC and then install it on another, but you may have to call Microsoft about activating.

 

[Ben]

They are "supposed" to be used on only one PC at a time, but you can uninstall it from one PC and then install it on another, but you may have to call Microsoft about activating.

What Omega said is true, basically, you can format your hard drive and put any OEM version of windows on it. But that means you're stuck with that particular install. You cannot reinstall it with the same CD.