Upgrade from Vista Ultimate 32bit?

[sticker]

Hey all,

This is my first post here...

I have a dual boot machine with XP Pro & Visat Ultimate 32 currently. I bought the rig from a self-build guy a year ago, Looks like Vista was a bogey copy and I'm being prompted to buy a key (which I have no problem with)

That said, does anyone know WHEN seven becomes available for the public, will there be an edition available so I can just upgrade my Vista 32 and keep all my files / settings etc... ie that I don't have to scrub my hard drive.

Sorry if it's a dumb question!

Thanks in advance!

 

[Barman58]

Hi Sticker and welcome to the Seven Forums,

Sorry to hear of your problems with the source of your vista, I believe MS do offer assistance to genuine victims of counterfeit copies so you may wish to check that out

back to topic, when is the question on everyone's lips at the moment, but public release is expected towards the end of 2009 or start of 2010. The upgrade path from vista Ultimate to Windows 7 ultimate is a supported upgrade path.

Hope this helps

 

[Romulinx2]

Here's a Tutorial in our forum, to upgrade.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1818-upgrade-install-windows-7-beta.html

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Hello sticker, welcome to Se7en Forums!


One thing to remember when the time comes to upgrade; there is no upgrade path from 32-bit to 64-bit, that would have to be a clean/fresh install.
















Later :shock: Ted

 

[Night Hawk]

The backup feature seen in Vista probably won't help for 7 when that finally comes but simply for restoring or reinstalling Vista where you have a problem presently. But since you are dual booting with XP you will still have a working copy of Windows to back things up from the Vista side of things until 7 is out.

Once 7 is out with all files and settings which will need review for the new version there as well you would simply plan a clean sweep of the Vista primary for the authentic 7. The settings will be seen a little bit different there like a bookmarks bar instead of the links bar for IE 8.

There's no more Classic Windows theme but an Aero Basic to start with until and if you decide to download any custom themes. Since you didn't sign up for the beta testing you want to get familiar with some interesting changes that will seen in 7 from Vista. The home page is seen at http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/

A lengthy slideshow to provide a good look at 7 is seen at Windows 7

 

[SIW2]

Hi Sticker,

To follow up on Barman's post, here's the link.

http://www.microsoft.com/genuine/

If M$ believes you are a genuine unsuspecting victim - you might be lucky.

Hope it helps

SIW2

 

[Night Hawk]

When planning to upgrade from one version to the next newer here I generally end up setting up a dual boot to evaluate it along with getting familiar with the differences before replacing the main currently in use.

Let's see dos/3.1, 3.1/95, 95/98, 98/XP jumping over ME!, to see XP/Vista, and now XP/Vista/7 betas.

I never seem to have time to upgrade over one version since I was always seeing a clean install of one or another. By the time 7 is out you may end up dumping XP to make space for 7 in a dual with Vista there.

 

[Iknewitwin7]

Let's see dos/3.1, 3.1/95, 95/98, 98/XP jumping over ME!, to see XP/Vista, and now XP/Vista/7 betas.

.

Wow same path here. I was a DOS 6 /Win98 2nd ed fan, but win 3.51 WINNT changed my mind forever. I woke up and XP was started. XP is what Windows and Windows server put together.

years later,

Vista is a preview, we will welcome Windows 7
Win7 OS

 

[Night Hawk]

Well you have to remember that dos/3.1 wasn't actually a dual boot but simply seeing 3.1 loaded from a dos prompt. 95 and NT were the first there to see autoloading versions in their own catagory.

Let's see if we name off the actual not so good versions where do we start? Can't start with 1.0 or 2.0! Those introduced the concept. 3.11 saw network support for the 3.0 line up. 95 saw 95PLUS! with the OSR2 release included for a 95+ grading while 98 1st edition followed by "ME" :shock: then XP 64bit lacking support were the sad cases for the most part.

Vista got some to call that ME II when XP 64 took the title. So! I guess just about everyone is looking forward to 7 presently!

 

[sticker]

Thanks for the very helpful replies everyone!

I actually got the first "You may be a victim of counterfiting" at startup and proceed to go online with my credit card to buy a fresh key - My local shop advertises Vista Ultimate at €300 - but M/Soft offered a special price of €177. I got to the payment screen and an error occured, so I decided to try later...

Good thing I did, after reading soem of your posts, I'll wait till Monday and ring Microsoft and see what they say... Anyone any recomendations? I don't want to just ASK them for a free key - what would be the best way of going about it?!

Thanks again everyone!

 

[SIW2]

Hi sticker,

I guess the first step is to report it as suspected piracy and see what they say

http://www.microsoft.com/resources/howtotell/reports/report.aspx

Hope it helps

SIW2

 

[sticker]

Thanks for the link...

 

[Night Hawk]

If the original installation saw any hardware changes like the seller simply replacing a bad board but not reinstalling Vista all over just for that and seeing a second install activated you end up seeing the counterfeit copy alert displayed onscreen. The disk included would likely be a legit oem disk while Windows simply needs to be reactivated by calling into MS.

Does the disk have the geniune labeling and actual product key with the original plastic container with a small booklet? The disk should also see the bronze color dvd with what looks like a surface grinder dug marks at various angles into the surface of the disk while being reflective.

An MS rep will likely ask if this is the same machine Windows was originally installed on and have you read off a series of number seen in 8 groups of 5. That will the current installation code where you would be given another to type in. If you suspect the disk is a fake then use the report link SIW2 pointed out to you.

 

[sticker]

OK- Thanks...

 

[Night Hawk]

One thing to add here is that you simply end up getting an automated voice rather then a live rep when calling in especially on a weekend. You may need to turn the volume on the phone up a bit or speak louder when reading the numbers off.

But as long as the Windows disk was genuine as well as the product key you may see it reactivated on the spot. If you do get a live rep simply tell them the system saw a hardware change like an upgrade or replacement part on the same machine and simply needs to be reactivated. Calling in is simply more of an annoyance rather then any real hassle.

 

[Iknewitwin7]

Well explained Night Hawk.

 

[Night Hawk]

I ran into that same problem when something had to be rmaed and all of a sudden I noticed the onscreen message and said now what! I didn't feel like reinstalling everything all over fresh again after just getting things right that soon.

Later when something was still a little buggy in Windows I got the automated voice which went fast for seeing the reinstall in a shory period of time activated. MS is far more interested in who is copying what then they are about how many times you see Windows reinstalled on your machine to start with.

Gee? If you don't reinstall Windows 1,000 times all those live reps they hire wouldn't have anything to do.