Save $140 on Vista.

[Deadline]

http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/winvista_upgrade_clean.asp

Well, it turns out that Windows Vista Upgrade media can indeed be used to perform a clean install of the operating system, at least sort of. Using an undocumented workaround which I first revealed in WinInfo Daily UPDATE earlier this week, you can fool any Upgrade version of Windows Vista into installing itself on a PC without upgrading a previous OS install.

Nice, so the upgrade version of Vista can see itself as a copy of windows and install the full version copy on top of itself... basically working like so;

Boot with the Windows Vista upgrade DVD and begin the full installation process.

--Do not enter the product key when prompted, but continue on.
--Choose to do a clean install Vista, that is, fully wiping your hard drive.
--After you're done, boot into the still-unactivated copy of Vista.
--Run Windows Vista setup again, from inside Vista.
--Select upgrade, and enter your upgrade key.
--Install Vista a second time.

So... is this legal? It is if you own a copy of windows XP, 2000 or otherwise... but most likely, if you dont, this is un-ethical and illegal...

Proceed at your own risk.

 

[3ssence]

Well, the guy who first revealed this was possible in an interview is an MS employee. And i can't see any reason why it shouldn't be legal, because afaik you are still required to enter a valid key for your windows XP install, you just don't have to install XP prior to installing Vista.

 

[Deadline]

Well, it would be illegal if you didnt own any version of windows, went and picked up a copy of a Vista upgrade version and installed the full version using the above stated work-around.

 

[3ssence]

Not if you owned a copy though. If you didn't, and couldn't care less, then you may as well get an illegal copy anyway.

 

[Icarusintel]

Heh, I think I'll just wait for SP1 and then buy a copy at an incredibly reduced price from Thailand.

 

[giant384]

i never really understood the point of upgrade and full install. Its all bs.....sureeeee one lets you install without formatting but wouldnt the full install do the same?

 

[Cole]

Upgrade checks and makes sure theres a previous OS before installing, then (previous verisons) let you reinstall a new copy or upgrade the old copy (Vista version) lets you only upgrade the old copy however there is the work around..

The full upgrade does not make this check. Thats the difference.

 

[Asus]

i never really understood the point of upgrade and full install. Its all bs.....sureeeee one lets you install without formatting but wouldnt the full install do the same?

Simple really.
If my system had windows 98 and I wanted to put Vista on instead, I would need the full version.
If you have the previous OS (Windows XP) then you have supported MS pretty recently by purchasing their software. You get to save some cash by buying an upgrade version.

 

[giant384]

Simple really.
If my system had windows 98 and I wanted to put Vista on instead, I would need the full version.
If you have the previous OS (Windows XP) then you have supported MS pretty recently by purchasing their software. You get to save some cash by buying an upgrade version.

yes i know how it works, but the flaw in that is....(im saying if you dont know about the workaround) that if you wanted to format your pc while you had the upgrade version installed....then that means you would have to install xp beforehand and thats such a waste of time.

 

[CyberPitz]

Why can't you just buy the upgrade with a pirated copy of XP?

 

[TechnoHippyChic]

yes i know how it works, but the flaw in that is....(im saying if you dont know about the workaround) that if you wanted to format your pc while you had the upgrade version installed....then that means you would have to install xp beforehand and thats such a waste of time.

I'm not sure if they've changed it with Vista, but I'm pretty sure the XP upgrade would let you just insert the old CD to prove you had it, then you could do a full fresh install.

 

[Asuka]

This is going to save me some time...