Finally, as suggested, started over.
Did a dual boot clean Vista install with CD boot and no key.
Downloaded vista updates and immediately did upgrade from within
Vista. Put in Key and selected internet activation. Vista upgraded
properly and said I had 2 days to activate and offered an option to do
that, I did and it ACTIVATED.
So all is well. Thanks for everyone's help. It is hard to understand
why MS makes it harder to upgrade the more expensive XP Prof than XP
Home. Or tell you how to do it.
Thanks again.
On Fri, 14 Sep 2007 03:02:04 -0700, Dwarf
<> wrote:
>
>
>"Bob" wrote:
>
>> Thanks for your response. I did as you suggested and all went well
>> until the end. I then got an error message "Windows could not
>> configure one or more system components. To install restart."
>>
>> When I restarted, Vista restored my previous configuration. I
>> rechecked the Vista advisor program and it did not identify any
>> software or hardware problem. I do not have much software yet. I
>> disconnected USB scanner and printer. I reinstalled again with the
>> same results.
>>
>> Any idea whether the problem is software or hardware? Any suggestion
>> as to what to do?
>>
>> On Thu, 13 Sep 2007 02:10:19 -0400, "Saucy"
>> <> wrote:
>>
>> >"Bob" <> wrote in message
>> >news:.. .
>> >>I purchased Home Premium upgrade to install on my WinXP Prof.
>> >> computer. When I started installation, my only option was a clean
>> >> install. So I did a clean install dual boot. All went well and Vista
>> >> seems to be working, so I decided to activate it. When I entered the
>> >> product key, I got an error message that a clean install was not
>> >> allowed with that key. The error Code ox c004F061 is not in MS list.
>> >> MS does not seem to allow any contact with them prior to activation.
>> >>
>> >> Please help.
>> >
>> >
>> >By design. Guess what? There is a way around this. Upgrade your Vista with
>> >your Vista. That's right, install it a second time. You used 'upgrade' media
>> >to do a 'clean' install. The activation routine checks this out and will not
>> >all ow it. If you now to an "in-place" upgrade - Vista smack bang right
>> >over Vista - it will then activate. Don't worry, because Vista 'rolls out',
>> >the upgrade will be a virtual clean install anyway.
>> >
>> >So re-insert the DVD media and do an upgrade. When the time comes to choose
>> >the ediition of Windows choose the same one. Once done, activation will go
>> >through because this time 'round the registry will say the installation is
>> >an 'upgrade' installation.
>> >
>> >Saucy
>>
>>
>
>When installing any operating system it is best to disconnect non-essential
>peripherals such as printer/scanners and external hard drives. Try using the
>method given below and when you have successfully installed Windows you can
>then plug in your peripherals one at a time. Don't rush to activate - you
>have upto 30 days to do so. This should give you sufficient time to ensure
>that your system is working as it should.
>
>Clean Install
>
>Use Vista's 'upgrade' version to clean-install.
>
>Please remember to DISCONNECT from the internet for this whole procedure.
>You may reconnect at the end of the procedure when you have completed both
>installations i.e. when you have completed Step 10.
>
>Please note that you may be required to provide storage adapter drivers for
>this procedure. These can be on floppy, cd or USB flash drives.
>
>Step 1. Boot the PC from the Vista DVD.
>
>Step 2. Select 'Install Now', but do not enter the Product Key from the
>Vista packaging. Leave the input box blank. Also, turn off the option
>'Automatically activate Windows when I'm online'. In the next dialog box that
>appears, confirm that you really do want to install Vista without entering a
>Product Key.
>
>Step 3. Correctly indicate the version of Vista being installed i.e. Home
>Premium.
>
>Step 4. Select the 'Custom (Advanced)' install, not the 'Upgrade' install.
>
>Step 5. Vista copies files at length and reboots itself one or more times.
>Wait for the install to complete. At this point, you might think you could
>'activate' Vista, but you can't. That's because you haven't installed the
>Vista upgrade yet. To do that, run the DVD's 'setup.exe' program again, but
>this time from the Vista desktop. The easiest way to start setup again is to
>eject and then reinsert the DVD.
>
>Step 6. Click 'Install Now'. Select 'Do not get the latest updates for
>installation'. (You can check for these updates later.)
>
>Step 7. This time, do enter the Product Key from the Vista packaging. Once
>again, turn off the option 'Automatically activate Windows when I'm online'.
>
>Step 8. On this second install, make sure to select 'Upgrade', not 'Custom
>(Advanced)'. You're not doing a clean install now, you're upgrading to Vista.
>
>Step 9. Wait while Vista copies files and reboots itself. No user
>interaction is required. Do not boot from the DVD when asked if you'd like to
>do so. Instead, wait a few seconds and the setup process will continue on its
>way. Some DOS-like character-mode menus will appear, but don't interact with
>them. After a few seconds, the correct choice will run for you automatically.
>
>Step 10. After you click a button labeled 'Start' in the 'Thank You' dialog
>box, Vista's login screen will eventually appear. Enter the username and
>password that you selected during the first install. You're done upgrading to
>Vista.
>
>Step 11. If any device(s) or device driver(s) need installing, then this is
>the time to do it.
>
>Step 12. If any further user accounts need creating, then they may be
>created now.
>
>Step 13. Within 30 days, you must 'activate' your copy of Vista or it'll
>lose functionality. To activate Vista, click 'Show more details' in the
>Welcome Center that automatically displays on each boot-up, then click
>'Activate Windows now'. If you've dismissed the Welcome Center, access the
>correct dialog box by clicking Start, Control Panel, System & Maintenance,
>System.
>
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