Re: WinXP Pro to Vista Business Express Upgrade

If you want to "wipe the hard disk and start fresh" you don't have many
options in the Vista world, as Vista upgrades run from within the existing
operating system. You must have Windows XP running to install a Vista
Business upgrade, and you'd need either Windows XP or Vista Business running
to install a Vista Ultimate upgrade. So if you want a clean install no
upgrade disc will help you, you'll need a full version of Vista.

--
Richard G. Harper [MVP Shell/User]
* NEW! Catch my blog ... http://msmvps.com/blogs/rgharper/
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"Andrew Tapp" <> wrote in message
news:69228E0B-4E1A-4778-84AC-...
> This may have been covered before, however i have not been able to find
> anything, apologies if it has.
>
> I am in the process of purchasing a fully spec'd Dell XPS laptop which
> includes a 'free' upgrade from Windows XP Pro to Windows Vista Business.
> I
> would however like Windows Vista Ultimate. My options would seem to be;
>
> 1) Purchase a separate full copy of Windows Vista Ultimate
> 2) Purchase an upgrade from Windows Vista Business to Windows Vista
> Ultimate
> 3) Purchase an upgrade from Windows XP Pro to Windows Vista Ultimate
>
> On all the computers i have ever purchased or built i have always wiped
> the
> hard disk and started fresh, as i never like the build as delivered from
> the
> manurfacturer, and prefer my own software.
>
> Many thanks.

Yes, you can buy an upgrade from Business to Ultimate, then you download a
file and magic occurs. Don't remember what it is called but I'm sure when
Colin drops by he will fill in. Doing a wipe and install won't be possible
from XP to Vista, but you can do a custom install and you will have a fresh
copy of Vista and some XP files rolled into a .old file
Then you could upgrade to Ultimate as above.

"Andrew Tapp" <> wrote in message
news:43AE464B-55A8-416F-A7F4-...
> Many thanks for that Richard.
>
> Is there an upgrade path from Windows Vista Business to Windows Vista
> Ultimate?
>
> If i do an 'upgrade' from within the existing operating system are the
> existing programs migrated as well?
>
> Andrew
>
> "Richard G. Harper" wrote:
>
>> If you want to "wipe the hard disk and start fresh" you don't have many
>> options in the Vista world, as Vista upgrades run from within the
>> existing
>> operating system. You must have Windows XP running to install a Vista
>> Business upgrade, and you'd need either Windows XP or Vista Business
>> running
>> to install a Vista Ultimate upgrade. So if you want a clean install no
>> upgrade disc will help you, you'll need a full version of Vista.
>>
>> --
>> Richard G. Harper [MVP Shell/User]
>> * NEW! Catch my blog ... http://msmvps.com/blogs/rgharper/
>> * PLEASE post all messages and replies in the newsgroups
>> * The Website - http://rgharper.mvps.org/
>> * HELP us help YOU ... http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
>>
>>
>> "Andrew Tapp" <> wrote in message
>> news:69228E0B-4E1A-4778-84AC-...
>> > This may have been covered before, however i have not been able to find
>> > anything, apologies if it has.
>> >
>> > I am in the process of purchasing a fully spec'd Dell XPS laptop which
>> > includes a 'free' upgrade from Windows XP Pro to Windows Vista
>> > Business.
>> > I
>> > would however like Windows Vista Ultimate. My options would seem to
>> > be;
>> >
>> > 1) Purchase a separate full copy of Windows Vista Ultimate
>> > 2) Purchase an upgrade from Windows Vista Business to Windows Vista
>> > Ultimate
>> > 3) Purchase an upgrade from Windows XP Pro to Windows Vista Ultimate
>> >
>> > On all the computers i have ever purchased or built i have always wiped
>> > the
>> > hard disk and started fresh, as i never like the build as delivered
>> > from
>> > the
>> > manurfacturer, and prefer my own software.
>> >
>> > Many thanks.
>>
>>
>>

It is the Anytime Upgrade site.

"John Barnes" <> wrote in message
news:u%...
> Yes, you can buy an upgrade from Business to Ultimate, then you download a
> file and magic occurs. Don't remember what it is called but I'm sure when
> Colin drops by he will fill in. Doing a wipe and install won't be
> possible from XP to Vista, but you can do a custom install and you will
> have a fresh copy of Vista and some XP files rolled into a .old file
> Then you could upgrade to Ultimate as above.
>
> "Andrew Tapp" <> wrote in message
> news:43AE464B-55A8-416F-A7F4-...
>> Many thanks for that Richard.
>>
>> Is there an upgrade path from Windows Vista Business to Windows Vista
>> Ultimate?
>>
>> If i do an 'upgrade' from within the existing operating system are the
>> existing programs migrated as well?
>>
>> Andrew
>>
>> "Richard G. Harper" wrote:
>>
>>> If you want to "wipe the hard disk and start fresh" you don't have many
>>> options in the Vista world, as Vista upgrades run from within the
>>> existing
>>> operating system. You must have Windows XP running to install a Vista
>>> Business upgrade, and you'd need either Windows XP or Vista Business
>>> running
>>> to install a Vista Ultimate upgrade. So if you want a clean install no
>>> upgrade disc will help you, you'll need a full version of Vista.
>>>
>>> --
>>> Richard G. Harper [MVP Shell/User]
>>> * NEW! Catch my blog ... http://msmvps.com/blogs/rgharper/
>>> * PLEASE post all messages and replies in the newsgroups
>>> * The Website - http://rgharper.mvps.org/
>>> * HELP us help YOU ... http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
>>>
>>>
>>> "Andrew Tapp" <> wrote in message
>>> news:69228E0B-4E1A-4778-84AC-...
>>> > This may have been covered before, however i have not been able to
>>> > find
>>> > anything, apologies if it has.
>>> >
>>> > I am in the process of purchasing a fully spec'd Dell XPS laptop which
>>> > includes a 'free' upgrade from Windows XP Pro to Windows Vista
>>> > Business.
>>> > I
>>> > would however like Windows Vista Ultimate. My options would seem to
>>> > be;
>>> >
>>> > 1) Purchase a separate full copy of Windows Vista Ultimate
>>> > 2) Purchase an upgrade from Windows Vista Business to Windows Vista
>>> > Ultimate
>>> > 3) Purchase an upgrade from Windows XP Pro to Windows Vista Ultimate
>>> >
>>> > On all the computers i have ever purchased or built i have always
>>> > wiped
>>> > the
>>> > hard disk and started fresh, as i never like the build as delivered
>>> > from
>>> > the
>>> > manurfacturer, and prefer my own software.
>>> >
>>> > Many thanks.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>

Yes, the "Windows Vista Anytime Upgrade" will let you upgrade between
versions of Vista, programs and settings will be migrated from the old
version of Vista to the new one.

--
Richard G. Harper [MVP Shell/User]
* NEW! Catch my blog ... http://msmvps.com/blogs/rgharper/
* PLEASE post all messages and replies in the newsgroups
* The Website - http://rgharper.mvps.org/
* HELP us help YOU ... http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm


"Andrew Tapp" <> wrote in message
news:43AE464B-55A8-416F-A7F4-...
> Many thanks for that Richard.
>
> Is there an upgrade path from Windows Vista Business to Windows Vista
> Ultimate?
>
> If i do an 'upgrade' from within the existing operating system are the
> existing programs migrated as well?