Upgrading from Xp Pro

Hello, I am considering upgrading from XP Pro to Vista Ultimate 64bit. I am
running the following specs:

AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core 5200+ 2.61GHz
2GB RAM
Plenty of HDD space.
GeForce 8800GTS 640MB Ram

My question is this: Can I purchase the upgrade package and go from pro to
vista or do I need to get the full version? Thanks in advance for your help.

Upgrade.

And you don't even need a OS If you buy the upgrade. I formatted a hard
drive and Installed the upgrade for vista with the newly full formatted disk
it never asked me to insert a older ver of windows to verify.

"Chris" <> wrote in message
news:F6A440AE-9FDC-4490-9ABD-...
> Hello, I am considering upgrading from XP Pro to Vista Ultimate 64bit. I
> am
> running the following specs:
>
> AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core 5200+ 2.61GHz
> 2GB RAM
> Plenty of HDD space.
> GeForce 8800GTS 640MB Ram
>
> My question is this: Can I purchase the upgrade package and go from pro
> to
> vista or do I need to get the full version? Thanks in advance for your
> help.

Yes, you can acquire the Upgrade version of Vista Ultimate and upgrade from
Windows XP Professional.
--
Andre
Blog: http://adacosta.spaces.live.com
My Vista Quickstart Guide:
http://adacosta.spaces.live.com/blog...3DB!9709.entry
"Chris" <> wrote in message
news:F6A440AE-9FDC-4490-9ABD-...
> Hello, I am considering upgrading from XP Pro to Vista Ultimate 64bit. I
> am
> running the following specs:
>
> AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core 5200+ 2.61GHz
> 2GB RAM
> Plenty of HDD space.
> GeForce 8800GTS 640MB Ram
>
> My question is this: Can I purchase the upgrade package and go from pro
> to
> vista or do I need to get the full version? Thanks in advance for your
> help.

Oops, just realized, you cannot upgrade from Windows XP Professional x86
(which I assume you are running), Windows Vista Ultimate x64 requires a
clean installation.
--
Andre
Blog: http://adacosta.spaces.live.com
My Vista Quickstart Guide:
http://adacosta.spaces.live.com/blog...3DB!9709.entry
"Chris" <> wrote in message
news:F6A440AE-9FDC-4490-9ABD-...
> Hello, I am considering upgrading from XP Pro to Vista Ultimate 64bit. I
> am
> running the following specs:
>
> AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core 5200+ 2.61GHz
> 2GB RAM
> Plenty of HDD space.
> GeForce 8800GTS 640MB Ram
>
> My question is this: Can I purchase the upgrade package and go from pro
> to
> vista or do I need to get the full version? Thanks in advance for your
> help.

What you need is a better understanding of what you are about to do to
yourself.
Do not under any circumstances "upgrade" to Vista 64.
Install it as a dual boot.
It is the unusual user who finds Vista 64 stable enough for every day use,
has drivers for their peripherals and is compatible with their 32 bit
software. However Vista 64 is a worth experimenting with so you can see just
how good Win XP 32 really is.
Since you have invested in an 8800 I presume you play games.
Vista 64 bit is not compatible with high end gaming, period.
In fact Vista 32 is barely compatible with high end gaming with regard to
your 8800 and not compatible if you have a high end audio card rather than
whatever is on your motherboard.

Hi, Chris.

It can be done, ;<} but it's tricky. :^{

You'll need the Retail Upgrade package, which will include the license to
upgrade from WinXP.

But there is NO upgrade path from 32-bit ANYTHING to 64-bit ANYTHING (or
vice-versa) because of hardware differences, requiring different drivers.
So, even with a license, you'll still need to do a "clean install" of the
64-bit Vista. The Vista Ultimate retail package includes two DVD-ROMs, one
for 32-bit and one for 64-bit, plus a single Product Key. You can choose to
boot from either DVD and use the single PK to activate the ONE you choose.

The problem with upgrading is that Vista does not use the previous method of
simply "looking at" a qualifying CD to verify your right to upgrade. It
must be able to see a qualifying Windows version already installed. You
need to insert the Vista DVD-ROM and run Setup.exe. When it gets to the
point, you choose to do a "Custom Install", which will reformat your WinXP
partition and clean install Vista in its place. Since your WinXP license is
no longer valid after you use it to qualify for the upgrade to Vista, you
are no longer licensed to use that WinXP, anyhow.

With a Full Retail package (not an upgrade), you still cannot simply
"upgrade" from 32-bit to 64-bit. You still need to do a clean install of
the 64-bit version. Or keep WinXP and install Vista alongside it, creating
a dual-boot system.

Read this KB article:
Installation choices for 64-bit consumer versions of Windows Vista
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/932795

Then backup all your data files (especially those family photos and emails
and your financial files) that exist nowhere else. Be sure that you have
64-bit drivers for your essential hardware, and installation media for all
your essential applications.

After you install Vista Ultimate x64, you can re-install your apps and
restore your data.

RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX

Microsoft Windows MVP
(Running Windows Live Mail beta 2 in Vista Ultimate x64 SP1 beta v.275)

"Chris" <> wrote in message
news:F6A440AE-9FDC-4490-9ABD-...
> Hello, I am considering upgrading from XP Pro to Vista Ultimate 64bit. I
> am
> running the following specs:
>
> AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core 5200+ 2.61GHz
> 2GB RAM
> Plenty of HDD space.
> GeForce 8800GTS 640MB Ram
>
> My question is this: Can I purchase the upgrade package and go from pro
> to
> vista or do I need to get the full version? Thanks in advance for your
> help.

> Vista 64 bit is not compatible with high end gaming, period. In fact
> Vista 32 is barely compatible with high end gaming with regard to your
> 8800 and not compatible if you have a high end audio card rather than
> whatever is on your motherboard.

Flambe, you haven't tried gaming on Vista yet, have you? I've been
running Vista Ultimate x64 since February, and have found its gaming
performance to be superior to anything that Windows XP has to offer. On
the same hardware.

Don't make generalizations about compatibility without facts.


--
dzomlija

____________________________________
Peter Alexander Dzomlija
Do you hear, huh? The Alpha and The Omega? Death and Rebirth? And as
you die, so shall I be Reborn...

- ASUS A8N32-SLi-Deluxe
- AMD Atlon 64 Dual-Core 4800+
- 4GB DDR400
- ASUS nVidia 6600
- Thermaltake Tai-Chi Watercooled Chassis
- 1207GB Total Formatted Storage
- Vista Ultimate x64
- CodeGear Delphi 2007

Thank you all for your responses thus far. I ended up purchasing the Vista
Ultimate 64 bit upgrade from microsoft.com using the digital locker. I will
be downloading it tonight through tomorrow. I see that it "lets" me do an
upgrade and keep my files, but I was thinking of doing a fresh install just
to be safe. Any further advice is greatly appreciated.

"R. C. White" wrote:

> Hi, Chris.
>
> It can be done, ;<} but it's tricky. :^{
>
> You'll need the Retail Upgrade package, which will include the license to
> upgrade from WinXP.
>
> But there is NO upgrade path from 32-bit ANYTHING to 64-bit ANYTHING (or
> vice-versa) because of hardware differences, requiring different drivers.
> So, even with a license, you'll still need to do a "clean install" of the
> 64-bit Vista. The Vista Ultimate retail package includes two DVD-ROMs, one
> for 32-bit and one for 64-bit, plus a single Product Key. You can choose to
> boot from either DVD and use the single PK to activate the ONE you choose.
>
> The problem with upgrading is that Vista does not use the previous method of
> simply "looking at" a qualifying CD to verify your right to upgrade. It
> must be able to see a qualifying Windows version already installed. You
> need to insert the Vista DVD-ROM and run Setup.exe. When it gets to the
> point, you choose to do a "Custom Install", which will reformat your WinXP
> partition and clean install Vista in its place. Since your WinXP license is
> no longer valid after you use it to qualify for the upgrade to Vista, you
> are no longer licensed to use that WinXP, anyhow.
>
> With a Full Retail package (not an upgrade), you still cannot simply
> "upgrade" from 32-bit to 64-bit. You still need to do a clean install of
> the 64-bit version. Or keep WinXP and install Vista alongside it, creating
> a dual-boot system.
>
> Read this KB article:
> Installation choices for 64-bit consumer versions of Windows Vista
> http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/932795
>
> Then backup all your data files (especially those family photos and emails
> and your financial files) that exist nowhere else. Be sure that you have
> 64-bit drivers for your essential hardware, and installation media for all
> your essential applications.
>
> After you install Vista Ultimate x64, you can re-install your apps and
> restore your data.
>
> RC
> --
> R. C. White, CPA
> San Marcos, TX
>
> Microsoft Windows MVP
> (Running Windows Live Mail beta 2 in Vista Ultimate x64 SP1 beta v.275)
>
> "Chris" <> wrote in message
> news:F6A440AE-9FDC-4490-9ABD-...
> > Hello, I am considering upgrading from XP Pro to Vista Ultimate 64bit. I
> > am
> > running the following specs:
> >
> > AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core 5200+ 2.61GHz
> > 2GB RAM
> > Plenty of HDD space.
> > GeForce 8800GTS 640MB Ram
> >
> > My question is this: Can I purchase the upgrade package and go from pro
> > to
> > vista or do I need to get the full version? Thanks in advance for your
> > help.
>

"dzomlija" <> wrote in message
news:...
>
>> Vista 64 bit is not compatible with high end gaming, period. In fact
>> Vista 32 is barely compatible with high end gaming with regard to your
>> 8800 and not compatible if you have a high end audio card rather than
>> whatever is on your motherboard.
>
> Flambe, you haven't tried gaming on Vista yet, have you? I've been
> running Vista Ultimate x64 since February, and have found its gaming
> performance to be superior to anything that Windows XP has to offer. On
> the same hardware.

Better than XP64? Highly doubtful. I've tried both Vista64and XP64 is faster
in damn near anything.

"Chris" <> wrote in message
news:F6A440AE-9FDC-4490-9ABD-...
> Hello, I am considering upgrading from XP Pro to Vista Ultimate 64bit. I
> am
> running the following specs:
>
> AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core 5200+ 2.61GHz
> 2GB RAM
> Plenty of HDD space.
> GeForce 8800GTS 640MB Ram
>
> My question is this: Can I purchase the upgrade package and go from pro
> to
> vista or do I need to get the full version? Thanks in advance for your
> help.


Must concur with flambe... why go x64? Unless you have an application that
is -known- to benefit from x64, then I think you're setting yourself up to
be disappointed. (Searching out x64 drivers should occur -before- making the
move to Vista x64. Repeat: BEFORE. Not AFTER.) And 2GB's RAM for x64? Hmm...
dunno if you'd need to upgrade RAM to truly benefit from x64, assuming one
has an app or apps that will actually benefit from running on an x64
platform.

That said, if all you intend to run are 32-bit apps, I would recommend
foregoing x64 and sticking with x86. Strongly recommend it.

Lang