Vista Biz OEM to Ulimate

I have a new laptop Vista Business OEM pre-installed. I also have a spare
Ultimate retail DVD. I'm looking to upgrade the laptop to Ultimate.
Obviously, the DVD is a lot cheaper than the Anytime Upgrade. But the
Anytime Upgrade promises to upgrade on-the-fly retaining all settings, etc.

Is there a way to achieve the same seamless upgrade with the Ultimate retail
DVD as with Anytime Upgrade? What is that way?

Thanks in advance...

What do you mean it is cheaper... do you have a spare Ultimate product key?
I'm not sure what you are asking, but to be clear it is one product key, one
computer at a time. And you business edition key will not work for Ultimate
edition. Just so we are clear. Just having an Ultimate DVD doesn't do
anything.

If you do have an extra ultimate license key, then you can do an upgrade.
Should do the trick for you.

--
Robert Firth

"Dick Watson" <> wrote in
message news:ewqmnoW$...
> I have a new laptop Vista Business OEM pre-installed. I also have a spare
> Ultimate retail DVD. I'm looking to upgrade the laptop to Ultimate.
> Obviously, the DVD is a lot cheaper than the Anytime Upgrade. But the
> Anytime Upgrade promises to upgrade on-the-fly retaining all settings,
> etc.
>
> Is there a way to achieve the same seamless upgrade with the Ultimate
> retail DVD as with Anytime Upgrade? What is that way?
>
> Thanks in advance...

I have a spare Ultimate retail key. I just want to get from the OEM Business
to Ultimate or Business+Ultimate without wiping the thing and starting over.
Windows Anytime Upgrade promises that but it's added cost compared to using
the Ultimate key I already have.

"Robert Firth" <> wrote in message
news:1F18C629-A91F-4F79-A0C9-...
> What do you mean it is cheaper... do you have a spare Ultimate product
> key? I'm not sure what you are asking, but to be clear it is one product
> key, one computer at a time. And you business edition key will not work
> for Ultimate edition. Just so we are clear. Just having an Ultimate DVD
> doesn't do anything.
>
> If you do have an extra ultimate license key, then you can do an upgrade.
> Should do the trick for you.

Your Ultimate key, is it for an upgrade or full install. If it is for an
upgrade, then you should be ok. If it is a full install key, then you can
not upgrade.

"Dick Watson" <> wrote in
message news:ewqmnoW$...
>I have a new laptop Vista Business OEM pre-installed. I also have a spare
>Ultimate retail DVD. I'm looking to upgrade the laptop to Ultimate.
>Obviously, the DVD is a lot cheaper than the Anytime Upgrade. But the
>Anytime Upgrade promises to upgrade on-the-fly retaining all settings, etc.
>
> Is there a way to achieve the same seamless upgrade with the Ultimate
> retail DVD as with Anytime Upgrade? What is that way?
>
> Thanks in advance...

Are you saying that a retail "Ultimate Upgrade" key will allow an in-place
upgrade from OEM Business to Ultimate but a retail "Ultimate" (new license)
key will not?

"SAM-R" <SAM-> wrote in message
news:ubJodCb$...
> Your Ultimate key, is it for an upgrade or full install. If it is for an
> upgrade, then you should be ok. If it is a full install key, then you can
> not upgrade.

Hello Dick,

A full version can either be installed clean or used to upgrade an existing
installation. An upgrade must be started from the existing desktop. You
will get the choice to either upgrade or perform a custom install.

--
Jane, not plain 64 bit enabled :-)
Batteries not included. Braincell on vacation ;-)
MVP - Windows Shell/User

"Dick Watson" <> wrote in
message news:uuL3L2d$...
> Are you saying that a retail "Ultimate Upgrade" key will allow an in-place
> upgrade from OEM Business to Ultimate but a retail "Ultimate" (new
> license) key will not?
>
> "SAM-R" <SAM-> wrote in message
> news:ubJodCb$...
>> Your Ultimate key, is it for an upgrade or full install. If it is for an
>> upgrade, then you should be ok. If it is a full install key, then you can
>> not upgrade.
>

Thanks!

"Jane C" <> wrote in message
news:35B7AAF6-1817-44C3-85E4-...
> A full version can either be installed clean or used to upgrade an
> existing installation. An upgrade must be started from the existing
> desktop. You will get the choice to either upgrade or perform a custom
> install.

All Vista DVD's are the same, meaning the Home Basic DVD is the same DVD as
one marked Ultimate. It is the key that decides what you can or can not do.
So go with your key and see what happens.

"Dick Watson" <> wrote in
message news:ewqmnoW$...
>I have a new laptop Vista Business OEM pre-installed. I also have a spare
>Ultimate retail DVD. I'm looking to upgrade the laptop to Ultimate.
>Obviously, the DVD is a lot cheaper than the Anytime Upgrade. But the
>Anytime Upgrade promises to upgrade on-the-fly retaining all settings, etc.
>
> Is there a way to achieve the same seamless upgrade with the Ultimate
> retail DVD as with Anytime Upgrade? What is that way?
>
> Thanks in advance...

One more question: is this also true if I have a copy of "Windows Vista
Ultimate Upgrade DVD (66R-00003)"? (It's 5 credit bucks less than the full
license.)

"Jane C" <> wrote in message
news:35B7AAF6-1817-44C3-85E4-...
> A full version can either be installed clean or used to upgrade an
> existing installation. An upgrade must be started from the existing
> desktop. You will get the choice to either upgrade or perform a custom
> install.