Maverick;
As you have already figured out, it can not be done.
The main reason is that what you want to do is a downgrade and not an
upgrade.
Vista Ultimate to Home Premium is a downgrade, the RC is irrelevant in this
case.
Typically Microsoft operating systems are incapable of downgrading.
--
Jupiter Jones [MVP]
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar
http://www.dts-l.org
"Maverick9611" <> wrote in message
news:2AEF3FBC-FF86-41EE-B925-...
>I currently have Vista Ultimate RC2 installed on my computer and was
> wondering if there is anyway to upgrade to Home Premium Retail without
> having
> to do a clean install and lose all my programs. When I put in the Home
> Premium CD it says I cannot upgrade from Ultimate to Home Premium and must
> do
> a clean install. I have two harddrives, one with Windows and my program
> files and the other with all of my music and other documents, if that
> helps.
> Any way around this? Any way to keep my programs?
>
> Thanks
> Maverick