Vista Ultimate 32 & 64 bit license keys

Hi !

A while ago I bought Win Vista Ultimate retail pack. It came with a 32 bit
version of the OS and the 64 bit version as well. Only one key.
I have already installed the 32 bit version & used the license key.
What if later, after I upgrade my computer with a 64 bit processor & so on,
I want to reinstall Vista & decide to put the 64 bit version ? Am I allowed
to use the same license key ? If not, why did the retail box came the 64 bit
version too ?

Thanks,

Edgar

On Aug 5, 10:50 am, edgardumea <edgardu...@discussions.microsoft.com>
wrote:
> Hi !
>
> A while ago I bought Win Vista Ultimate retail pack. It came with a 32 bit
> version of the OS and the 64 bit version as well. Only one key.
> I have already installed the 32 bit version & used the license key.
> What if later, after I upgrade my computer with a 64 bit processor & so on,
> I want to reinstall Vista & decide to put the 64 bit version ? Am I allowed
> to use the same license key ? If not, why did the retail box came the 64 bit
> version too ?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Edgar

Edgar, both the 32-bit and 64-bit version of Windows Vista Ultimate
share the same product key. You can reinstall it on the same pc as
many times as you'd like and on a difference pc once if you uninstall
it from the original machine first according to your end user liscence
agreement.

Hi,

Your Product Key is good for use on either version. Your license only allows
for use of one or the other as a single installation on one machine, not
both simultaneously. Which one you use is up to you. Should you opt to
remove the 32 bit and install 64 instead at some point, you will simply have
to reactivate via phone call after using the same key for installation.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com

"edgardumea" <> wrote in message
news:824160D9-70CF-419B-95F4-...
> Hi !
>
> A while ago I bought Win Vista Ultimate retail pack. It came with a 32 bit
> version of the OS and the 64 bit version as well. Only one key.
> I have already installed the 32 bit version & used the license key.
> What if later, after I upgrade my computer with a 64 bit processor & so
> on,
> I want to reinstall Vista & decide to put the 64 bit version ? Am I
> allowed
> to use the same license key ? If not, why did the retail box came the 64
> bit
> version too ?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Edgar

<> wrote in message
news: oups.com...
> On Aug 5, 10:50 am, edgardumea <edgardu...@discussions.microsoft.com>
> wrote:
>> Hi !
>>
>> A while ago I bought Win Vista Ultimate retail pack. It came with a 32
>> bit
>> version of the OS and the 64 bit version as well. Only one key.
>> I have already installed the 32 bit version & used the license key.
>> What if later, after I upgrade my computer with a 64 bit processor & so
>> on,
>> I want to reinstall Vista & decide to put the 64 bit version ? Am I
>> allowed
>> to use the same license key ? If not, why did the retail box came the 64
>> bit
>> version too ?
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Edgar
>
> Edgar, both the 32-bit and 64-bit version of Windows Vista Ultimate
> share the same product key. You can reinstall it on the same pc as
> many times as you'd like and on a difference pc once if you uninstall
> it from the original machine first according to your end user liscence
> agreement.
>



With Ultimate you can install it as a virtual machine up to nine times(?) as
well.

ss.

"edgardumea" <> wrote in message
news:824160D9-70CF-419B-95F4-...
> Hi !
>
> A while ago I bought Win Vista Ultimate retail pack. It came with a 32 bit
> version of the OS and the 64 bit version as well. Only one key.
> I have already installed the 32 bit version & used the license key.
> What if later, after I upgrade my computer with a 64 bit processor & so
> on,
> I want to reinstall Vista & decide to put the 64 bit version ? Am I
> allowed
> to use the same license key ? If not, why did the retail box came the 64
> bit
> version too ?


If you want both at the same time you could install 64-bit and install
VirtualPC (free) on that. Then you can install 32-bit as a virtual machine,
as the Ultimate licence agreement allows that.

ss.

Thanks everybody for your replies, you've been very helpful
I currently don't intend to migrate on a 64 bit machine; my question was
rather a curiosity of mine
Thanks again !

"Synapse Syndrome" wrote:

> "edgardumea" <> wrote in message
> news:824160D9-70CF-419B-95F4-...
> > Hi !
> >
> > A while ago I bought Win Vista Ultimate retail pack. It came with a 32 bit
> > version of the OS and the 64 bit version as well. Only one key.
> > I have already installed the 32 bit version & used the license key.
> > What if later, after I upgrade my computer with a 64 bit processor & so
> > on,
> > I want to reinstall Vista & decide to put the 64 bit version ? Am I
> > allowed
> > to use the same license key ? If not, why did the retail box came the 64
> > bit
> > version too ?
>
>
> If you want both at the same time you could install 64-bit and install
> VirtualPC (free) on that. Then you can install 32-bit as a virtual machine,
> as the Ultimate licence agreement allows that.
>
> ss.
>
>

<> wrote in message
news: oups.com...
>
> Edgar, both the 32-bit and 64-bit version of Windows Vista Ultimate
> share the same product key. You can reinstall it on the same pc as
> many times as you'd like and on a difference pc once if you uninstall
> it from the original machine first according to your end user liscence
> agreement.
>

He has retail version so he can install it to any machine so long as it is
removed from the previous machine. Sounds to me like you are describing the
OEM license.

"edgardumea" <> wrote in message
news:82081A27-A85C-4976-8616-...
> Thanks everybody for your replies, you've been very helpful
> I currently don't intend to migrate on a 64 bit machine; my question was
> rather a curiosity of mine
> Thanks again !

Except someone told you misinformation. You have a Retail license and not
OEM so you can install it to any PC you like so long as it is removed from
the previous PC first. Someone told you you can only install it to a new PC
once, which is wrong.

"Noddy" <> wrote in message
news:9Dpti.70777$. ..
> <> wrote in message
> news: oups.com...
>>
>> Edgar, both the 32-bit and 64-bit version of Windows Vista Ultimate
>> share the same product key. You can reinstall it on the same pc as
>> many times as you'd like and on a difference pc once if you uninstall
>> it from the original machine first according to your end user liscence
>> agreement.
>>
>
> He has retail version so he can install it to any machine so long as it is
> removed from the previous machine. Sounds to me like you are describing
> the OEM license.


That's exactly what he said:

"You can reinstall it on the same pc as many times as you'd like and on a
difference pc once if you uninstall it from the original machine"

You have misread.

ss.

"Noddy" <> wrote in message
news:uFpti.72343$. ..
> "edgardumea" <> wrote in message
> news:82081A27-A85C-4976-8616-...
>> Thanks everybody for your replies, you've been very helpful
>> I currently don't intend to migrate on a 64 bit machine; my question was
>> rather a curiosity of mine
>> Thanks again !
>
> Except someone told you misinformation. You have a Retail license and not
> OEM so you can install it to any PC you like so long as it is removed from
> the previous PC first. Someone told you you can only install it to a new
> PC once, which is wrong.

As in once you have uninstalled it, not only one time. D'uh.

ss.