Does a Vista upgrade install disable your XP install?

[kypron7]

Hi, I was considering buying a second harddrive, and installing Windows vista on it while leaving my Windows xp install intact on the first hd. I own Windows xp pro oem, so i would buy the vista premium upgrade.

The thing is, I heard somewhere that when you upgrade to Vista from XP, the XP install is disabled. I couldn't google anything to satisfy my question.

 

[Boyo]

I read somewhere that is does disable your current XP once you do a Vista Upgrade. The whole thing is a mess to me now. YOu might want to buy the full version and install it to the second HD>

 

[mechBgon]

When you trade in your old car for a discount on your new car, you don't get to keep your old car If you want to dual-boot, get a full-version of Vista so you can have both at once.

 

[alevasseur14]

It doesn't disable anything. I dual boot Vista Ultimate and XP Pro without any problems. I think that technically your old license is void once you do the upgrade but I'm not going to lose any sleep over it. I barely ever use the XP install anyways.

 

[Madwand1]

It's not as if you can use both at the same time. It's good to have the old installation around for a fall-back until the Vista issues are all ironed out. After some time, it'd be a pointless pain to keep on maintaining the old XP installation.

 

[Extelleron]

I think if you install the Vista upgrade over XP, which is really what you're supposed to do, it gets rid of XP, IDK if it makes your XP license unusable. But if you do the Vista "upgrade over upgrade" (where you install Vista upgrade fresh, then reinstall over it, esentially making the upgrade a full version) then your XP would be untouched.

 

[n7]

You say you want to buy the "Upgrade".

That means it replaces XP, meaning Vista only.

If you want to run both, you need to get the full version; then you can run dual boot.

 

[ultimatebob]

Isn't the OEM version of Vista cheaper anyway? Just buy a copy of that with a $2 mouse, and you're all set.

 

[SexyK]

Originally posted by: n7
You say you want to buy the "Upgrade".

That means it replaces XP, meaning Vista only.

If you want to run both, you need to get the full version; then you can run dual boot.

Have you tried this process? I personally have an upgrade version of Home Premium and didn't have any problems at all starting the Vista upgrade process from within WinXP, then telling it to install on a different partition. Now they're both running in a dual boot setup without a problem. All that is required by the upgrade license is an existing install of XP, doesn't say anywhere that you have to format that partition and quit using XP once Vista is installed. If someone knows otherwise, I'd love to see a link. I'm having no problems at all though.

 

[mechBgon]

All that is required by the upgrade license is an existing install of XP, doesn't say anywhere that you have to format that partition and quit using XP once Vista is installed. If someone knows otherwise, I'd love to see a link.

See section 13 of your End-User License Agreement.

13. UPGRADES. To use upgrade software, you must first be licensed for the software that is eligible for the upgrade. Upon upgrade, this agreement takes the place of the agreement for the software you upgraded from. After you upgrade, you may no longer use the software you upgraded from.

If the real question here is "help me find out how I can cheat the system," that's not something the Mods smile upon at AnandTech Forums.

 

[Captante]

Originally posted by: n7
You say you want to buy the "Upgrade".

That means it replaces XP, meaning Vista only.

If you want to run both, you need to get the full version; then you can run dual boot.

This is incorrect... the retail upgrade version allows for a dual-boot install, it just needs to have setup started from within XP & then you tell it to do a clean install either on a different partition or a 2ed hard-drive.

I'm 100% certain of this because the PC I'm posting on right now dual-boots XP Pro & Vista Ultimate & both are upgrade versions.

 

[Shawn]

Yeah, what Captante said is correct.

 

[mechBgon]

After you upgrade, you may no longer use the software you upgraded from.

There's nothing ambiguous about that. If you use Vista Upgrade, you have to have a license to a qualifying previous version of Windows. And once you upgrade, you no longer may use the previous version. Whether you managed to do it or not, it's not allowed by the terms of the license.

Summary: if you want to run your WinXP and also run Vista, you don't buy Vista Upgrade and apply it to your WinXP. Maybe upgrade some other qualifying OS that you have a license for. Or buy Vista full version so you don't give up the right to use XP.

 

[thehstrybean]

Originally posted by: alevasseur14
It doesn't disable anything. I dual boot Vista Ultimate and XP Pro without any problems. I think that technically your old license is void once you do the upgrade but I'm not going to lose any sleep over it. I barely ever use the XP install anyways.

THis man speaks the truth. I have the Business upgrade and my XP MCE works...

 

[Captante]

Originally posted by: mechBgon

All that is required by the upgrade license is an existing install of XP, doesn't say anywhere that you have to format that partition and quit using XP once Vista is installed. If someone knows otherwise, I'd love to see a link.

See section 13 of your End-User License Agreement.

13. UPGRADES. To use upgrade software, you must first be licensed for the software that is eligible for the upgrade. Upon upgrade, this agreement takes the place of the agreement for the software you upgraded from. After you upgrade, you may no longer use the software you upgraded from.

If the real question here is "help me find out how I can cheat the system," that's not something the Mods smile upon at AnandTech Forums.

I guess Microsoft must be into cheating themselves because the instructions to set up a dual-boot system using the upgrade version of Vista that I read came from their website!

Edit: Also I own 7 legit licenses for XP Pro of which I'm using 2 & at least a dozen for Home of which I'm using 3... I think I'm ok.

 

[mechBgon]

Originally posted by: Captante

Originally posted by: mechBgon

All that is required by the upgrade license is an existing install of XP, doesn't say anywhere that you have to format that partition and quit using XP once Vista is installed. If someone knows otherwise, I'd love to see a link.

See section 13 of your End-User License Agreement.

13. UPGRADES. To use upgrade software, you must first be licensed for the software that is eligible for the upgrade. Upon upgrade, this agreement takes the place of the agreement for the software you upgraded from. After you upgrade, you may no longer use the software you upgraded from.

If the real question here is "help me find out how I can cheat the system," that's not something the Mods smile upon at AnandTech Forums.

I guess Microsoft must be into cheating themselves because the instructions to set up a dual-boot system using the upgrade version of Vista that I read came from their website!

They don't assume that the other OS in your dual-boot is the one you're consuming as the basis for the upgrade, thus the instructions. Make sense? Anyhow, if you had 7 vacant WinXP licenses before, now you have 6 vacant XP and one legit Vista, which is great :thumbsup:

 

[Captante]

Originally posted by: mechBgon

Originally posted by: Captante

Originally posted by: mechBgon

All that is required by the upgrade license is an existing install of XP, doesn't say anywhere that you have to format that partition and quit using XP once Vista is installed. If someone knows otherwise, I'd love to see a link.

See section 13 of your End-User License Agreement.

13. UPGRADES. To use upgrade software, you must first be licensed for the software that is eligible for the upgrade. Upon upgrade, this agreement takes the place of the agreement for the software you upgraded from. After you upgrade, you may no longer use the software you upgraded from.

If the real question here is "help me find out how I can cheat the system," that's not something the Mods smile upon at AnandTech Forums.

I guess Microsoft must be into cheating themselves because the instructions to set up a dual-boot system using the upgrade version of Vista that I read came from their website!

They don't assume that the other OS in your dual-boot is the one you're consuming as the basis for the upgrade, thus the instructions. Make sense? Anyhow, if you had 7 vacant WinXP licenses before, now you have 6 vacant XP and one legit Vista, which is great :thumbsup:

It does in a way ... but I wish they would clarify exactly what you could do with each version & remain within the bound of the EULA though so it would be easier to give simple answers to people.

 

[n7]

Thanx for attacking me for explaing the legit way of doing it...jeez :roll:

I realize there are all kinds of fun non legit ways to run Windows, but i was mentioning the normal legal way...