Should I buy OEM or Upgrade for Vista?

[jacktesterson]

I have a Toshiba laptop and I am going to purchase Home premium vista....now my current laptop came with a copy of Windows XP Home preinstalled on it, with the cdkey on the bottom..so its an OEM copy I assume.

What works better for my situation? The only upgrade I plan on making to the laptop is to go from 1 GB to 2 GB of ram sometime in the next couple months...

does the Retail upgrade allow me to go install on a new computer I build say 2-3 yrs from now? I plan on going back to a desktop once I get a larger apartment. Would the retail copy allow the switch from my laptop to my desktop?

Edit: I've been around computers for so long, but just don't understand the upgrade "retail package"....I just need somebody to give me the key differences and what to expect compared to a OEM copy...I've never had the pleasure of using a upgrade version.

 

[InlineFive]

Retail allows you to use your copy of Vista on one computer at a time. If you purchase a new computer in the future you can transfer your license over to the new system. With OEM you cannot transfer.

 

[jacktesterson]

Originally posted by: InlineFive
Retail allows you to use your copy of Vista on one computer at a time. If you purchase a new computer in the future you can transfer your license over to the new system. With OEM you cannot transfer.

I understand that...I guess my question is, if I use a Retail Upgrade on a XP OEM copy...does Vista become a OEM copy or a retail copy? I guess thats the central question here. Does the upgrade just ask for my XP key?

 

[toekramp]

buy the upgrade one, but first format... then do the double install thing. then you have a full version of Vista on a fresh system OEM XP doesn't matter

In Case You're Not Familiar

 

[bigdaddy51]

Originally posted by: Bigystyle

Originally posted by: InlineFive
Retail allows you to use your copy of Vista on one computer at a time. If you purchase a new computer in the future you can transfer your license over to the new system. With OEM you cannot transfer.

I understand that...I guess my question is, if I use a Retail Upgrade on a XP OEM copy...does Vista become a OEM copy or a retail copy? I guess thats the central question here. Does the upgrade just ask for my XP key?

When you use a retail upgrade on an OEM copy of XP, you just upgrade the OEM license, you don't change it to a retail license. However, You can use the retail disc on another pc, provided you uninstall off the 1st one. The new pc would also need a previous OS installed, to use your upgrade on that. XP has to be installed before you can LEGALLY use your upgrade of Vista ,at which time you can choose Custom install, and install a full version of Vista. that rolls the old os into a windows.old folder you can delete after you finish your install.

 

[inthell]

upgrade has 32 bit and 64 bit which could be useful down the road... im still trying to decide myself whats worth it OEM vs Upgrade..

 

[jacktesterson]

me too....I am honestly leaning towards buying the OEM copy of Vista Premium. The upgrade seems like a lost of hastle for nothing

 

[threeheaddog]

now im thinking about the retail version
i want to transfer..

 

[jacktesterson]

Well I decided to purchase the OEM copy of Microsoft Vista Premium Home from www.ncix.com for $139.99. Its been ordered.

I have gone back to University to get my Masters degree, and could have bought the upgrade DVD for $93.99 there with the academic version, but I have done a lot of researching about this issue and talked to some people who experienced the Upgrade version and I've concluded the upgrade is not worth the headache.

You have to have XP or 2000 installed to do an Upgrade, so formatting and reinstalling with a blank drive is not possible. Sure you can install Vista trial first, then install Vista overtop of that using the upgrade, but its still not a 100% clean install.

The OEM version just eliminates all these problems. I usually format twice a year. The upgrade version just wouldn't cut it.

Edit: Plus I can keep my Windows XP liscence with the OEM copy of Vista, where with the upgrade, you agree that Microsoft is buying back your XP liscence, thus the discount.

 

[hanoverphist]

heres a little tidbit on how the upgrade version works...

http://www.windowssecrets.com/comp/070201#story1

 

[jacktesterson]

OEM still seems like a better deal....

 

[Jaxidian]

I still think Retail is the better deal IF (and only if) you are the type of person who builds your computers. If you always buy computers pre-built with Windows already installed (from Dell or Emachines or whomever), then go OEM because you'll get an OEM copy with all of your future builds too. The exception to this latter case is if you don't want to be stuck with just Home Premium (I'm sure that's what 90% of the pre-built installs will be, if not Home basic) but really want Ultimate, then maybe it is worth it to buy the Retail so you can always have it in the future.

Me personally, I bought Ultimate Retail Upgrade for $260 plus 2 copies of Home Premium Retail Upgrade for $50 each and I now have 3 solid and legal copies of Vista that I can keep with me forever for all machiens I bulid in the future (1-2 a year), just no more than 3 at a time which is fine by me. That's a hell of a lot better than dropping $100-150 each time I build a pc for the OS imo.

That's my $0.02 worth.

 

[Foadbot]

OEM's Blow

You dont get any support if you need it

Installations are limited to the original hardware

 

[RebateMonger]

Be aware that many folks (me included) are having issues with late-model Toshiba laptops and Vista. I can't install Vista on my 2-year-old Toshiba M35X-S149, and I'm not alone. Toshiba's Support Site lists their PCs that have been given Vista-compliant BIOS updates.

The Vista Upgrade Advisor didn't detect this problem, but Vista refuses to install on my laptop because the (fully updated) BIOS "isn't fully ACPI-compliant".