Windows Anytime Upgrade - do you get a new COA label?

[RU482]

If I upgrade my machine from Windows Vista Home Premium to Windows Vista Ultimate Edition using the "Windows Anytime Upgrade", do they send a new COA label with the upgrade DVDs

 

[corkyg]

No. You have to legally obtain a key ID. I get mine through MS Technet Plus. The WAU is a DVD that has all the versions of Vista on it, but no key IDs.

Example - I bought my Lenovo T60 with Vista Business. I used the WAU DVD and upgraded to Ultimate, and activated with my own key ID. No COA label involved.

This has an advantage - my Vista Ultimate installation on the T60 is not OEM, and I can use it elsewhere if necessary.

 

[QuixoticOne]

I think it is an "anytime downgrade" in some cases. IIRC the EULA stupidly says that if you anytime upgrade then the
license for that upgraded Vista becomes tied to *that specific PC* forever. This actually takes away upgrade flexibility from you
if you're upgrading FROM a Retail or Upgrade version of Vista.

Furthermore IIRC you can't use the old pre-upgrade software anymore so basically you've bought something close to 2 copies of Vista, one of
which being something that you could have used for years to come on any future PC, but after this "anytime downgrade"
you end up with 0 copies of Vista once that original PC breaks or is replaced.

Quite a nice "upgrade" there.

 

[nerp]

I think you're mistaken on this one, QUix.

I bought an anytime upgrade from basic to home premium. They sent me a upgrade installer through e-mail, run it, your product ID and key are changed automatically and basic is upgraded to home premium.

I've done this on two different machines. It simply asks for a Vista DVD and goes through an in-place upgrade similar to a normal install. After it's done, you boot into home premium. The installer will install on Basic, it doesn't really care about anything else apparently.

 

[corkyg]

Originally posted by: QuixoticOne
I think it is an "anytime downgrade" in some cases. IIRC the EULA stupidly says that if you anytime upgrade then the license for that upgraded Vista becomes tied to *that specific PC* forever.

No, that is not true at all. It is exactly the opposite - been there - done that.

 

[lxskllr]

I don't feel like hunting down the EULA, because MS makes it very difficult to find. Unless they've changed the terms since release QuixoticOne's right. It might be different now, but the old terms were pretty crappy.

Edit:

I found this article from last year. Apparently they have changed the terms, and you get all rights that came with your original version.

 

[ViRGE]

Isn't this all kind of moot? Microsoft discontinued their digital download service earlier this year; now they ship you a DVD pack with a COA and the whole 9 yards.

 

[QuixoticOne]

nerp and lxskllr are both correct.

I was correct about the way the EULA *was*, now it has been improved to more or less resolve my complaint, although the way they say "the first user" and a few other things still seems pretty questionable / unnecessary as opposed to just saying "any licensed user" to allow for possibly multiple sequential sales / transfers.

Formerly (and incomprehensibly / illogically) the EULA said exactly what I claimed and made it an "anytime downgrade" in the ways I described. At some point in the not terribly distant past apparently they saw the light and fixed the EULA terms, so now it says (at least for these versions of VISTA english EULA ):

http://www.microsoft.com/about.../useterms/default.aspx
http://download.microsoft.com/...-9f69-5811ffdcd774.pdf

MICROSOFT SOFTWARE LICENSE TERMS
WINDOWS VISTA HOME BASIC SERVICE PACK 1
WINDOWS VISTA HOME PREMIUM SERVICE PACK 1
WINDOWS VISTA ULTIMATE SERVICE PACK 1
...
17. REASSIGN TO ANOTHER DEVICE.
a. Software Other than Windows Anytime Upgrade. You may uninstall the software and
install it on another device for your use. You may not do so to share this license between
devices.
b. Windows Anytime Upgrade Software. The first user of the software may reassign the license
to another device, but only if the license terms of the software you upgraded from allows
reassignment.
18. TRANSFER TO A THIRD PARTY.
a. Software Other Than Windows Anytime Upgrade. The first user of the software may make
a one time transfer of the software, and this agreement, directly to a third party. The first user
must uninstall the software before transferring it separately from the device. The first user may
not retain any copies.
b. Windows Anytime Upgrade Software. You may transfer the software directly to a third party
only with the licensed device. You may not keep any copies of the software or any earlier
version.
c. Other Requirements. Before any permitted transfer, the other party must agree that this
agreement applies to the transfer and use of the software. The transfer must include the proof of
license.

It isn't moot if they'd refuse to activate your upgraded key after a 1st, 2nd or 3rd motherboard or system upgrade (as the original EULA implied). Fortunately they've become more reasonable.

 

[nerp]

Ah, I'm clarified. Makes sense now. Thanks for rounding the topic out.