Here goes for take 2 of this guide. Kyles efforts at correcting database problems recently nuked about ten days of posts, and a couple of damned fine install guides along with them. Wed had quite a few questions cropping up regarding installing with a Vista Upgrade package, and both forum regular bbz_ghost and myself were motivated to write up some guides.
Which method should I use?
Not surprisingly, when you enter your Vista Upgrade product key code into the Vista installer you dont get to perform a Clean install. Thats not because the function is missing from the Upgrade disk. The disk itself is identical to every other Vista disk. Its just that the installer recognises your product key as an upgrade one, and then restricts what functions are offered to you. But the installer will also allow you to skip entering your product code, and then let you put a time-limited trial install in place. It is this capability that the Upgrade version clean install workarounds are based on.
Some time back now I introduced the Single install clean install technique to this forum. This workaround has you installing a Trial install of Vista, and then issuing commands to assign your product key to the installation and activate the installation. It is this technique which bbz_ghosts excellent guide was based upon. If you care to try this technique, you would do well to follow the advice bbz_ghost was able to determine by having a closer look at the technique. Disabling UAC isnt actually necessary. All you need do is right click the Command prompt entry on the Programs menu and choose to Run as administrator. Then issue the commands mentioned in my article.
That technique, however, is neither the one I use myself or the one I recommend others to use. Sure, it takes less time to complete, but Ive had quite a few people report to me that they havent been successful in following and using it. Activation has failed for them!
I use and recommend the dual install workaround instead. This technique has you installing the Trial install of Vista as before, and then running a second install from within Vista, this time using your product key when you do the install. The trial install of Vista is seen by the installer as an Upgrade path, and will let you proceed to perform a Custom clean install. This technique WORKS EVERY TIME. It is a foolproof method, and thus the one I recommend people to use.
Isnt it more time consuming, and is that really a Clean install?
Its easy enough to pooh-pooh the dual-install method on the basis that it takes longer. But it really doesnt take up any more than a few minutes of your time! Forget the old assumptions that applied to earlier Windows versions. Vista is DIFFERENT!
The install routine is much more like an unattended install than ever before, for starters. Theres a small amount of user input required right at the start of the install. Theres a little bit of user interaction required right at the end of the install. In between, you can wander off and do whatever you like. You wont come back to the machine only to find that the install has stalled half-way through waiting for user input! Its a big improvement.
You can also ditch the old assumption that a Clean install necessarily has to be a format/fresh install process. Vistas Custom install provides absolute stability when run to a partition where a Windows installation already exists. It bundles all the stuff there into a windows.old folder, which can be removed later with Disk Cleanup if you wish.
The legal Concerns
I dont want to tie the thread up with endless ridiculous arguments. IT IS NOT ILLEGAL TO USE A WORKAROUND TECHNIQUE TO CLEAN INSTALL YOUR SYSTEM!
To remain legal when deploying a Windows Upgrade package, you MUST be replacing an existing qualifying license. Your license is a contract or agreement. It is not the actual disk, it is not the actual installation. Your license is represented by your legitimate product key code, your COA sticker, and your use of the legitimate key code to legitimate and activate your Windows installation.
In large part, legality depends upon the honour system:
Thats it, in a nutshell. It is one thing to use a workaround as a method for putting a clean install on the primary drive/partition in your system, rather than running an actual upgrade over an earlier installation. Thats fair enough. So is installing Vista as a dual-boot, side by side with your existing qualifying installation to enable you to access and use both whilst you are making the transition from one OS platform to the next. But using these techniques as a cheap way of getting Vista, or using them as a means to continue using your qualifying license, on an ongoing basis or on a different machine, is another matter entirely. Thats illegal! Dont kid yourself that you can have clear conscience if you do that!
Anyways, enough rant. On with the technique itself! There are countless guides already available, of course, but none cover the details about avoiding the various traps and pitfalls you might encounter. Thisn is the best youll ever read!
Which method should I use?
Not surprisingly, when you enter your Vista Upgrade product key code into the Vista installer you dont get to perform a Clean install. Thats not because the function is missing from the Upgrade disk. The disk itself is identical to every other Vista disk. Its just that the installer recognises your product key as an upgrade one, and then restricts what functions are offered to you. But the installer will also allow you to skip entering your product code, and then let you put a time-limited trial install in place. It is this capability that the Upgrade version clean install workarounds are based on.
Some time back now I introduced the Single install clean install technique to this forum. This workaround has you installing a Trial install of Vista, and then issuing commands to assign your product key to the installation and activate the installation. It is this technique which bbz_ghosts excellent guide was based upon. If you care to try this technique, you would do well to follow the advice bbz_ghost was able to determine by having a closer look at the technique. Disabling UAC isnt actually necessary. All you need do is right click the Command prompt entry on the Programs menu and choose to Run as administrator. Then issue the commands mentioned in my article.
That technique, however, is neither the one I use myself or the one I recommend others to use. Sure, it takes less time to complete, but Ive had quite a few people report to me that they havent been successful in following and using it. Activation has failed for them!
I use and recommend the dual install workaround instead. This technique has you installing the Trial install of Vista as before, and then running a second install from within Vista, this time using your product key when you do the install. The trial install of Vista is seen by the installer as an Upgrade path, and will let you proceed to perform a Custom clean install. This technique WORKS EVERY TIME. It is a foolproof method, and thus the one I recommend people to use.
Isnt it more time consuming, and is that really a Clean install?
Its easy enough to pooh-pooh the dual-install method on the basis that it takes longer. But it really doesnt take up any more than a few minutes of your time! Forget the old assumptions that applied to earlier Windows versions. Vista is DIFFERENT!
The install routine is much more like an unattended install than ever before, for starters. Theres a small amount of user input required right at the start of the install. Theres a little bit of user interaction required right at the end of the install. In between, you can wander off and do whatever you like. You wont come back to the machine only to find that the install has stalled half-way through waiting for user input! Its a big improvement.
You can also ditch the old assumption that a Clean install necessarily has to be a format/fresh install process. Vistas Custom install provides absolute stability when run to a partition where a Windows installation already exists. It bundles all the stuff there into a windows.old folder, which can be removed later with Disk Cleanup if you wish.
The legal Concerns
I dont want to tie the thread up with endless ridiculous arguments. IT IS NOT ILLEGAL TO USE A WORKAROUND TECHNIQUE TO CLEAN INSTALL YOUR SYSTEM!
To remain legal when deploying a Windows Upgrade package, you MUST be replacing an existing qualifying license. Your license is a contract or agreement. It is not the actual disk, it is not the actual installation. Your license is represented by your legitimate product key code, your COA sticker, and your use of the legitimate key code to legitimate and activate your Windows installation.
In large part, legality depends upon the honour system:
- You must own a legitimate qualifying Windows license in order to be eligible to use an Upgrade product.
- You must discontinue the use of that pre-existing license after you deploy the Vista Upgrade license.
Thats it, in a nutshell. It is one thing to use a workaround as a method for putting a clean install on the primary drive/partition in your system, rather than running an actual upgrade over an earlier installation. Thats fair enough. So is installing Vista as a dual-boot, side by side with your existing qualifying installation to enable you to access and use both whilst you are making the transition from one OS platform to the next. But using these techniques as a cheap way of getting Vista, or using them as a means to continue using your qualifying license, on an ongoing basis or on a different machine, is another matter entirely. Thats illegal! Dont kid yourself that you can have clear conscience if you do that!
Anyways, enough rant. On with the technique itself! There are countless guides already available, of course, but none cover the details about avoiding the various traps and pitfalls you might encounter. Thisn is the best youll ever read!