Vista Upgrade Requires XP Be Installed

Article at Ars Technica

Does this mean our upgrade discs won't allow us to do a clean install or does it mean we will have to have XP on the system and then we can do a clean install on a different drive or directory?

Either way, it's going to suck when I decide to format my drive and re-install Vista. I guess I'll have to make a small XP ghost and copy that over before installing the Vista upgrade. I bet it would be easier to just find a Vista Activation "work-around."

 

As long as it does a real clean install (format and everything) I really don't care. Don't forget that the OEM (non-upgrade but the real thing) are about 1/2 the price as retail as well.

 

If it is only an upgrade disc, you can only install vista if you already have xp installed. You will not be able to do a clean install or install to a different directory. Since it is an express upgrade, I am leaning towards the disc being an upgrade only disc. That would mean if you are using vista and you have problems in the future where you needed to format and reinstall, you would have to format, install xp, and then upgrade that to vista. In my opinion that really sucks. I guess you will really only know when you actually recieve your disc.

 

Well Ars has posted an article describing a workaround to the upgrade limitation.

Apparently, you can get around it by installing Vista twice. The first time, you don't put in your key. When you load Vista the first time (in a limited mode) you install Vista again from inside Vista! Sounds stupid, but it might be better than installing XP and Vista.

The OEM version sounds like it might not be a bad idea. Ultimate is still like $200 though. I have a feeling XP will still be running on the majority of my computers for the foreseeable future.