Dual Boot Vista Upgrade Invalidates XP on separate Partition?

The Title about says it all. I downloaded what was supposedly a Vista Upgrade ISO from an entirely legal source and tried installing it on a separate parition than my XP Pro install in an attempt to set up a dual boot. I didn't expect it to work, but it did and now both Vista and XP run fine, I can do updates on both as well. My question is, how did Vista install if it was truly just an upgrade? Can a Vista Upgrade devalidate an XP license that is on a separate partition? Personally, I very much doubt that, but I can't think of another explanation except that the ISO that I downloaded wasn't actually an upgrade. Any thoughts?

 

Do you also have a valid, legal _Vista license in addition to your XP license?

 

The concern you have and the fact that you stated you didn't think it would work and that the updates work as well suggest you are not honestly using a legit copy.

 

Using a Vista upgrade license, rather than a full retail license, demands that you surrender your XP license. So its invalidation is not surprising, it is expected.

Additionally, downloading (potentially cracked or unsafe installs) Vista ISO is illegal and it is copyright infringement.

 

First, it is a legal copy of Windows Vista that I obtained from a University that I attend. Furthermore, if I were pursuing Vista in an illegal fashion it wouldn't make any sense for me to get an upgrade version when I could as easily get a full install. So any further speculation on the legality of what I'm doing is beside the point. I realize that upgrading an XP install with a Vista upgrade invalidates the license. However, the Vista upgrade was on a seperate partition then XP exists on and currently I am running both operating systems. As I said, I am also able to update both operating systems. My suspicion is that my University is offering full install software but is what disguising it as an upgrade. I do not know why they would do this but it is the only explanation tha I can think of unless Vista devalidated my XP key or upgraded off of XP across the partition. Could you please offer your opinions on this?

 

It could've been a full install OS and not an upgrade. You said you downloaded the ISO? Didn't the University sell you a disc with a student discount? Or does your department provide you with a free copy. Anyways, a separate partition is just that. Each partition is a separate OS and it only upgrades that particular partition.

 

The ISO makes me suspicious, but if he is a student, then it is perfectly reasonable to assume it wouldn't invalidate his XP license, as most software you buy with a student discount is bought with a volume license by the university.

For example, I bought my copy of Office 2007 for $29 at my university but it is registered to the school. When I graduate, the license is transferred me (at least that's what I was told ).

 

Volume licensing for education gets a discount but once you buy it it's technically yours and doesn't belong to the institution in which you bought it from. The school in essence is a low price software store. Each software has a different activation code.

 

It had to be a Full install disc. You must run Upgrade within Windows or boot PC from disc and point to towards the XP partition/it will detect it otherwise it won't work.