Re-using a Vista Upgrade licence

I hope with Windows 7, MS makes this whole OS thing more simpler...anyway

The Scenario: On my laptop, I have an OEM version of vista home premium and I am planning to buy the Vista Ultimate upgrade and upgrade my OS.

My question: If required, can I go back to the OEM version of Vista Home premium? If yes, can I then use the Vista Ultimate upgrade on my desktop?

Thanks for your answers...

Cheers,

 

As long as the Upgrade is not from the laptop vendor, you can install it on any machine provided it is installed only on ONE PC at a time.

 

Yeah you can upgrate, idk if your system supports that, and you cannot go back once you have upgrated, you will have to re-install it.

 

Why wouldn't his system support it? And support what?
Specs are fine, and any legal instal can be up(bloat)graded.

Regarding the "going back" - you have a point here. You cannot unistal the Upgrade, so you would have to use your recovery discs to wipe your laptops HDD and reinstal Home Premium from your recovery disc.

 

Wonder what you mean by (bloat)graded?

Cheers

 

Most people who upgrade to Ultimate don't need the few extra features that Vista Ultimate offers.

List a good reason why you want to "upgrade".

 

I'm still looking at various options to upgrade to 64bit OS cos I haven't been able to find a WAU 64 bit DVD or another installation DVD.

I might get the Ultimate upgrade for $60 through a friend (student offer) and this for the time being is my cheapest "legal" option to upgrade to a 64bit OS. There is no other compelling reason...

Cheers

 

If you already have a legal, either your vendor or Microsoft will supply you with the 64Bit disc.

I think prices of 10$ have floated through the forum...

By the way:
I hope you want to "upgrade" to 64Bit because there is a specific need for it.

Else its possibly a waste of money and time.

 

I haven't had any luck with the $10 discs in Europe...if someone does know of any sites/stores please let me know.

Also, I have considered the pro's and con's of upgrading to 64bit. Though not absolutely necessary, I am keen on trying it out and retain/roll back based on my experience with it.

 

Hi.

when you install vista, does it not record your computer specs acpi when you register, so if you try to install on a different computer with different motherboard it blocks you.

Is this correct or not.

John.

 

Hello Tinderbox,
I thought that were the OEM versions on XP from what I've read?

Vista - maybe, not 100% sure.

 

Note that you must fulfil the T&Cs of this 'student offer' (ie. be a student like your friend) else you won't be 'legal' taking it up. (You may be morally better than using a pirate copy but nevertheless you still won't be correctly licensed. IMO if you're going to pay then you might as well do it properly).

For example, it's real easy to buy academic/educational and various other versions of Microsoft software heavily discounted. However, it's only provided at a discount rate for those who are eligible, it is NOT a way for a general user to get a cheaper copy. An academic non-perpetual license will be seen by Microsoft as illegal if used by someone not entitled to purchase and use it in their own right (ie. non academics/students).

That's also why businesses can't buy 'Home and Student' versions of Office for ~£75 for 3 licenses rather than the full rate of ~£250 PER license!

 

AFAIK you are free to re-use an upgrade license as long as it is only used on the one computer and a qualifying product exists. Often this will entail speaking with Microsoft activation's line to manually get activated since automatic verification will usually fail.

EG. You have two computers running Windows XP Home and you purchase one Vista Home Premium Upgrade. You install it on one machine, leaving the other on XP. Later on, you decide you'd prefer it the other way around. Well, that's fine. Remove Vista from the current machine (there's no removal option so you'll need to wipe and reinstall just XP) and then re-use the upgrade on the second PC. This will likely require an activation phone call*.

[* Actually, not always, but it's too complicated to detail here the exact reasons why manual activation may/may be prompted for.]

 

Thanks for all your replies...