Wednesday, January 31st 2007

Clean Install Workaround for Vista

by
Jimmy 2004
 Discuss (17 Comments)
You may remember this news story on techPowerUp! a couple of days ago relating to the lack of clean installs when using the Upgrade Editions of Vista, which required an old OS to be installed. However, Paul Thurrott has managed to find a workaround for this issue, which ironically lets users do a clean install Vista without any previous version of Windows, albeit a little tedious. Here are the steps:
  • Boot from the Windows Vista Upgrade DVD as normal
  • When prompted for a product code, leave this blank
  • Select the version of Vista you have purchased and let Vista install
  • When you boot to your desktop for the first time, run the Vista setup from Windows
  • This time enter your product key
  • When asked whether you want to do an Upgrade of Custom install, select custom and choose a clean install
  • Windows will now install for a second time and you should be able to activate it
Remember, these steps are only advised for use in order to achieve a clean install of Vista, it is only legal to use the upgrade editions if you have previously purchased the appropriate version of Windows.
Source: DailyTech

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17 Comments on Clean Install Workaround for Vista

#2
Sasqui
EviLZeDhaha thats great
Totally! I wonder when the Upgrade slip-strem discs are coming out to prevent that? No doubt SP1 discs will.
Posted on Reply
#3
EviLZeD
yea microsoft would definatley stop this in sp1
Posted on Reply
#4
overcast
Still need to install the OS twice. But it saves you from buying the full Retail , when you can just buy the upgrade retail. This will be fixed for sure.
Posted on Reply
#5
newtekie1
Semi-Retired Folder
Yeah, this will be fixed rather quickly I assume.

OEM versions FTW!!!!11!
Posted on Reply
#6
overcast
I'm really itching to get Vista going, but I think I should wait until I get new hardware before installing the OEM. I wish I knew how my opteron @ 2.7ghz will perform in a year regarding games. There's always conflicting results regarding CPU's holding back GPU's.
Posted on Reply
#7
RickyG512
i dont know why oem is so famous if it only alows it to be installed on one machine or is their now a way around that
Posted on Reply
#8
Jimmy 2004
RickyG512i dont know why oem is so famous if it only alows it to be installed on one machine or is their now a way around that
Much cheaper. If you only plan to use one or two PCs during the reign of Vista then it will be cheaper. As long as the motherboard is the same I think you can get away with it.
Posted on Reply
#9
Thermopylae_480
RickyG512i dont know why oem is so famous if it only alows it to be installed on one machine or is their now a way around that
Any way around it would not be legal. There may be a way, but you'll have to find it yourself, you can't ask here ;) .

I believe it is licensed to a single motherboard, and changing motherboards, by their definition, results in a "new" computer.
Posted on Reply
#10
newtekie1
Semi-Retired Folder
RickyG512i dont know why oem is so famous if it only alows it to be installed on one machine or is their now a way around that
Because it is a lot cheaper, usually half the price or less compared to the full retail version.
Posted on Reply
#11
Frogger
thanks jimmy will be using this for sure this week.. F
Posted on Reply
#12
EviLZeD
windows xp lists alot of hardware details wen i reinstalled windows using a raid 0 config i had to reactivate it my cd key wasnt working said i had to phone did so and got it working
Posted on Reply
#13
Easy Rhino
Linux Advocate
haha this is such an easy work around. i love you bill gates and microsoft but you are idiots. its like a last minute step they took to save money. so sorry.
Posted on Reply
#14
WarEagleAU
Bird of Prey
There is always somebody smarter...
Posted on Reply
#15
hotrippr
RickyG512i dont know why oem is so famous if it only alows it to be installed on one machine or is their now a way around that
They will allow, you just will have to phone them up and tell them "no" when they ask if you are still running vista on another machine. Retail will allow multiple reinstalls without jumping through the hoops.
I believe an article that was here or at theinquirer put oem to the test on 3 or 4 totally different machines, each time he had to call MS to de/activate it. If anyone has the original link please post it, I cant find it.
Either way it is up to MS if they will reactivate or not. I wonder if retail "upgrade" will reactivate like retail or over the phone like oem?
Posted on Reply
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