Apparently you can use the Vista upgrade (the one to update XP or 2000) to install Vista on a blank hard drive. Ironically, it is pretty simple and doesn’t involves any cracks or anything. It is only slightly time consuming since you have to install Vista twice. This actually makes sense, since I’ve read that all versions of Vista are on the DVDs and it is the product key that makes the difference between which one is installed. I guess it isn’t too surprising though since old versions of Windows had similar installions bypasses (such as putting a MS Office CD in when it tries to recognize a Windows product).
Yeah, but who would want Vista?
I’m on it right now. So people like me.
Oh, and the hundreds of thousands of businesses that are being forced to upgrade to stay where microsoft will support them. Y’know. All those unimportant people and businesses.
e:
To address the issue at hand, there’s been a way to get around Vista’s activation etc. for a pretty long time now. All it needed was a cracked Key Management Server and VMWare workstation. Quick and painless 6 month activation that can be renewed whenever you want, given that you can edit a few values and type in the command line.
Not to mention you have a genuine product since the actual vista installation isn’t cracked or editted in any way.
It’s not stupid, it’s advanced.
Microsoft is going to be supporting XP for at least another five years. I personally am going to stay well away from Vista until at least their first Service Pack comes out, fixing a lot of the inevitable giant bugs.
Yes, but this method doesn’t involve any cracks doesn’t violate the EULA. Also, I ended up trying this since I had to clear my hard drive anyway (my RAID configuration started to fail, so I had to clear my hard drive and set it up again). My Windows is all activated and doesn’t have anything different from before. It also went surprisingly fast (I did it all in about 1 hour). Also, I was able to confirm when I did it that all versions of Vista are on the DVD, it is just the product key that determines which one is installed and why this method works. So unless MS changes things or “fixes” it, the non-upgrade versions is pointless to buy (unless you really don’t want to install Windows twice).
EDIT: I should mention that Vista is extremely unstable at this point though. I’ve seen the “Blue Screen of Death” twice for memory related problems within the last 2 days (and I have 2GBs of RAM). It also freezes fairly regularly for me (especially when I use Quicktime). Quicktime is a guaranteed crazh for me and the movies play like crap in it. My computer is fairly powerful, which is why the problems I attribute to Vista instead of a lack of requirments (hell, I can run every game so far with max settings easily).
Great. What I liked about XP is that they were more stable than every other non-NT version combined. I hope SP will fix some major shit concerning Vista’s stability.
Of course, but I’m pretty sure there’s a clause in the EULA that says “the upgrade is meant to upgrade not make a fresh install.” Not in so many words, but close enough.
I’ve had a few extremely minor problems with Vista, but thus far I’ve had nothing but smooth sailing. nVidia dropped the ball on video drivers but aside from that it’s been great gaming as well.
There is an option for a fresh install, but even then it is possible to “upgrade it.” Hell, if you feel so guilty, you could install the Vista Home Basic version and then do one of the other versions so that youa re still “upgrading” it. Besides cracks definitely void the EULA, this has a lot of hazy area (if any at all).
EDIT: Besides, the way that it installs on the system doesn’t leave any traces or hints of a work around. It’ll look just like a regular upgrade with a clean install.
Oh of course.
I’ve never used the upgrade version, so I wasn’t really sure. I thought it was just for upgrading, but hey, if there’s an option, awesome.
Yeah, in fact a clean install is the recommended option.
Interesting…
I don’t plan on upgrading my laptop though, seems like a rocky launch from what I’ve heard, and doesn’t really add anything that I need. I’m sure I’ll be forced to get it though whenever I get a new computer (which probably won’t be for a few years at least)
WOW! It is the myth, the man, the legend! Long time no see.