Clean Install Workaround for Vista

[Jimmy 2004]

You may remember this (http://forums.techpowerup.com/showthread.php?t=24549) 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 (http://www.dailytech.com/Workaround+Discovered+For+Clean+Install+With+Vista +Upgrade+DVDs/article5932.htm)

[EviLZeD]

haha thats great

[Sasqui]

haha thats great

Totally! I wonder when the Upgrade slip-strem discs are coming out to prevent that? No doubt SP1 discs will.

[EviLZeD]

yea microsoft would definatley stop this in sp1

[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.

[newtekie1]

Yeah, this will be fixed rather quickly I assume.

OEM versions FTW!!!!11!

[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.

[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

[Jimmy 2004]

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

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.

[Thermopylae_480]

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

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.

[newtekie1]

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

Because it is a lot cheaper, usually half the price or less compared to the full retail version.

[Frogger]

thanks jimmy will be using this for sure this week.. F

[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

[Easy Rhino]

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.

[WarEagleAU]

There is always somebody smarter...

[hotrippr]

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
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?

[hotrippr]

Edit
Found it
http://theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=37276
original story:
http://www.pcper.com/article.php?aid=352&type=expert&pid=4

[hotrippr]

Well it is not really a secret or considered a workaround for HOME PREMIUM if you have Xp PRo, it is a must. You can only upgrade if you have XP home, Vista HB, or MCE. If you have XP pro it forces you to do a clean install. At first I was like WTF! but then I read the small print on the back of my Vista Upgrade box.:slap:

Confirmed:http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsvista/buyorupgrade/upgradepaths.mspx