Upgrade version and still install Vista in a dual boot?

I already have an OEM copy of XP installed on a Dell Dimension 8400 and want to install Vista on a 40G partition to make sure everything (software and peripherals) works with Vista before I totally commit to Vista. I've seen instructions on the net (on CNET forums I think, also) for dual boots. It sounds straightforward, but it seems I'll have to purchase the full Vista version though. I think I will go OEM since I don't plan to change motherboards on my Dell. Also my processor is a Pentium 4 @ 3 GHZ, and I'm waiting to see how the Vista performance will be. I have 1G memory and an ATI 128MB video card which I plan to upgrade to 2G and 256MB, respectively, for Vista. I'll see how the performance is. If it isn't good I'll keep XP for a while till I can buy a new computer (a Dell probably). I plan to go with Home Premium. If anybody who reads this has any suggesstions or input on my plans I would appreciate it. Thanks for your posts already. Tom

Youd have to be a REAL clover to buy anything but an upgrade version. OEM is a nice pricepoint yes, however with vistas problems you are almost guaranteed to install and activate it more than once. If you enjoy calling india and having them give you a 27 character code in their accent then you go right ahead. That will be sometime after your 3 hour wait by the way. Full version, is nice but totally un-necessary. All the DVD's in the vista retail boxes ARE THE SAME!!! you are only buying a liscense for the version you want. You can install ANY VERSION off the dvd and USE IT FREE FOR 30 days!!! JUST DONT ENTER A CD KEY WHEN ASKED AND INSTALL A FULL VERSION OF THE UPGRADE YOU PURCHASED. Its that easy. Then when you installed the full version on your 2nd partition (with xp on your primary) vistas bootloader will take over and voila a dual boot using an upgrade. BE WARNED HOWEVER. There is NO WAY to install vista on a system with more than one physical hard drive. It will blue screen everytime. Only on a second partition. Thats hundred dollar advice right there.

1.) The advice was accurate...you cannot use an upgrader's license to perform a full installation without circumventing the process and breaking the law.

2.) If you skip entering a CD key, it is only a 30-day trial, which can be extended 3 times for a total of 120 days. After that you still must purchase Vista.

3.) I don't know what happened in your case, but you can install Vista with 2 separate physical drives...I've had it set up that way since Beta 1.

John

1 their loophole their problem

2 Already purchased the upgrade! You have a key to enter.

3 This aint the beta. Setup is different with the RTM version. You will not get through vistas setup by adding a second hd to your xp system and trying to install. Its that simple.

Re: #3: I've got XP and Vista Premium running on separate HDD's without any problems at all.

Thanks for the posts guys, since its a very important issue and I'm sure anyone who reads this thread will learn also. It looks like there's disagreement on the second hard drive though, but from the last post it sounds viable, although I just plan to use an empty partition on my hard drive for the install. No plans for a second hard drive until necessary. I already have a third partition for iamge backups, data backups, ISOs, etc., so I will be only using the 40G partition since I've read it is a minimum requirement. If you can install on less than 40G, please let me know, especially from someone who has done it. My Vista partition is only for the install, programs and some data also, so I don't know if I need quite 40G. Let me know. Thanks guys. Tom

...what you need. Those what you think are backups on the third partition are merely copies of files on the same HD. I would make copies of those files on a CD/DVD for them to be "backups".

1.) Their loophole, their problem and our problem. If you break the law by exploiting a weakness in Vista's preventative measures, you are responsible, not Microsoft. (You can't blame Brinks for the robbery because the safe was too easy to crack.)

2.) Q: An upgrade from what? A: From a previous, qualifying, legally purchased copy of Windows XP. Installing the free trial of Vista and then using an upgrader's product key to circumvent the intended upgrade process is illegal.

3.) I said I've been in that type of setup since Beta 1, meaning I have successfully done it with Beta 1 and the current RTM (build 6000) release, and everything in between.

John

1. Microsoft isnt going to find you because "you used setup incorrectly" . In the end you have a activated install of windows vista, just your means to get there was using a trial version of vista as your upgraded os.

2. I dont think you're getting this...You arent installing xp twice on different partitions. You install the trial then activate it with your key. Its that simple.

3. There is a chance that the interface is the difference here. Im not just making this up. Its well documented across the net that there IS a BIG problem installing vista as a dual boot on a 2nd (or multiple for that matter) drive OUTSIDE of a raid if its SATA. Sorry I assumed you were using newer technology. ALSO, im guessing you used 3rd party bootloader software? This is one way to get around the vista bootloader error.

In anycase, dual booting isnt that hard from the same disk using an upgrade version. My simple warning is that you have a pretty good chance of running into some trouble when using a 2nd hard drive without using 3rd party software to help the os's play nice together.

Jabronne...

2. I think John is correct here. The original poster wants to purchase the upgrade version of Vista. Because the license for the upgrade version requires it to be installed over a previously installed, legitimate copy of Windows, if he were to install the trial version on a new partition and then activate the upgrade, he'd be doing something illegal. The only way to install it legally would be to install a licensed copy of XP on a new partition, and then install the upgrade.

Phillip