Clean Install Workaround for Vista

Jimmy 2004 · Jan 31, 2007

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.

View at TechPowerUp Main Site

EviLZeD · Jan 31, 2007

haha thats great

Sasqui · Jan 31, 2007

EviLZeD said:
haha thats great

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

EviLZeD · Jan 31, 2007

yea microsoft would definatley stop this in sp1

overcast · Jan 31, 2007

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 · Jan 31, 2007

Yeah, this will be fixed rather quickly I assume.

OEM versions FTW!!!!11!

overcast · Jan 31, 2007

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 · Jan 31, 2007

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 · Jan 31, 2007

RickyG512 said:
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 · Jan 31, 2007

RickyG512 said:
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 · Jan 31, 2007

RickyG512 said:
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 · Jan 31, 2007

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

EviLZeD · Jan 31, 2007

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 · Jan 31, 2007

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 · Jan 31, 2007

There is always somebody smarter...

hotrippr · Feb 5, 2007

RickyG512 said:
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 · Feb 5, 2007

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 · Feb 18, 2007

???

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

System Name	Jimmy 2004's PC
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System Name	Ez - 1st custom
Processor	AMD Phenom x3 8450
Motherboard	Asus m3a78-em
Cooling	thermaltake mini typhoon :D aerogate fan controller
Memory	6gb corsair xms 2 800mhz ddr2
Video Card(s)	xpertvision HD 4850 1GB ddr3 sonic 685/1000
Storage	Corsair 128gb SSD, 2x 250GB maxtor 16mb cache raid 0, 500gb 32mb cache storage
Display(s)	AMD surround view 2x e172fp 17" 1x dell e248wfp 24"
Case	coolermaster elite 330
Audio Device(s)	creative audigy se
Power Supply	hiper type r 580watt
Software	Windows 7 x64

Processor	AMD Opteron 165 @ 2.7ghz Stock Voltage
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Clean Install Workaround for Vista

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