A Smartass Education

Ok so Microsoft decided to screw it’s customer’s over on the upgrade versions of windows vista. They figured that unlike previous OS’s they have released, this time they would NOT allow you to do a clean install with it. The ONLY way to you can do the actual upgrade is to first install XP and get it working before you install Vista. Well this presents many problems.

Clean installs are ALWAYS better, and not only that but if you bought an upgrade you can’t upgrade good versions of XP. to reasonably priced versions of Vista. See if you own Windows XP Pro and you go out and but Windows Vista Home Premium, it will not let you upgrade, and there is no way the store you bought it from will take it back.

So here’s the solution.

1. Back up your stuff
2. Erase your drive (or make new partition)
3. Install Windows Vista Upgrade WITHOUT A SERIAL # (it’s easy to do, just tell the install you will enter it later)
4. DO NOT TRY TO ACTIVATE
5. Restart computer, now reinstall Vista using your upgrade serial #

Trust me, this is a MUCH better solution than trying to upgrade it or return it.