whats up with reinstalling Vista

[groo]

I decided to rearange my HDDs to move my older ones to a secondary computer, and keep the big new on on my main machine. I got rid of my Raid0 (held Vista previously) to make a Raid1 on the new machine, and got rid of my older HDD to hold media files on the new machine (used the have XP).

with all this moving around I decided that this was a good time to do a clean install of Vista64.

The problem is that Vista is saying my key is invalid because it only works with a previous version of windows installed? It didn't say this before when I had a dual boot setup. so what do I do? install XP, then install Vista over it? doesn't sound clean to me. I don't want to dual boot it; both partitions have data on them I want to keep, and I was almost never using XP before and don't want to bother with the OS chaoice at startup.

between this, all the problems I've had getting XP MCE to install properly, and the hassles I've had with unfinished games I purchased, I'm starting to think the best way to go is use pirated software. its lots less hassle, and I get treated like a pirate even when I decide to do the "right" thing.

 

[Guest]

http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/winvista_upgrade_clean.asp

Grumpy

 

[groo]

Wow, what a pain in the a$$, guess I'll have to reinstall everything AGAIN.
piracy and Linux are looking better and better.

Thanks for the info, I was thinking of something similar, but it nice to know exactly how to proceed.

 

[Zoron]

Weren't you looking to do a clean install? Wouldn't that have necessitated the reinstallation of everything anyway? I fail to see the issue. You want to do a clean install, but you don't want to reinstall everything. That doesn't make a great deal of sense to me...

You always could use the upgrade disc to perform a clean install. I did a clean install over my RAID0 because there was no option to upgrade to 64-bit Vista from 32-bit XP. I put my product key in after Windows was installed and activated with absolutely no issues.

As for piracy... you get what you pay for. You always run the risk of viruses / trojans when you download illegally. As for Linux, yeah it's all right... but again, if you do a "clean" install, that usually means reinstalling everything... not just the OS.

 

[groo]

no, you cant do a clean install anymore. thats the whole point. you used to be ably to, but now you cant validate it if you do.

 

[Guest]

What are you whining about? You cheaped out and bought an upgrade disk. The link I posted is the closest you can get to a "clean install" with an upgrade.

Grumpy

 

[groo]

I'm whinning that they changed the rules after the fact.

Also, I didn't cheap out, I bought the only version of vista that
i could. I was "forced" into a build a 2 months before vista launched.

I tried RC2, but it wasn't compatible with something I was using (don't remember if it was hardware or software)

then they came out with the get XP now, get a free VISTA. to get the version of vista I wanted, I had to get XP MCE, an OS comperable to windows ME in my book. and let me telll you, there were lots of unidentified hoops to jump through once I actualy tried to get my "free" Vista. at the time they were also stating how Vista was going to be 32 or 64, your choice, but you cant realy upgrade from 32XP to 64 Vista can you? (without that trick that may be "fixed" soon too)

so, basicly I paid $145 for a realy comprimised version of Vista home premium

 

[Zoron]

Yes, you can do a clean install... just follow the instructions in Grumpy's link. I know it works because I have an Ultimate upgrade box and I did the exact same thing. Yes, you have to basically "install" the OS twice... but it works. Also, if you have 32-bit XP and install 64-bit Vista you'll have no choice but to do a clean install; since there is no upgrade path going from 32-bit to 64-bit.

DO NOT ENTER THE PRODUCT KEY DURING SETUP. Enter it after you have Windows installed.

 

[redneck_savant5]

I decided to rearange my HDDs to move my older ones to a secondary computer, and keep the big new on on my main machine. I got rid of my Raid0 (held Vista previously) to make a Raid1 on the new machine, and got rid of my older HDD to hold media files on the new machine (used the have XP).

with all this moving around I decided that this was a good time to do a clean install of Vista64.

The problem is that Vista is saying my key is invalid because it only works with a previous version of windows installed? It didn't say this before when I had a dual boot setup. so what do I do? install XP, then install Vista over it? doesn't sound clean to me. I don't want to dual boot it; both partitions have data on them I want to keep, and I was almost never using XP before and don't want to bother with the OS chaoice at startup.

between this, all the problems I've had getting XP MCE to install properly, and the hassles I've had with unfinished games I purchased, I'm starting to think the best way to go is use pirated software. its lots less hassle, and I get treated like a pirate even when I decide to do the "right" thing.

Grumpy's link no longer works.

I'm wondering if your problem is related to the system validation software component in windows. I know that the 'builder edition' version of windows 7 becomes an invalid license if you change a system component. Let's say your HDD crashes and you have to install a new one, no problem - you had all your backup stuff, right? WRONG! Now you'll have to go buy a new edition of windows to reinstall it on your 'new' system.

Anyway I learned that the hard way. Try putting everything back the way it was before. If windows boots you could try displaying hidden files, backing up your license files on a dvd, then making your hardware changes and restoring them in a manner similar to what I found on this link:

http://www.mostiwant.com/blog/how-to-backup-and-restore-windows-7-oem-activation-licenseactivate-offline-on-reinstall/