BeHardware - News - January 31, 2007

The update to Windows Vista requires in theory to have a version of Windows 2000 or XP already installed, even if it was only previously necessary to place the original disc during the installation to install it on a new hard drive. For Windows XP, this procedure has been updated by Microsoft to check the authenticity of the XP license.

However, there is a workaround and a possibility to use an update of Vista as a complete version, which means without XP/2000 installed! To do so, you have to:

- Boot from the Windows Vista Upgrade DVD and start the setup program.
- When prompted to enter your product key, DO NOT enter it. Click "Next" and proceed with setup. This will install Windows Vista as a 30-day trial.
- When prompted, select the edition of Vista which you have purchased and continue with setup.
- Once setup has been completed and you have been brought to the desktop for the first time, run the install program from within Windows Vista.
- This time, type in your product key when prompted.
- When asked whether to perform an Upgrade or Custom (advanced) install, choose Custom (advanced) to perform a clean install of Vista.
- Once setup has completed for the second time, you should be able to activate Windows Vista normally.

Of course this method requires twice as much times as a standard installation, but it makes it possible, if you already own a licence of XP/2000 that is necessary to respect the update license contract, to install Vista on your computer without having those OS installed!