Workaround Discovered For "Clean Install" With Vista Upgrade DVDs

[dbarrow]

http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=5932

Microsoft internal documentation reveals workaround for Vista Upgrade DVDs with no need for a previous version of Windows ...
...Now, however, this workaround allows users to perform a “clean install.” The process is a bit tedious, but is not hard at all to complete. Users have to perform these simple steps to perform a clean install of Vista without a previous version of Windows installed with an upgrade DVD: ...
...There's no telling why Microsoft left this loophole wide open with Windows Vista Upgrade DVDs, but this means that any retail upgrade DVD can be used as a fully functioning full retail copy of Vista. ...

*Oops!
Run out and grab your update CD before they catch this big goof!

[Dudeking]

Well, mines coming in the post :)
I wasn't looking forward to having to upgrade, prefer clean install, always better :D

[PeteF]

Here's a more detailed article on using the upgrade versin of Vista to do
a clean install.

Excerpt...

Get Vista upgrade, never pay full price
By Brian Livingston

Many people are upset by the fact that the economical, "upgrade" version
of Vista won't accept a Windows XP or Windows 2000 CD-ROM as proof of
ownership. Vista Upgrade is said to install only to a hard disk that already
has XP or 2000 already on it.

But I've tested a method that allows you to clean-install the Vista upgrade
version on any hard drive, with no prior XP or W2K installation
— or even a CD — required.

http://windowssecrets.com/comp/070201#story1

---pete---

[kelly]

Pete - that's a keeper

[dbarrow]

http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2174211/microsoft-won-patch-vista
Microsoft ignores Vista upgrade loophole

"People without a licensed copy of XP that use this workaround are violating the terms of use agreed to when they purchased the upgrade version of Windows Vista," a Microsoft spokesman told vnunet.com.

"As such, we believe only a very small percentage of people will take the time to implement this workaround, and we encourage all customers to follow our official guidelines for upgrading to Windows Vista."

Microsoft added that it does not have any plans to disable the workaround at this time.

*Maybe because and upgrade is such a crapshoot that they will end up formatting their machine and doing a full install in the end ???