What to install over RC2

I've been in the Vista beta program for several months and have run all
successive beta versions of Vista as my only operating system. Presently the
version is RC2. When I install the RTM version of Vista (I understand that I
need to install the Ultimate version) is it possible to upgrade over RC2 - or
do I need to do a clean install? Second question - If I need to do a clean
install does that mean I have to buy the full version of Ultimate or can I do
a clean install from the upgrade version of Vista Ultimate?
Thanks, Bill S.

It would not be a very good idea to attempt to upgrade
from a beta version of Vista since it contains all beta
programming code. Since beta versions of Vista do
not qualify for using an upgrade version of Vista anyhow,
you'll need to purchase a "Full License" of any version
of Windows Vista and perform a "clean install".

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows - Shell/User

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Bill S" wrote:

I've been in the Vista beta program for several months and have run all
successive beta versions of Vista as my only operating system. Presently the
version is RC2. When I install the RTM version of Vista (I understand that I
need to install the Ultimate version) is it possible to upgrade over RC2 - or
do I need to do a clean install? Second question - If I need to do a clean
install does that mean I have to buy the full version of Ultimate or can I do
a clean install from the upgrade version of Vista Ultimate?
Thanks, Bill S.

You would need a full install disk to do a clean install. RC2 isn't
considered an upgrade option, as XP and 2000 is.


Dustin Harper
dharper@vistarip.com
http://www.vistarip.com



Bill S wrote:
> I've been in the Vista beta program for several months and have run all
> successive beta versions of Vista as my only operating system. Presently the
> version is RC2. When I install the RTM version of Vista (I understand that I
> need to install the Ultimate version) is it possible to upgrade over RC2 - or
> do I need to do a clean install? Second question - If I need to do a clean
> install does that mean I have to buy the full version of Ultimate or can I do
> a clean install from the upgrade version of Vista Ultimate?
> Thanks, Bill S.

Carey,

There is not one piece of code left-over from a previous
OS, and that is the word straight from Microsoft.
*ALL* Vista installs are *clean* installs in terms
of the OS. The process that is used is really no
different than if Acronis True Image was used to
restore a system or CompletePC Backup. An image
is "put down"- Block copying instead of file copying.

Now, what can cause a user problems are the programs
that get imported back into that install when doing an
in place upgrade.


-Michael

"Carey Frisch [MVP]" <cnfrisch@nospamgmail.com> wrote in message
news:AD2E1F96-FC73-486F-958D-10858BD06FC0@microsoft.com...
> It would not be a very good idea to attempt to upgrade
> from a beta version of Vista since it contains all beta
> programming code. Since beta versions of Vista do
> not qualify for using an upgrade version of Vista anyhow,
> you'll need to purchase a "Full License" of any version
> of Windows Vista and perform a "clean install".
>
> --
> Carey Frisch
> Microsoft MVP
> Windows - Shell/User
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> "Bill S" wrote:
>
> I've been in the Vista beta program for several months and have run all
> successive beta versions of Vista as my only operating system. Presently the
> version is RC2. When I install the RTM version of Vista (I understand that I
> need to install the Ultimate version) is it possible to upgrade over RC2 - or
> do I need to do a clean install? Second question - If I need to do a clean
> install does that mean I have to buy the full version of Ultimate or can I do
> a clean install from the upgrade version of Vista Ultimate?
> Thanks, Bill S.

"Bill S" <BillS@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote

> I've been in the Vista beta program for several months and have run all
> successive beta versions of Vista as my only operating system. Presently
> the
> version is RC2. When I install the RTM version of Vista (I understand
> that I
> need to install the Ultimate version) is it possible to upgrade over RC2 -
> or
> do I need to do a clean install? Second question - If I need to do a
> clean
> install does that mean I have to buy the full version of Ultimate or can I
> do
> a clean install from the upgrade version of Vista Ultimate?

To do an inplace upgrade from RC2 to Vista, you need the full Ultimate
version. RC2 is Ultimate but it is not a qualifying OS for the purposes of
using an upgrade edition.

--
Rock [MVP - User/Shell]