Anytime Upgrade unavailable?

Yesterday and today, I've been unable to get to the Anytime Upgrade site from
the Windows Anytime Upgrade control panel item. I'm taken to a web page that
tells me WAU isn't currently available for my country/region. And that's it,
no more info.

BTW-- I'm in the United States!

"Joe" <Joe@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news458664F-A729-497B-AEDD-1DE4861056DD@microsoft.com...
> Yesterday and today, I've been unable to get to the Anytime Upgrade site
> from
> the Windows Anytime Upgrade control panel item. I'm taken to a web page
> that
> tells me WAU isn't currently available for my country/region. And that's
> it,
> no more info.
>
> BTW-- I'm in the United States!



Just my opinion that at this point in time, Anytime Upgrade isn't ready
(kind of like drivers for Vista...)

I did the upgrade to Ultimate and it did work, but nothing like I thought it
would, and it did not accept the "automated key" (you don't see it) that it
should have (lots of time on hold with an "activation center" somewhere
around the globe, and now I don't even know what I've got when it comes
time to move to a new computer. Microsoft cannot answer any questions about
this, either. I asked if I'd have problems moving to a new machine (full
version of Home Premium) and was told to call the "activation center FIRST"
before attempting to access my digital locker to bring it up to Ultimate. I
also asked about the EULA in the Anytime Upgrade which seems to indicate
that - ta-da - you can move the OS one time, just as stupid as the EULA for
Vista was said to be in the weeks before release.

Never before have I seen so much a lack of ability to answer some
questions - that is once you get through, placed on hold, etc.

Today - no word from anyone at Microsoft. I was told "things will get
better" and things like "we can't answer any of your questions but be
happy."

Right now it looks like the act of "anytime upgrade" of a full version of
Vista.* to Ultimate results in a crippled EULA that is not acceptable since
it looks like the "one move only" model - then I don't know legally if you
wanted to move it again, would it be OK since it started as a full version
of Home Premium, or would Microsoft (or more like some MVP's) start trotting
out the line about the Home Premium Full version being "subsumed" into the
upgrade to Ultimate, hence both are now worthless should I ever move from
this PC (soon I hope) to a third two years down the line?

They cannot answer any questions related to this. I urge caution.

Bill Halvorsen

I hear you. I didn't expect the process to be fun or easy, but, I expected it
to be... _available_, or if not, I expected to be told why! I even threw a
note out to the Windows Ultimate blog and got a (rapid) response saying
they'd give the heads up to the folks at WAU. Nothing doing though.

Regarding license/OS portability: I thought that all Vista licenses are
"bend-over" licenses now (i.e., move the OS once or twice), so I'm not sure
why you're surprised that the situation remains the same after you upgrade?
This is a non-issue in my case because I'm upgrading a preinstalled OS,
which, as you know, can't be moved at all.


"Non-entity" wrote:

> "Joe" <Joe@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news458664F-A729-497B-AEDD-1DE4861056DD@microsoft.com...
> > Yesterday and today, I've been unable to get to the Anytime Upgrade site
> > from
> > the Windows Anytime Upgrade control panel item. I'm taken to a web page
> > that
> > tells me WAU isn't currently available for my country/region. And that's
> > it,
> > no more info.
> >
> > BTW-- I'm in the United States!
>
>
>
> Just my opinion that at this point in time, Anytime Upgrade isn't ready
> (kind of like drivers for Vista...)
>
> I did the upgrade to Ultimate and it did work, but nothing like I thought it
> would, and it did not accept the "automated key" (you don't see it) that it
> should have (lots of time on hold with an "activation center" somewhere
> around the globe, and now I don't even know what I've got when it comes
> time to move to a new computer. Microsoft cannot answer any questions about
> this, either. I asked if I'd have problems moving to a new machine (full
> version of Home Premium) and was told to call the "activation center FIRST"
> before attempting to access my digital locker to bring it up to Ultimate. I
> also asked about the EULA in the Anytime Upgrade which seems to indicate
> that - ta-da - you can move the OS one time, just as stupid as the EULA for
> Vista was said to be in the weeks before release.
>
> Never before have I seen so much a lack of ability to answer some
> questions - that is once you get through, placed on hold, etc.
>
> Today - no word from anyone at Microsoft. I was told "things will get
> better" and things like "we can't answer any of your questions but be
> happy."
>
> Right now it looks like the act of "anytime upgrade" of a full version of
> Vista.* to Ultimate results in a crippled EULA that is not acceptable since
> it looks like the "one move only" model - then I don't know legally if you
> wanted to move it again, would it be OK since it started as a full version
> of Home Premium, or would Microsoft (or more like some MVP's) start trotting
> out the line about the Home Premium Full version being "subsumed" into the
> upgrade to Ultimate, hence both are now worthless should I ever move from
> this PC (soon I hope) to a third two years down the line?
>
> They cannot answer any questions related to this. I urge caution.
>
> Bill Halvorsen
>
>

My initial purchase is a FULL VERSION, not an upgrade, and MS has
backtracked the EULA from what was originally the one move and it's all over
to move it when you need to, the language was changed in the EULA. Mine is
not a preinstalled OS, it is a full version of Vista, which is why I am
concerned in the long run. Now tied into the "anytime upgrade" that puts
the ripoff EULA right back into the equation. As long as they really do let
me move it to a new machine, perhaps soon, no problem - but right now there
seems to be little more than chaos when it comes to answering questions
about that with any certainty.


"Joe" <Joe@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:BEE500BE-987A-4672-97C9-09EC62E44ED5@microsoft.com...
>I hear you. I didn't expect the process to be fun or easy, but, I expected
>it
> to be... _available_, or if not, I expected to be told why! I even threw a
> note out to the Windows Ultimate blog and got a (rapid) response saying
> they'd give the heads up to the folks at WAU. Nothing doing though.
>
> Regarding license/OS portability: I thought that all Vista licenses are
> "bend-over" licenses now (i.e., move the OS once or twice), so I'm not
> sure
> why you're surprised that the situation remains the same after you
> upgrade?
> This is a non-issue in my case because I'm upgrading a preinstalled OS,
> which, as you know, can't be moved at all.
>
>
> "Non-entity" wrote:
>
>> "Joe" <Joe@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news458664F-A729-497B-AEDD-1DE4861056DD@microsoft.com...
>> > Yesterday and today, I've been unable to get to the Anytime Upgrade
>> > site
>> > from
>> > the Windows Anytime Upgrade control panel item. I'm taken to a web page
>> > that
>> > tells me WAU isn't currently available for my country/region. And
>> > that's
>> > it,
>> > no more info.
>> >
>> > BTW-- I'm in the United States!
>>
>>
>>
>> Just my opinion that at this point in time, Anytime Upgrade isn't ready
>> (kind of like drivers for Vista...)
>>
>> I did the upgrade to Ultimate and it did work, but nothing like I thought
>> it
>> would, and it did not accept the "automated key" (you don't see it) that
>> it
>> should have (lots of time on hold with an "activation center" somewhere
>> around the globe, and now I don't even know what I've got when it comes
>> time to move to a new computer. Microsoft cannot answer any questions
>> about
>> this, either. I asked if I'd have problems moving to a new machine (full
>> version of Home Premium) and was told to call the "activation center
>> FIRST"
>> before attempting to access my digital locker to bring it up to Ultimate.
>> I
>> also asked about the EULA in the Anytime Upgrade which seems to indicate
>> that - ta-da - you can move the OS one time, just as stupid as the EULA
>> for
>> Vista was said to be in the weeks before release.
>>
>> Never before have I seen so much a lack of ability to answer some
>> questions - that is once you get through, placed on hold, etc.
>>
>> Today - no word from anyone at Microsoft. I was told "things will get
>> better" and things like "we can't answer any of your questions but be
>> happy."
>>
>> Right now it looks like the act of "anytime upgrade" of a full version of
>> Vista.* to Ultimate results in a crippled EULA that is not acceptable
>> since
>> it looks like the "one move only" model - then I don't know legally if
>> you
>> wanted to move it again, would it be OK since it started as a full
>> version
>> of Home Premium, or would Microsoft (or more like some MVP's) start
>> trotting
>> out the line about the Home Premium Full version being "subsumed" into
>> the
>> upgrade to Ultimate, hence both are now worthless should I ever move from
>> this PC (soon I hope) to a third two years down the line?
>>
>> They cannot answer any questions related to this. I urge caution.
>>
>> Bill Halvorsen
>>
>>

OIC, yes I just read about that change. The post-WAU license issue is a big
one, too, since I imagine that's a big way MSFT is promoting Ultimate (uh,
provided the web site starts working again.)

Maybe it's down right now so they can quickly/quietly handle these and other
WAU problems. Probably not though.

I was going to subscribe to the Action Pack and WAU to Ultimate that way,
but, I definately will not if my final OS coming out of that isn't going to
be transferrable. I don't ever even bother to put on the case cover on my
main machine, so, I expect my OS not to flake out on me when I get a new
mobo....


"Non-entity" wrote:

> My initial purchase is a FULL VERSION, not an upgrade, and MS has
> backtracked the EULA from what was originally the one move and it's all over
> to move it when you need to, the language was changed in the EULA. Mine is
> not a preinstalled OS, it is a full version of Vista, which is why I am
> concerned in the long run. Now tied into the "anytime upgrade" that puts
> the ripoff EULA right back into the equation. As long as they really do let
> me move it to a new machine, perhaps soon, no problem - but right now there
> seems to be little more than chaos when it comes to answering questions
> about that with any certainty.
>
>
> "Joe" <Joe@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:BEE500BE-987A-4672-97C9-09EC62E44ED5@microsoft.com...
> >I hear you. I didn't expect the process to be fun or easy, but, I expected
> >it
> > to be... _available_, or if not, I expected to be told why! I even threw a
> > note out to the Windows Ultimate blog and got a (rapid) response saying
> > they'd give the heads up to the folks at WAU. Nothing doing though.
> >
> > Regarding license/OS portability: I thought that all Vista licenses are
> > "bend-over" licenses now (i.e., move the OS once or twice), so I'm not
> > sure
> > why you're surprised that the situation remains the same after you
> > upgrade?
> > This is a non-issue in my case because I'm upgrading a preinstalled OS,
> > which, as you know, can't be moved at all.
> >
> >
> > "Non-entity" wrote:
> >
> >> "Joe" <Joe@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> >> news458664F-A729-497B-AEDD-1DE4861056DD@microsoft.com...
> >> > Yesterday and today, I've been unable to get to the Anytime Upgrade
> >> > site
> >> > from
> >> > the Windows Anytime Upgrade control panel item. I'm taken to a web page
> >> > that
> >> > tells me WAU isn't currently available for my country/region. And
> >> > that's
> >> > it,
> >> > no more info.
> >> >
> >> > BTW-- I'm in the United States!
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> Just my opinion that at this point in time, Anytime Upgrade isn't ready
> >> (kind of like drivers for Vista...)
> >>
> >> I did the upgrade to Ultimate and it did work, but nothing like I thought
> >> it
> >> would, and it did not accept the "automated key" (you don't see it) that
> >> it
> >> should have (lots of time on hold with an "activation center" somewhere
> >> around the globe, and now I don't even know what I've got when it comes
> >> time to move to a new computer. Microsoft cannot answer any questions
> >> about
> >> this, either. I asked if I'd have problems moving to a new machine (full
> >> version of Home Premium) and was told to call the "activation center
> >> FIRST"
> >> before attempting to access my digital locker to bring it up to Ultimate.
> >> I
> >> also asked about the EULA in the Anytime Upgrade which seems to indicate
> >> that - ta-da - you can move the OS one time, just as stupid as the EULA
> >> for
> >> Vista was said to be in the weeks before release.
> >>
> >> Never before have I seen so much a lack of ability to answer some
> >> questions - that is once you get through, placed on hold, etc.
> >>
> >> Today - no word from anyone at Microsoft. I was told "things will get
> >> better" and things like "we can't answer any of your questions but be
> >> happy."
> >>
> >> Right now it looks like the act of "anytime upgrade" of a full version of
> >> Vista.* to Ultimate results in a crippled EULA that is not acceptable
> >> since
> >> it looks like the "one move only" model - then I don't know legally if
> >> you
> >> wanted to move it again, would it be OK since it started as a full
> >> version
> >> of Home Premium, or would Microsoft (or more like some MVP's) start
> >> trotting
> >> out the line about the Home Premium Full version being "subsumed" into
> >> the
> >> upgrade to Ultimate, hence both are now worthless should I ever move from
> >> this PC (soon I hope) to a third two years down the line?
> >>
> >> They cannot answer any questions related to this. I urge caution.
> >>
> >> Bill Halvorsen
> >>
> >>
>
>
>

According to Robert Williams of the Windows Ultimate blog, WAU is unavailable
(at least to -me-, he didn't say how widespread the issue is) because of a
system problem. I must say, I'm really impressed by how quickly he replied to
my message and followed up. (I didn't expect a reply at all, heh, I expected
my email to be added to the "angry, frustrated customers" pile and left to
gather dust.)



"Joe" wrote:

> Yesterday and today, I've been unable to get to the Anytime Upgrade site from
> the Windows Anytime Upgrade control panel item. I'm taken to a web page that
> tells me WAU isn't currently available for my country/region. And that's it,
> no more info.
>
> BTW-- I'm in the United States!

Could you provide the URL? It would be most interesting. When I did my
anytime upgrade it was not as streamlined as one would suppose; the first
email came back (this on an approved credit card transaction) saying it
could take 5 days for the order to go through. Fortunately it only took
about 2 hours (which is still curiously slow) and THEN required me to phone
in for activation as their magic key didn't work, but then didn't seem to
think??? that it would anyway. Right now, with Vista, Microsoft's Anytime
Upgrade, Full vs. Upgrade, and does the Ultimate upgrade to a full version
kill the full version if it's reinstalled w/o the ultimate - can it be done
with a reinstall - can't be answered. Just mush. Can they really be
serious about the EULA allowing for one move? It also appears to "subsume"
the license that allowed the product in the first place. To hell with that.
Support knows nothing, the anytime upgrade folks only available when THEY
deign to answer at THEIR speed, if ever, and no phone numbers provided.
Once again, to hell with it; it's a RIP. WHat if I want to move to another
computer? Exact steps to follow? Hours on the phone to "make sure
everything goes right." Then more "not sure" answers about (gasp) a second
move say, two years down the road.

This is truly the "information not available" operating system when it comes
to licensing and customer support.

Bill Halvorsen

"Joe" <Joe@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:A38939D5-64F5-47B5-A444-42E6B2FC9255@microsoft.com...
> According to Robert Williams of the Windows Ultimate blog, WAU is
> unavailable
> (at least to -me-, he didn't say how widespread the issue is) because of a
> system problem. I must say, I'm really impressed by how quickly he replied
> to
> my message and followed up. (I didn't expect a reply at all, heh, I
> expected
> my email to be added to the "angry, frustrated customers" pile and left to
> gather dust.)
>
>
>
> "Joe" wrote:
>
>> Yesterday and today, I've been unable to get to the Anytime Upgrade site
>> from
>> the Windows Anytime Upgrade control panel item. I'm taken to a web page
>> that
>> tells me WAU isn't currently available for my country/region. And that's
>> it,
>> no more info.
>>
>> BTW-- I'm in the United States!

The URL for the Ultimate blog? I don't have it handy, but it's like the first
or second link when you google Windows Ultimate. I don't imagine you'll get
information about the license there--- I wish they a way to contact someone
on the WAU team directly.

"Non-entity" wrote:

>
> Could you provide the URL? It would be most interesting. When I did my
> anytime upgrade it was not as streamlined as one would suppose; the first
> email came back (this on an approved credit card transaction) saying it
> could take 5 days for the order to go through. Fortunately it only took
> about 2 hours (which is still curiously slow) and THEN required me to phone
> in for activation as their magic key didn't work, but then didn't seem to
> think??? that it would anyway. Right now, with Vista, Microsoft's Anytime
> Upgrade, Full vs. Upgrade, and does the Ultimate upgrade to a full version
> kill the full version if it's reinstalled w/o the ultimate - can it be done
> with a reinstall - can't be answered. Just mush. Can they really be
> serious about the EULA allowing for one move? It also appears to "subsume"
> the license that allowed the product in the first place. To hell with that.
> Support knows nothing, the anytime upgrade folks only available when THEY
> deign to answer at THEIR speed, if ever, and no phone numbers provided.
> Once again, to hell with it; it's a RIP. WHat if I want to move to another
> computer? Exact steps to follow? Hours on the phone to "make sure
> everything goes right." Then more "not sure" answers about (gasp) a second
> move say, two years down the road.
>
> This is truly the "information not available" operating system when it comes
> to licensing and customer support.
>
> Bill Halvorsen
>
> "Joe" <Joe@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:A38939D5-64F5-47B5-A444-42E6B2FC9255@microsoft.com...
> > According to Robert Williams of the Windows Ultimate blog, WAU is
> > unavailable
> > (at least to -me-, he didn't say how widespread the issue is) because of a
> > system problem. I must say, I'm really impressed by how quickly he replied
> > to
> > my message and followed up. (I didn't expect a reply at all, heh, I
> > expected
> > my email to be added to the "angry, frustrated customers" pile and left to
> > gather dust.)
> >
> >
> >
> > "Joe" wrote:
> >
> >> Yesterday and today, I've been unable to get to the Anytime Upgrade site
> >> from
> >> the Windows Anytime Upgrade control panel item. I'm taken to a web page
> >> that
> >> tells me WAU isn't currently available for my country/region. And that's
> >> it,
> >> no more info.
> >>
> >> BTW-- I'm in the United States!
>
>
>

The three trouble spots I encountered:
1. The Control Panel link to Windows Anytime Upgrade did not link to
anything. To get there, I went to the MS website and searched for Windows
Anytime Upgrade and was able to perform the function correctly in this manner.

2. Windows Anytime Upgrade does not provide the User with a new Product Key.
This may worry some that reinstallation after fatal Hard Drive errors may
revert them back to the original version. But, MS assures us that our license
will be maintained forever in the Digital Locker for download providing a
means to upgrade to Ultimate again. Unfortunately, this means you would have
to install the original XP, 2000 or Vista as Home Premium without the Product
Key as Trial Software to get a clean install to work from your original
upgrade disk followed by a second install using the downloaded license.
Pretty cumbersome as I'd rather have to only install once as a recovery
measure. (But, of course, this is my fault for buying the cheaper model.)

3. The license you purchase will not show up in the Digital Locker for four
days after your purchase. So, if things go wrong on the install, you may be
stuck for a few days.

For the slightly savvy:
If you right-click the downloaded license file and open with Notepad, you
can simply scroll to the right a little ways and get your Product Key from
the file. This makes future installations easier.


"Joe" wrote:

> Yesterday and today, I've been unable to get to the Anytime Upgrade site from
> the Windows Anytime Upgrade control panel item. I'm taken to a web page that
> tells me WAU isn't currently available for my country/region. And that's it,
> no more info.
>
> BTW-- I'm in the United States!