News No more clean installs for Vista upgraders

Last time I checked, Quake 4 just ran like crap.

 

They didn't change the definition of upgrade, they just tightened up some of their rules a little bit.

 

Progress? I think not. T'is more like regress

 

Well at least it allows you to format the drive - having to do an install-on-top and having legacy stuff lying round would be very messy.

 

I agree that that should be enough since that's really all you'd be needing to do with the XP install anyway.

And there we have it - the old evil Macro$loth is back (for a while they seemed almost human).

 

clean installations

how does this all fit in then?

ive got xp pro, ive bought the upgrade version of vista home premium. says there i can do a clean install. so can i or cant i?

 

You can do a "clean install" (i.e. Vista setup wipes your activated copy of Windows XP and then installs fresh) but you can't do a clean install with a completely blank hard drive in the way that you could before (via Windows Setup)

 

Including the OEM rules. They've apparently closed the loophole about 'system critical components', and now you can only legally buy an OEM copy if it comes preinstalled on a full PC. Just depends if Microsoft want to stop anyone from selling it...

EDIT: They did that a while ago though and haven't done anything about it yet...will have to see what they do with Vista.

 

i don't understand why anyone wants to move away

the only benefit of vista to me as i see it, DX10 - that's it, i wouldn't consider upgrading if it wasn't for the fact i cant run DX10 in XP, even then I'm waiting as long as i possibly can

Hopefully wine will get DX10 support, then i can give MS the good old 2 finger salute

 

The default MS WDDM drivers don't work with Opengl well (Because it goes via directx) but nvidia and ati drivers work with it just fine.

Plus, why the hell do you need Vista ultimate for school? Just get Home Premium OEM.

 

On an ironic side note, I clicked stumbleupon to leave this page and it served me up with this:



subliminal message or sheer fluke?

 

Well, thats an extra hour or so of absolute pointless crap, just what you want

 

The new 'clean install' process is messy, but the biggest danger is anyone buying the retail Vista Upgrade to install over their legally-obtained XP OEM may find it difficult in a year or so when they've advanced to a new motherboard (and almost certainly new processor and memory to suit it). The agreement that OEM versions are for the life of the original system's motherboard would mean your XP OEM won't activate and your Upgrade Vista DVD becomes a coaster.

A pity, but should MS sit back and ignore all the bragging posted on the internet from those abusing the system? They've taken a more draconian step, no more borrowing a qualifier to stick in the drive for a few seconds.

It's not a case of "you could enter the old product key". The qualifier must validate.

 

This will only encourage piracy. People who in the past would have purchased an OEM or upgrade disc will instead download it from a torrent. Congratulations, MS, you just shot yourelves in the foot.\

And speaking of feet, here's a footnote. I went to linux to avoid Vista and I feel better and better about that decision every day!

 

This is incorrect and based on old licencing rules...

You can purchase an OEM System Builder Pack pretty much anywhere and the only real requirement is that you stick the key on the outside of the box and provide your own tech support... Technically you should be a registered Microsoft System Builder to do this.

Basically, Vista OEM comes in a brown box with a system builders licence on the outside (which is what you'll buy online). Once you've opened the box, you can't sell it on as you are required to sell the contents (e.g. Vista) pre-installed on a new or refurbished PC. If you are not selling it on, you are quite entitled to build your own PC with this copy. In fact, this was one of the reasons for the licencing changes (to allow home users access to OEM).

 

Cthippo, you're sounding very lucky now.. (trying to make a full Linux move over, but gaming causes me to stay dual booting.. the GIMP is awesome though)

Is it just me or is MS shooting itself in the foot in the enthusiast market so that they can have their precious simpleton market of people who just bought a C2D setup PC with XP and now will buy a new PC with the same specs, having Vista? I just want XP with DX10! Why do you hate us Microsoft?!

 

We are MS's cash cows <_< why not trample over the people who are most likely to help everyone else in the world with your cruddy OS

 

http://www.dilbert.com/comics/dilbert/archive/dilbert-20070125.html

 

OK, some days I'm a little dense. Please explain why it's impossible for MS to write an installer that could check the version of XP on the old install disk then reference the key against that and their lists of active and pirated keys. I suppose they'd also have to generate a hash based on the hardware and that might require the correct drivers (maybe I just answered my own question) but - as you said, this is all a little draconian.

 

Ok, now here's a question. If i have a retail version of windows XP (FPP not OEM), which if i understand right can be reinstalled if I upgrade my motherboard without problem. So therefore combined with an upgrade version of vista i should be able to install it again on a new motherboard if I upgrade, correct? Or does the upgrade version have OEM-like licencing rules?