[Courtneyc]

Since Monday, I have been trying to upgrade my installed and activated copy of Vista Home Edition to Vista Ultimate. I have tried 6 times.

I have uninstalled all software that the Windows Vista Advisor had a question with. The Advisor has absolutely no problems with my system running Ultimate.

Yet, everytime I follow the Anytime Upgrade program, it quits at "Completing the upgrade" (to include changing my screen to the proper resolution) and rolls back to Home Edition.

I am at my wit's end. Does anyone know of any way to upgrade this puppy even if it includes starting from the beginning? Also, does anyone know if using the product key that is in the XML file will work without installing Home, then Ultimate?

Thanks.

Craig


Windows Vista Home Premium (with $170 Ultimate Anytime Upgrade)
AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+
4GB RAM
Nvidia 8800 GTS
120GB available on C: Drive

[DaveA]

I assume you went up to Microsoft and paid your money and they sent you a NEW key code for the Ultimate version?

[Courtneyc]

Actually, when you do the Anytime Upgrade (after paying $170.41 and waiting 5 days), they send you an email that directs you to download a file. The file is called WindowsAnytimeUpgrade.slupkg-ms, but it's really an XML file that starts the upgrade process. If you have a retail version of Vista (I do) which includes the Anytime Upgrade program (you can check that on the front of the DVD), it uses the downloaded file with the program on the DVD to upgrade you. You don't actually enter a key. The program enters it for you since you have already licensed both versions.

I have the file now (and it's stored in my Digital Locker). My problem is the upgrade itself. It seems to work perfectly until just before the upgrade completes. I was hoping that someone has done this before and knew a shortcut that eliminates this problem.

Right now, it appears that the only way for me to do this is to wipe and reinstall. But, that kinda eliminates the whole purpose of the Anytime Upgrade in the first place.

Courtney sends....

P.S. I am using a fully licensed and activated version of Vista Home Premium and the Upgrade Advisor detects no problems with my system for either hardware or software, and Microsoft recommends Vista Ultimate.

[ineedhelp890]

If you can find the correct product key for ultimate edition anywhere in the upgrade package than you can do a fresh install with the anytime upgrade disk.

[Courtneyc]

Actually, you can't. The file they send you will only upgrade Vista HP to Vista Ultimate. It will not work if you try to directly upgrade to Ultimate (either upgrading over itself, or upgrading from another system).

In any event, when I tried to wipe and upgrade just using the Vista Disc, I ran into the same problem. Microsoft is aware of the problem, but don't have a solution yet.

So, what I ended up doing is purchasing the full version of Ultimate ($400) and will use the HP and Ultimate upgrade when my wife is ready to upgrade her system.

So, right now, I have both a HP upgrade and an Ultimate upgrade.

Sigh....

Courtney sends....

[NYCLatinLefty]

Originally Posted by Courtneyc

Since Monday, I have been trying to upgrade my installed and activated copy of Vista Home Edition to Vista Ultimate. I have tried 6 times.

I have uninstalled all software that the Windows Vista Advisor had a question with. The Advisor has absolutely no problems with my system running Ultimate.

Yet, everytime I follow the Anytime Upgrade program, it quits at "Completing the upgrade" (to include changing my screen to the proper resolution) and rolls back to Home Edition.

I am at my wit's end. Does anyone know of any way to upgrade this puppy even if it includes starting from the beginning? Also, does anyone know if using the product key that is in the XML file will work without installing Home, then Ultimate?

Thanks.

Craig


Windows Vista Home Premium (with $170 Ultimate Anytime Upgrade)
AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+
4GB RAM
Nvidia 8800 GTS
120GB available on C: Drive

I had a similar problem. I was trying to upgrade from Vista Home Premium to Vista Ultimate and after going through the installation process the computer would reinstall the original OS (Home Premium).

Out of frustration and wasted time, I almost threw the disk out the window. I later found out a way to resolve this problem. You have to switch off the XPS Viewer and after the installation goes through switch it back on.

The way to do this is...
-- Go into "Control Panels"
-- Go into "Programs & Features"
-- Go into "Turn Windows Features On or OFF"
-- Click on the + sign next to Microsoft .NET Framework
-- Then click on the X next to "XPS Viewer" (making sure that the box has no X)
-- Then restart the computer and go through the installation process again.

After completing the Upgrade then just switch the XPS Viewer back on and restart the computer.

Good luck.

Lefty....

[tracer432]

i wish i knew a lot technically, but i have learned to trust my own resourcres and rely on help when i have to. i think you'll find help here. i just invested in an oem upgrade(costs less than half). you just made me proud of my decision to move ahead without all the bells and whistles.

[tracer432]

Originally Posted by NYCLatinLefty

I had a similar problem. I was trying to upgrade from Vista Home Premium to Vista Ultimate and after going through the installation process the computer would reinstall the original OS (Home Premium).

Out of frustration and wasted time, I almost threw the disk out the window. I later found out a way to resolve this problem. You have to switch off the XPS Viewer and after the installation goes through switch it back on.

The way to do this is...
-- Go into "Control Panels"
-- Go into "Programs & Features"
-- Go into "Turn Windows Features On or OFF"
-- Click on the + sign next to Microsoft .NET Framework
-- Then click on the X next to "XPS Viewer" (making sure that the box has no X)
-- Then restart the computer and go through the installation process again.

After completing the Upgrade then just switch the XPS Viewer back on and restart the computer.

Good luck.

Lefty....

Lefty, you just made my day when I read your post of Septemer 23 to Courtney. The XPS Viewer was changing all my documents. I cannot wait to clear that up. Thanks from Texas.

[jayanta pal]

i losse my vista product key , any body help now?