How well does Vista upgrade from XP?

[woody]

Ok, so I got my vista disks (interestingly ramesys have split the DVD across 4 cds),

I got the code.

Should I try to upgrade my PC from XP? How well will currently installed software work after the upgrade? If I bought two licenses initially, (I purchased them from ramesys under the volume license agreement) is there a limit to how many times I can install with the product key, or is it like XP where basically you are trusted to purchase the number of licenses you plan to use, but there are not actual restrictions on installs.

BTW I ask this because I want to install on test machines, but afterward I will probably wipe them. I don't necessarily want vista to stay on them.

[Geoff]

I'm a veteran of two failed upgrades. I suggest you start from scratch. Even if it does work you end up with the odd hangover. A clean system is much more pleasant to use.

[Netman]

Worked well on my workstation - only software problems were acrobat 6 standard, ab tutor control (solved in update) and I still can't run AD Users and Computers (won't open snap-in).. in fairness, haven't even tried to fix the last one yet... pretty much everything runs after the upgrade.

Depends which type of licence key you have... but if you're not doing the local licence activation then MS have a record of how many Vista licences you hold and count them off as you activate them. Surely you won't need to activate for testing puposes though?

<edit> Only do it with a good backup in place as there is NO rollback afterwards!</edit>

[srochford]

http://www.petri.co.il/running_win_2..._vista_rtm.htm gives details of how to use the admin tools on Vista - there won't be a "proper" release until Longhorn ships.

Steve

[john]

Hmmm, I have had them working no problems on my Vista rig without modifications. MS would not let that go through as they are designed to be used with Server 2000 and 2003 so thats not right. I will do some digging....

[anthrax69]

its better to "fresh" install than upgrade. its more of psychological factor.... hahaha! 8)

[Gatt]

I tend to agree with a fresh install - take just under an Hour
An upgrade, however, takes almost 3 hour!!

[mrforgetful]

Ok, so I got my vista disks (interestingly ramesys have split the DVD across 4 cds),

Is this been standard practice for Vista from Ramesys?

I may well look at moving my School Agreement to another company if this is the case. It's bad enough them making us pay for media that they download for free nevermind then making it even more shoddy and useless. 'Oh I'll leave my Vista installing and go do something, damn I can't I have to be here to swap disks'

[Chris]

I did upgrade from XP pro, worked fine, i agree i was fed up with disk swaps, i took 2 hours, i didnt lose any softwares or settings at all

i will recommend upgrade just to save time,

one issue norton antivirus enterprise edition is not compatible

[gwendes]

I'd be steering well clear from CD swapping anyway - make and image and then let ghost work it's magic! Can the CDs be converted into a DVD?
Has anyone else found that integral software has problems?

[mrforgetful]

Surely that's not the point! Why, when I'm paying £20 for media, should I have to spend my own time, and use my own DVD, to make media I can use?

[DMcCoy]

VLK media is usually an additional cost, with a schools agreement you get the current set of discs when it starts but thats all (you do get to download the ISO images from MS licensing site though :P).

[gwendes]

I suppose they did it to be helpful really- not many schools are decked out with DVD drives in every room. You'll probably end up with a decent layer of DVDs and CDs anyway. I've got an XP everywhere I look!

[mrforgetful]

VLK media is usually an additional cost, with a schools agreement you get the current set of discs when it starts but thats all (you do get to download the ISO images from MS licensing site though :P).

Not through Ramesys you don't, they won't alllow it because (presumably) of how they've set up their account.

So, do you mean I should be receiving some disks and a key for Vista some time soon?

[AlexB]

I get our volume licensing from Insight. When I signed up I was sent every CD/DVD possible to buy a license for and 4 pretty cases for them to go in direct from Microsoft. This year when I renewed the agreement they sent the same stuff out again and throughout the year I receive new CD/DVDs as they release updates... Its a lot damn better than the more expensive licenses I bought from County b4 and the £25 per disc I wanted!