InstantForum.NET v4.1.4Windows Vista Forumhttp://www.vistaforums.com/Forum/Admin@VistaForums.comThu, 20 Nov 2008 01:54:05 GMT20http://www.vistaforums.com/Forum/Topic11395-7-1.aspx\turned out ok I just ran the upgrade option from the DVD in Vista GUI, it took about 30 mins and everything came out fine, nothing messed up or missing, apart from it wiped out alll the updates so I had to download all of them again, but it didn't take long, looks like I was lucky this time, activation was ok had to phone up but got a code without any problems. so on this occasion thanks MS did me a favour.Wed, 31 Oct 2007 14:49:14 GMTcyclichttp://www.vistaforums.com/Forum/Topic11395-7-1.aspxA couple of months back I upgraded most of my components, well Mobo, CPU, RAM and graphics card which is pretty much a clean sweep, so I wrote a vbs script to rearm the slmgr after 29 days for 3 occasions simply because I installed my retail 'upgrade' on a bare drive and to save myself having to then go through the whole proceedure again to now upgrade from a trial installation, problem is I forgot and as part of the script was to disable activation notification I have clean forgotten about it until today, now I have 2 more days after today to do what I was too lazy to do in the first place (actually I was busy not really lazy and wanted my new setup burning in and testing....as you do !).<P>I have now used the full 120 day grace (oob..out of box) period and can't extend any more, I'm not sure though if I can just pop the DVD in and choose to upgrade after all the software and updates I've installed, I suppose in theory I should be able to but I have only ever done it before emmediately after the initial trial install. I suppose the only way to find out is to try it, it would be very useful not to have to reinstall allsorts of other software I buy and also activate all over again.</P><P>I tried activating automatically over the net but it tells me it's an upgrade copy and can't be activated as such, but the slmg -dli command (display license information) does say it's in initial trial period so hopefully it will allow an uprgrade from within Vista to Vista (what a stupid system), I just hope it keeps all my software and user settings I will export them using the 'windows easy transfer' wizard and will also have a full Acronis image to extract any files from.</P><P>Is it just me or is this a real pain in the bum, you bother to buy their software and yet you as a legit user are subject to all this activation crap whereas pirates for whom this is designed, crack it via a BIOS flash and never have to even use the word activation, it seems a tad unequitable to me.............ah well to work, now where did I put that Acronis image of the initial trial install ?Tue, 30 Oct 2007 06:05:16 GMTcyclic