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Vista Forum Moderator
Group: Vista Forum Moderator
Last Login: Today @ 11:53:05 AM
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| My HP tablet PC has Vista Home Premium on it as the only Ultimate Edition that they offered was 64 bit and I really didn't like the 64 bit support of programs or hardware. I have a DVD with Vista Ultimate (don't ask where I got it...) and I would like to upgrade using that DVD as I am saving quite a few things now that have credit card information that belongs to my boss (as I save all records of purchases of computer parts for machines that I build) and I would like to encrypt this information. I would also like the full system backup option and the ability to join a domain so that I can use my computer to do work on the network (I am not allowed to join the domain yet with a computer that is connected to the internet as my boss doesn't want viruses on a business network). I want to know if any of the tablet functionality or any other devices that are included with the laptop might not work. I have never messed around with upgrading an operating system and would like a second opinion as I don't want to kill an $1800 machine. I do have the restore media though but I don't really want to use it.
My Computer:
Windows Vista Ultimate Edition-ASUS M3A32-MVP WiFi Edition-AMD Phenom 9600 2.3 GHz Black Edition-4 GB DDR2-1000 (@1066 MHz)-Ati Radeon 3870 HD 512 MB-Two 320 GB SATA II Harddrives in RAID 0-800 Watt Tagan BZ Series Modular PSU
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Lead Forum Moderator
Group: Vista Forum Moderator
Last Login: Today @ 3:04:33 PM
Posts: 1,859, Visits: 1,637 |
| Did your HP tablet come with Vista? Or did you install it yourself? And if the latter, did you use a retail version or an OEM version?
ASUS A832nSLI-Deluxe, AMD 64X2 4400 OC 2.4GHz, 3GB OCZ,
Running: XP Pro, Vista Ultimate 32-bit, Vista Business, Ubuntu 7.10, Ubuntu 8.04 LTS
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Vista Forum Moderator
Group: Vista Forum Moderator
Last Login: Today @ 11:53:05 AM
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| It came with Vista Home Premium preinstalled.
My Computer:
Windows Vista Ultimate Edition-ASUS M3A32-MVP WiFi Edition-AMD Phenom 9600 2.3 GHz Black Edition-4 GB DDR2-1000 (@1066 MHz)-Ati Radeon 3870 HD 512 MB-Two 320 GB SATA II Harddrives in RAID 0-800 Watt Tagan BZ Series Modular PSU
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Lead Forum Moderator
Group: Vista Forum Moderator
Last Login: Today @ 3:04:33 PM
Posts: 1,859, Visits: 1,637 |
| OK, thanks.
Since it came preloaded, Vista was activated by HP using a BIOS-locking scheme. The good news is that you can change practically any hardware on the device, and Vista will stay activated. The bad news is that any other activation scheme, used when you upgrade using either a retail or "standard" OEM disk, is likely to fail.
My guess is that one of the two results will happen: (1) the upgrade will fail, most probably near the end somewhere, or (2) the upgrade will work, but sometime after you reboot you'll get an indication that your copy is "not genuine" and you have 72 hours to activate it. This is because action is built into the BIOS of preloaded machines, and at some point, it will validate info in the BIOS against the key used to activate the copy, and since any key you obtain outside HP is not going to match, it will deactivate the copy.
You could check with HP before you do this and see what they offer in terms of an in-place upgrade to Ultimate. I've heard that the BIOS-lock activation is indepent of the Vista version, so, if they provide you an in-place upgrade, that should work without deactivating your copy.
If you really want to try the upgrade, suggest you image the full install off to external storage. You could try the Acronis True Image free download. I've heard it allows you to make an image. Haven't tried it 'cause I use the retail version. At least that way, if the upgrade fails, or even it it works but activation fails, you can at least get full use of your HP box back.
ASUS A832nSLI-Deluxe, AMD 64X2 4400 OC 2.4GHz, 3GB OCZ,
Running: XP Pro, Vista Ultimate 32-bit, Vista Business, Ubuntu 7.10, Ubuntu 8.04 LTS
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Vista Forum Moderator
Group: Vista Forum Moderator
Last Login: Today @ 11:53:05 AM
Posts: 128, Visits: 797 |
| Wow. I am glad I had the brains to ask someone before trying this. The copy of Vista Ultimate that I have is something I got from a p2p site (and I am not going to tell how or where I got it as that can get people in trouble) and I don't need to put in a product key or activate the copy. I just want to know why I couldn't get a 32 bit copy of Ultimate from HP preinstalled for my laptop.
My Computer:
Windows Vista Ultimate Edition-ASUS M3A32-MVP WiFi Edition-AMD Phenom 9600 2.3 GHz Black Edition-4 GB DDR2-1000 (@1066 MHz)-Ati Radeon 3870 HD 512 MB-Two 320 GB SATA II Harddrives in RAID 0-800 Watt Tagan BZ Series Modular PSU
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Lead Forum Moderator
Group: Vista Forum Moderator
Last Login: Today @ 3:04:33 PM
Posts: 1,859, Visits: 1,637 |
| Since you're a frequent poster here, and obviously not some "hacker" just looking for some free stuff, let me share something with you.
The Vista versions that are circulating through various channels (and like you, I'm not going to go into details about these) that claim no activation of any kind, are generally one of two variants:
1) Utilize a SW hack that mimics the BIOS-locked activation scheme. This is generally referred to as the Paradox crack, and while reports are mixed, the most recent consensus is that MS has "fixed" this (or "broken it" -- depending on your perspective), with SP 1.
2) Genuine OEM versions that expect to find the activation code in the BIOS. These require custom BIOS's to work -- along with the appropriate certificates. General consensus is that these will continue to work in the post-SP 1 timeframe.
My guess, from what you said, is that you received the first variant, not the second. So, even if you installed it, and it worked now (which is unlikely since what you most probably have installed is the second variant), it most likely would NOT work once you installed SP 1.
So, the safest way to go is to get an upgrade from HP.
ASUS A832nSLI-Deluxe, AMD 64X2 4400 OC 2.4GHz, 3GB OCZ,
Running: XP Pro, Vista Ultimate 32-bit, Vista Business, Ubuntu 7.10, Ubuntu 8.04 LTS
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Vista Forum Moderator
Group: Vista Forum Moderator
Last Login: Today @ 11:53:05 AM
Posts: 128, Visits: 797 |
| First off thanks for the information. Will Windows Anytime Upgrade work fine for this?
My Computer:
Windows Vista Ultimate Edition-ASUS M3A32-MVP WiFi Edition-AMD Phenom 9600 2.3 GHz Black Edition-4 GB DDR2-1000 (@1066 MHz)-Ati Radeon 3870 HD 512 MB-Two 320 GB SATA II Harddrives in RAID 0-800 Watt Tagan BZ Series Modular PSU
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| | | | Vista Beginner
 
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 6/19/2008 9:01:38 PM
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