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Unable to UPGRADE Windows XP Pro N to Vista Ultimate
Hi,
I used to use Vista Ultimate a while back, but changed to XP as it was too buggy.
I have installed XP Professional N about 6 months ago. I am trying to run my Vista Ultimate CD to upgrade my XP install to Vista Ultimate now.
However the 'upgrade' option is disabled when I click through the install. It says "Upgrade has been disabled".
I have checked the FAQ's around the net. I have the harddrive format in NTFS. I am unsure what else, but I need to get the upgrade function to be enabled. I also run upgrade advisor just for fun and there were no issues, obviously however I had had Vista installed on here prior to formatting and installing Xp months back.
Any help apreaciated.
I used to use Vista Ultimate a while back, but changed to XP as it was too buggy.
I have installed XP Professional N about 6 months ago. I am trying to run my Vista Ultimate CD to upgrade my XP install to Vista Ultimate now.
However the 'upgrade' option is disabled when I click through the install. It says "Upgrade has been disabled".
I have checked the FAQ's around the net. I have the harddrive format in NTFS. I am unsure what else, but I need to get the upgrade function to be enabled. I also run upgrade advisor just for fun and there were no issues, obviously however I had had Vista installed on here prior to formatting and installing Xp months back.
Any help apreaciated.
Are you booting with the vista DVD or are you running it from within XP? As far as I know the upgrade function is only available when you start the DVD from within your current Windows.
ASKER
Hi,
I have a full-version Windows Vista Ultimate DVD.
I am running the DVD from within XP while in windows. As I was under the assumption it only works WHILST booted into XP as well.
Any other ideas guys? I want to upgrade not install a new copy of vista in a different directory etc.
any help apreciated....
I have a full-version Windows Vista Ultimate DVD.
I am running the DVD from within XP while in windows. As I was under the assumption it only works WHILST booted into XP as well.
Any other ideas guys? I want to upgrade not install a new copy of vista in a different directory etc.
any help apreciated....
Just to check - the two OS's are not different architectures, are they?
I.e. you cannot upgrade from a 64bit OS to a 32bit OS, and vice versa.
I.e. you cannot upgrade from a 64bit OS to a 32bit OS, and vice versa.
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ASKER
I have 90 gigs free space.
I am in Windows XP currently trying to run Vista upgrade.
The harddrive format for C:/ is NTFS.
I can't see any other issues, any other ideas? I'm sure its something over looked :(
I am in Windows XP currently trying to run Vista upgrade.
The harddrive format for C:/ is NTFS.
I can't see any other issues, any other ideas? I'm sure its something over looked :(
The only workaround I can see is to use an enterpise product, such as Acronis Workstation, when used with Universal Restore, to backup your current system, install a new instance of Vista (on a separate partition) and then restore over the top. This may produce unpredictable results though.
I don't think that you can fool the "upgrade is disabled" very easily.
I don't think that you can fool the "upgrade is disabled" very easily.
ASKER
yeah i understand i can do a fresh install, but i would like to figure out why i cant upgrade..... its windows xp pro n
What does "n" refer to?
Is this normal Windows XP Professional?
Is this normal Windows XP Professional?
ASKER
have a look at the versions on microsoft.com, windows xp pro N is the one made for the UK i think that doesnt have media player.....
What does the "n" stand for in "windows xp pro n"? I'm not aware of such a version...
Ah okay. (I didn't think that anyone bought that version...:) )
As to the problem you are facing - have you contemplated contacting Microsoft for more assistance?
As to the problem you are facing - have you contemplated contacting Microsoft for more assistance?
ASKER
no as i know it will be long winded that way.
was hoping someone here could point it out to me what else i could do. i have no idea why the damn upgrade butotn is whiped out. :(
willing to pay some bugger if he can figure it out too.
was hoping someone here could point it out to me what else i could do. i have no idea why the damn upgrade butotn is whiped out. :(
willing to pay some bugger if he can figure it out too.
The thing that bugs me is that the upgrade advisor mentiones nothing...
Just to check, what language is the XP installation? According to http://support.microsoft.com/kb/932856 there can be some problems with language packs.
Just to check, what language is the XP installation? According to http://support.microsoft.com/kb/932856 there can be some problems with language packs.
ASKER
its english.
http://www.technipages.com/article251.html
Apparently a wrongly configured boot.ini can cause this kind of trouble. Did you change anything? Do you have a dual boot? Anything out of the ordinary?
Apparently a wrongly configured boot.ini can cause this kind of trouble. Did you change anything? Do you have a dual boot? Anything out of the ordinary?
ASKER
nope. all i have in boot.ini is this,
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdi
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)par
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdi
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)par
I don't think Vista creates any logfiles in this phase yet, but it can't hurt to check for any.
List of logfiles: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/927521
List of logfiles: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/927521
ASKER
theres so much and so many logs id have no idea which one to look in .... :(
Any other ideas?
Any other ideas?
Maybe this is something similar? You've got a copy of Vista that won't allow upgrading? (Although I've never heard of such a beast).
Honestly I find it much, much cleaner to back up my files and install fresh, from scratch, with no relation to a previous Windows XP install.