That's the way I am reading it based on the Upgrade Matrix, the notes that
follow, and Darrel's much more limited experiment. He answered a specific
question relating to a specific scenario, but his result at least indicates
that there are cases where Setup does not require running from the desktop
even when an upgrade edition pk is used.

"Kerry Brown" <kerry@kdbNOSPAMsys-tems.c*a*m> wrote in message
news:ur0Q7ESNHHA.1276@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...[color=blue]
> "Colin Barnhorst" <colinbarharst@msn.com> wrote in message
> news:D3B1BD07-AECC-4E23-8486-FE5E98ED803B@microsoft.com...[color=green]
>> New info on "clean" installations and the implications for migrating from
>> x86 to x64 with an upgrade edition.
>>
>> Darrel Gorter replied in one of the ng's yesterday that he had performed
>> an experiment for us with an upgrade edition product key. This is a
>> first from a Microsoft person. Thank you very much, Darrel.
>>
>> Based on Darrel's experiment with XP x86 and XP x64, it IS possible to
>> run Setup from a dvd boot in some scenarios. His experiment was to use
>> an upgrade product key with one of the yellow dot scenarios. What he
>> found out was that in those cases entering the UE pk does NOT trigger the
>> message to restart the computer and run Setup from the legacy desktop.
>> Setup continued and completed the installation.
>>
>> Darrel's findings showed that a classic clean install may not be possible
>> when upgrading from XP x86 to Vista x86, but should be when migrating
>> from Win2k or XP Pro x64 to Vista. Based on Darrel's experiment with XP
>> x86 and XP x64, it IS possible to run Setup from a dvd boot in some
>> scenarios. His experiment was to use an upgrade product key with XP x86
>> to Vista x86 (upgrade scenario) and with XP x64 to Vista x64 (migration
>> scenario). What he found out was that XP x86 to Vista x86 required
>> restarting and running from the desktop, but XP x64 to Vista did not. In
>> that case entering the UE pk did NOT trigger the message to restart the
>> computer and run Setup from the legacy desktop. Setup continued and
>> completed the installation from a dvd boot even though he had entered an
>> upgrade edition product key.
>>
>> Look at the Upgrade Matrix on Get Ready. The green dots are the
>> upgrades, meaning that you will have to run Setup from an XP desktop.
>> When you do so the Advanced Options (including format) are not be
>> available. The AOs are only available in Setup when you can start Setup
>> following a dvd boot. Therefore you can only do a classic clean
>> installation in a scenario that permits running Setup following a dvd
>> boot (and that should be all the yellow dots in the Matrix).
>>
>> The yellow dots in the Matrix are what I prefer to call migrations.
>> Migrations are where you save all your files and settings, install
>> Windows, reinstall your apps, and then restore your files and settings.
>>
>> Darrel said that he believes that upon entry of an UE pk, Setup runs a
>> compliance check to see if any qualifying Windows installations exist on
>> the system that qualify for upgrade pricing and based on that does one of
>> the following:
>>
>> (1) If there is an XP edition that can be upgraded to an equivalent or
>> higher edition of Vista then you get the message to restart and run Setup
>> from the XP desktop. The upgrade option will be enabled when you do so.
>>
>> (2) If there is a Win2k, XP Pro x64, or version of XP that would lose
>> functionality (XP Pro to Vista Home Premium, for example), then Setup
>> continues without requiring running from a desktop. What you get with
>> (2) is a migration. The upgrade option would have been disabled if you
>> had run Setup from the desktop.
>>
>> (3) If none is found you should have purchased a full edition.
>>
>> If (2) holds true for all the yellow dots, it would mean that you can do
>> a classic clean installation of Vista as long as running from the desktop
>> is not required because (a) the legacy OS is not running (and therefore
>> the system drive can be formatted) and (b) the Advanced Options are
>> available when booting with the dvd.
>>
>> Also, if (2) holds true for all the yellow dots, it would mean that a
>> Win2k or XP x86 user could migrate from x86 to x64 with an UE pk by
>> booting with the x64 dvd instead of the x86 dvd. That will be very
>> welcome news indeed. It also explains how the process works for XP Pro
>> x64 users when using an UE pk to migrate to Vista x64.
>>
>> It appears that Darrel's and Carey's statements a few weeks ago that
>> booting with a dvd and entering a UE pk required restarting the machine
>> and running Setup from the legacy desktop were ONLY applicable when
>> upgrading XP x86 to Vista x86 and only then if a loss of functionality
>> would not be involved.
>>
>> Until Darrel's reply yesterday I had not seen a single first hand report
>> of any attempt to use an UE pk in one of the yellow dot scenarios.
>> Darrel was very gracious to take the time to do it for us because I don't
>> think it was in his job description.
>>
>>[/color]
>
>
> Thanks for that Colin. Let me see if I've got it right. Please correct me
> if wrong.
>
> 1) To use a Vista upgrade you have to have a qualifying OS installed on
> the computer.
>
> 2) If it is possible to upgrade the qualifying OS installation that is the
> only option available.
>
> 3) If it is not possible to upgrade the qualifying OS installation then
> you can boot from the Vista media and perform a clean install wiping out
> the qualifying OS.
>
> This makes sense. I'm not complaining about the way previous Windows
> upgrades worked but I often wondered why anyone bought full retail
> versions when it was so easy to fool the upgrade. I would like to see a
> way to work around #2 and still have a way to ensure the upgrade is
> legitimate as I prefer a clean install but I can live with this scenario.
> I was afraid from what we had heard previously that you wouldn't be able
> to use upgrade keys with OS' that couldn't be upgraded and a clean install
> was needed.
>
> --
> Kerry Brown
> Microsoft MVP - Shell/User
> [url]http://www.vistahelp.ca[/url]
>
>[/color]