Well... this may be where a lot of folks get thrown off the path.

A Vista install run from within the existing OS is an "upgrade."

A Vista install run from booting from the Vista DVD is a "clean install."

Confusion results from the fact that -all- Vista installs are, compared to
previous Win OS installs, "clean." Even when doing an "Upgrade," Vista, to
put it in layman's terms, pushes your stuff off to the side, installs
itself, then pulls back your stuff, meaning apps and docs and whatever.

You don't have to reformat unless you want to. That would only be in a Vista
"Clean" install in which you booted from the Vista DVD and WANT to reformat
your drive for a "really clean" install. It's not hard, if that's your
worry. Back up, back up, back up. Nuff said.

My best advice to you is: due diligence means investigating all issues,
e.g., hardware drivers for your legacy hw, PRIOR to upgrading to Vista. If
one doesn't "do" due diligence prior to installing Vista, then one has no
one else to blame when one's <insert HW device or SW app here> doesn't work
in Vista. I'm running Vista on a "work" PC here. (Used to have it running on
two boxes but had to free one up for other work chores). I like Vista. But
I'm not installing it on either of my personal PC's just yet because they
both require HW upgrades to do what I want them to do in Vista. (One needs a
new video card to get Aero and one needs a new TV tuner card.) Point being,
don't throw a hissy fit if you dive into Vista uninformed and it causes
issues with your existing HW/SW.

Lang



"Rod" <Rod@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:4B18F3B6-F3FE-4F4C-9328-AD1BD4E8101E@microsoft.com...[color=blue]
> tks Chris. Appreciate your answer. Still, as a new O/S that all I really
> need
> it for is Internet, MS Office and CD/DVD playing/burning, Vista Home
> Premium
> seems to be an ideal "downgrade' for me, but one I cant get!! I gotta go
> the
> Ultimate....
>
> Or maybe I am just reading things wrong.....IF I BUY the UPGRADE VISTA
> HOME
> PREMIUM I CAN, FROM within WINDOWS XP, run a CLEAN INSTALL - right? IF so,
> that seems OK...I just dont want to have to reformatt myself manually from
> DOS as a start....not that competent!!
>
> Rod
>
> "Chris" wrote:
>[color=green]
>> Rod wrote:[color=darkred]
>> > Ah, but now I read in March 2007 Australian PC USer Magazine that a
>> > "Clean"
>> > install is done from WITHIN the Windows XP Desktop, in an INSTALL
>> > WINDOWS
>> > SETUP OPTIONS box that includes Upgrade as an Option. So I dont
>> > actually have
>> > to reformat my HDD at the beginning (dos) and boot into the DVDrive.
>> > It's
>> > done from a setup window when I am already in Windows XP....???
>> >
>> > ..but it goes on to say "Note that if you're performing a true clean
>> > install, having booted from the DVD, at this point you should click the
>> > Drive
>> > Options link and then click to Format..." IF YOU'RE PERFORMING A
>> > TRUE
>> > CLEAN INSTALL ????? You can fudge that????
>> >
>> > And what is Microsofts rationalle in having Media Player/DVD Burning in
>> > Vista Premium and NOT being able to get that as an upgrade from XP
>> > Pro??
>> >
>> > Rgds n tks
>> >
>> > "Frankster" wrote:
>> >
>> >> You are 100 percent right on every count. You're gonna have to deal
>> >> with it.
>> >>
>> >> -Frank
>> >>
>> >> "Rod" <Rod@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> >> news:B054F30A-A24C-46D7-8CB8-35E15CCC5EE7@microsoft.com...
>> >>> I have a PC that I have had for several years. It runs a copy of XP
>> >>> Pro SP2
>> >>> and is "Vista" ready in terms of HDD, RAM, Processor and Graphics
>> >>> card.
>> >>>
>> >>> I was ready to go out and get a copy of Home Premium Upgrade, as it
>> >>> has
>> >>> the
>> >>> features I want, and just read I would have to do a clean install.
>> >>> This
>> >>> is
>> >>> essentially a reformat of HDD and start from scratch, right? That's
>> >>> wacky.
>> >>> I
>> >>> want to UPGRADE.
>> >>>
>> >>> I don't want the extra expense of getting Vista Ultimate as it has
>> >>> bells
>> >>> and
>> >>> whistles I dont want, but that seems to be the only way I can UPGRADE
>> >>> and
>> >>> get
>> >>> Media Player/DVD Burning functionality built-in....
>> >>>
>> >>> ...AM I reading this right? An UPGRADE from XP Pro to Vista Home
>> >>> Premium
>> >>> is
>> >>> really a rebuid of my PC??????
>> >>>
>> >>> Rgds
>> >>>
>> >>[/color]
>>
>> Home Premium is a downgrade from XP Professional. You have to run setup
>> from within XP, and you will have to do a clean install. Vista will
>> create a Windows.old folder that will (probably) have all of your data
>> files. But you still need to do a backup.
>>[/color][/color]