I am in a similar situation to Rod, and was holding off on getting Vista Home
Premium untill i could get an answer on this very same question. Just to
clarify, you CAN boot the Vista upgrade from within XP pro without doing a
"clean" install? Is there some instructions anywhere that outline the
process of upgrading from within your current OS which, as stated on Vista
Website, requires a "clean install". What are the consequences of doing
this kind of install. Will all my old data and programs be lost?

Yeah, one more reason to do a clean install...

Lang

"Dweebs" <dweebken******.com> wrote in message
news:1101BE71-2544-4C7D-8A2E-2F5B878155D8@microsoft.com...[color=blue]
> Well my Vista install over my original XP installation resulted in a
> non-recoverable system crash. I ended up having to re-install XP,
> reinstall SP1, then reinstall Vista on a reformatted disk. Found out
> later I could've installed a trial Vista (vista without the CD Key) and
> loaded Vista from within itself, but that's another story, it still means
> installing opertating systems (or non-operating systems!) twice.
>
> Regds
> Dweebs
>
> "Lang Murphy" <lang_murphy********.com> wrote in message
> news:B8B1BFC1-5950-457C-BE43-6981DFC1A0C5@microsoft.com...[color=green]
>> 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=darkred]
>>> 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:
>>>
>>>> Rod wrote:
>>>> > 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
>>>> >>>
>>>> >>
>>>>
>>>> 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]
>[/color]