Question about dual boot Vista/XP and Upgrading?

[ScottFern]

Ok, I have two questions regarding Vista.

First, I have a PC at home setup with Vista and XP installed on two separate HDs. I had the Vista boot menu and it worked fine, however I reformatted my XP hard disk and now my PC boots straight into XP. How do I go about getting my boot menu back?


Next, I have a laptop that came with Vista Home Premium, and I upgraded it to Vista Ultimate with the Microsoft one time upgrade. I really want to reformat the drive and get rid of all the crap they installed on it. If I use my Vista disc and my product key what version of Vista is it going to recognize? I have no documentation or new product key or file that will bring my Vista up to Ultimate?

Thanks in advance guys! 🙂

 

[Mastershakes]

First - http://apcmag.com/5485/dualbooting_vista_and_xp - it's a roundabout way to get you back to normal without having to reinstall Vista.

Basically, at this time you are using the XP bootloader, but you need to be running the Vista Bootloader. When you installed XP you overwrote the bootloader in the MBR. Now you would need to reinstall Vista, but the above link provides the steps to recover the dual boot.

Second, - I'll look at it, may post ya an update in a bit.... I would imagine a 'one time upgrade' is what it is .... once... but I don't know - have to troll technet to find the answer.

 

[LeeJend]

The disk should contain all versions of Vista. The activation key for your upgrade should make it an "Ultimate" install. Get verification on this from some of the other guys.

What mastershakes said on the boot loader.

 

[ScottFern]

The disk should contain all versions of Vista. The activation key for your upgrade should make it an "Ultimate" install. Get verification on this from some of the other guys.

What mastershakes said on the boot loader.

There was no activation key for my upgrade. The website I purchased it from made me download some MSI or other type of file and then I upgraded. There was no extra key.

 

[Mastershakes]

Wow,

Rootkit anyone? Smells funny - what's the website Scott?

 

[ScottFern]

Wow,

Rootkit anyone? Smells funny - what's the website Scott?

I forgot it offhand, but it was the software upgrade icon IN Vista that CAME WITH Vista. I just purchased it through Staples once I went to the MS site.

 

[ScottFern]

Answered my own question.

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsvista/buyorupgrade/windowsanytimeupgrade/faq.mspx

Now the REAL question is.........Can I install Vista Ultimate as a trial and then use the digital locker with my Home Premium Product key that is most likely been noted on the MS end that its been upgraded to Ultimate?