Windows Vista Authentication query.

Head_The_Ball

Hello, we have a laptop running Windows Vista Business edition with a Product Key label underneath. It is fully legitimate.

We don't have a re-installation DVD for the Business edition.

We do have a re-installation DVD for Vista Home Basic.

If we install Vista Home Basic on the laptop currently running Business edition will the Product Key for Vista Business work or do we need to acquire a Business Edition DVD?

There is no recovery partition on the laptop from which to produce a DVD.

We are quite happy changing from Business to Home Basic provided we can legitimately authenticate it with the existing product key and we don't have to buy a new license to be fully legitimate. The laptop will probably soon be replaced with a more up to date model so it is not worth spending money on.

We don't need advice or comments on upgrading to Windows 7 or 10 etc.

Thanks.

grumpycrab

Nifty will be a better source, but 1. you may be able to use the Business key to install Business from Basic and 2. here's a possible (clunky) way to create a Business disk...

(assumes the ISO you need is X14-63452 which is 32-bit)
goto http://www.fixedbyvonnie.com/2014/12/legally-download-every-version-windows/
(search for 63452 and you'll see that 3 files are needed to build the disk for Windows Vista Ultimate SP1 English)

The 3 files are here:-
http://web.archive.org/web/20150116183656/http://msft-dnl.digitalrivercontent.net/msvista/pub/msshus/vista32/install.wim
https://www.raymond.cc/blog/wp-content/plugins/download-monitor/download.php?id=2960
http://web.archive.org/web/20150101000000/http://msft-dnl.digitalrivercontent.net/msvista/pub/msshus/vista32/boot.wim

Neil_Jones

All OEM Vista DVDs contain all versions of Vista that came out. The version that gets installed depends on the product key you enter.

NiftyDigits

File Name: en_windows_vista_business_sp2_x64_dvd_342327.iso
Date Published (UTC): 5/11/2009 3:20:57 PM Last Updated (UTC): 5/11/2009 3:20:57 PM
SHA1: A5B061685EF2BF1D72D6B15710266C3196321702 ISO/CRC: B1A8847B
Available to Levels: MSDN OS (VL); VS Pro with MSDN Pro (VL); Developer AA; Designer AA; MSDN Universal (Retail);
VSTS Team Suite (VL); VSTS Architecture (VL); VS Premium with MSDN (MPN); VSTS Test (VL); VS Pro with MSDN Premium (MPN);
MSDN Universal (VL); VSTS Database (VL); VS Pro with MSDN Embedded (VL); VS Test Pro with MSDN (VL);
VS Ultimate with MSDN (VL); VS Premium with MSDN (VL); VS Pro with MSDN (VL); Expression Professional (VL);
VS Ultimate with MSDN (NFR FTE);

Find it here

Don't neglect to compare hashes.

NiftyDigits

Windows Vista Business with Service Pack 2 (x86) - DVD (English)
File: en_windows_vista_business_sp2_x86_dvd_342321.iso
Size: 2 424 670 208 bytes
MD5: CA5C0B6102482A222D37BF23DD93F734
SHA1: 98C2FE41181C140F4CC8ED6245F5C788D4E21350
CRC32: 89DD7974

Find it here

Head_The_Ball

Thanks for all the responses and suggestions.