Installing Vista Ultimate 64 bit

marble

It sounds like Ultimate ships with both ... but I'm not convinced they come on the same media. Certainly, my MSDN download page only has cd images of x64 or x86 ... none which are both. Maybe retail is different, but I wouldn't have thought Microsoft would let you select this on installation ... there'd be no better way to completely confuse users!

Horlock

Gets sillier and sillier.

I don't know what to do.

I've just tried to buy the extra disk from the above link, but it only offers me

Windows Vista Ultimate 32-bit English Sup Direct CD FulfillmentEnglish32-bit CD£6.71

Which seems pointless as that is what I already have from what I can tell, nice idea, but pretty useless. It also seems to point towards that fact that the retail box contains 2 discs, but I don't see how this would work if it had two separate product keys.

If there is only one product keys and I'm just missing the disk then perhaps I can just download the disk I need from a slightly dodgy website.

I don't know if this will work, I've done it before, when I misplaced my windows xp disk (I found it afterwards it just wasn't in the box - but I still had the box and the original product key so it seemed to work fine and dandy). Though I'm not sure if this is legal.

The license says that I'm allowed to make a copy for myself as a back up so I suppose that that is all I'm doing by downloading it from someone else.

Fact is I don't mind paying the few extra quid to get the disc, but I can't get it from what I can tell.

On top of which I can't get technical support for a number of reasons, online it looks like I've got to have had it installed for a few days or something, and over the phone, because the lines aren't manned out of hours.

Horlock

marble wrote: »

... there'd be no better way to completely confuse users!

Except perhaps what they have done.

Not told you what they've done and let you try and work it out for yourself!

Little_John

Sorry Im in a sarcastic mood tonight

sucker for punishment upgradeing to vista but also wants the 64 bit version of vista.

Good luck.

banger9365

it's simple 32bit on one disk basic n to ultimate and 64 bit on an other disk basic n to ultimate and your coa works both 32 and 64

Horlock

banger9365 wrote: »

it's simple 32bit on one disk basic n to ultimate and 64 bit on an other disk basic n to ultimate and your coa works both 32 and 64

Sorry to seem dim, but I'm not good with abbriviations.

If I'm correct in understanding your prognosis.

There are 2 disks.

a 32 bit disc, (didn't quite understand "basic n to ultimate")
and
a 64 bit disc,

I clearly have the 32 bit disc not the 64 bit disc (as it's installed in 32 bit mode).

The "coa" I'm guessing "product key" works with both versions.

Can you correct me if I'm wrong - otherwise "correct" would be a perfect message below to clear things up for me.




In theory I should be able to buy the 64 bit disc for next to nothing well about £6 from the link above, but it doesn't work.

In practice then, my best solution would be to borrow a 64 bit disc off another punter and install it using my own code (assuming I still can't get hold of a disc for myself direct from Microsoft) and as an alternative I could download an iso file from the web, write it to disc and away I go.

sjc_2

Personally I would stick with the 32 Bit Version of Ultimate. I have run the 64 Bit since launch then just after Chrimbo following upgrades and buying the £3.32 32 Bit & 64 Bit from MS I installed the 32 Bit Version and everything runs much better. Games now play my inbuilt wireless LAN Card on my Motherboard works etc.

One thing to note here as posted on many MS Forums and confirmed by MS if you have a 64 Bit COA (License Key) you will need to buy a 32 Bit COA, they are not interchangeable either way.

Well that is in theory anyway, as stated I have an proper copy of Vista Ultimate 64 Bit OEM, and purchased the two MS Disks only for £3.32 each as posted in other forums direct from MS. Both copies arrived from MS so I did a brand new install of Vista Ultimate 32 using my OEM 64 Bit key and it worked and loaded. However when I came to activate it through up an error saying the key was already in use. So called MS on the 0800 number for activations, explained to the guy on the phone it was a brand new install as I have put in a new bigger Drive, Graphics Card etc. He asked if the other copy was removed or being used elsewhere, I told him no as it isn't I'd wiped the disk and he gave me the code from the numbers I gave him from the screen. Not once did he ask what version of Vista it was never mind if it was 64 Bit or 32 Bit.

So I was well please have a legitimate copy of Vista Ultimate 32 Bit running on my PC and it runs a dream

banger9365

yes there are two disks 32bit vista and 64 bit vista
basic n is vista basic without the media player and internet explora in (i think cannot fully remember)it's to satisfy european monopoly laws
then you have
home basic
home basic premium
business
and ultimate
on both disks and if you realy want you can get it on cd's instead off a dvd (why i do not know)
put your coa (License Key) will one work one type eg home basic put not home basic premium and by rights only one version 32bit or 64bit legitamitely put you can buy a 64bit disk off microsoft and us your coa that you have it tell you on there web site here http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsvista/editions/64bit.mspx

Horlock

banger9365 wrote: »

yes there are two disks 32bit vista and 64 bit vista
basic n is vista basic without the media player and internet explora in (i think cannot fully remember)it's to satisfy european monopoly laws
then you have
home basic
home basic premium
business
and ultimate
on both disks and if you realy want you can get it on cd's instead off a dvd (why i do not know)
put your coa (License Key) will one work one type eg home basic put not home basic premium and by rights only one version 32bit or 64bit legitamitely put you can buy a 64bit disk off microsoft and us your coa that you have it tell you on there web site here http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsvista/editions/64bit.mspx

The problem is that the website you quote states

"Note: 64-bit media is included in the box with Windows Vista Ultimate."

But it wasn't. Indeed there wasn't even a box!

It just came in a sleave.

I'm thinking I'll try and download it.

banger9365

because it's oem not retail