Are all Vista CDs the same?

You are correct. All the versions are on the DVD. It is the key that
determines what is installed. You can install Ultimate in trial mode without
using a key for 30 days (or 120 with tweaks), and only bought the Home
Basic. It's pretty cool!

I'm not so sure about upgrades or OEM versions, though (if they are
different DVD's than the retail). Someone might chime in and fill in that
blank for me.

--
Dustin Harper
dharper@vistarip.com
http://www.vistarip.com

--
"R" <none@none.com> wrote in message
news:ew2BqcYYHHA.2320@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...

>I have heard that all Vista DVD's are really the same, the product key
>determines what's installed.
>
> Is that true?
>
> I like to make backups of all CDs (& DVD's) and take them offsite. But I
> don't want needless duplication.
>
> I have (so far) both Windows Vista Business Upgrade and a OEM Vista
> Ultimate.
>
> thanks.
>

The OEM DVD's contain all versions of the OS so in order to have a set of
disks with all OEM versions of Vista you will need two DVD's. One for the
64bit versions and one for the 32bit versions. The Retail disks are
different in that they include the 64 and 32bit versions of a single
version. so in that case you will need to collect one disk for each version
of Vista retail.


"R" <none@none.com> wrote in message
news:ew2BqcYYHHA.2320@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...

>I have heard that all Vista DVD's are really the same, the product key
>determines what's installed.
>
> Is that true?
>
> I like to make backups of all CDs (& DVD's) and take them offsite. But I
> don't want needless duplication.
>
> I have (so far) both Windows Vista Business Upgrade and a OEM Vista
> Ultimate.
>
> thanks.
>

"Dan" wrote:

> The Retail disks are different in that they include the 64 and 32bit versions of a
> single version. so in that case you will need to collect one disk for each version
> of Vista retail.

Don't think so.
All the 32-bit versions are on my one retail disk.
I'll assume you have to ask for another disk to get 64-bit.

Thanks for all the info.

"mhonzell" <mhonzell@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:4E64F951-AD76-4B38-AA24-F7DD8B55DD55@microsoft.com...

> "Dan" wrote:
>

>> The Retail disks are different in that they include the 64 and 32bit
>> versions of a
>> single version. so in that case you will need to collect one disk for
>> each version
>> of Vista retail.

>
> Don't think so.
> All the 32-bit versions are on my one retail disk.
> I'll assume you have to ask for another disk to get 64-bit.
>

In message <4E64F951-AD76-4B38-AA24-F7DD8B55DD55@microsoft.com> mhonzell
<mhonzell@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

>"Dan" wrote:
>

>> The Retail disks are different in that they include the 64 and 32bit versions of a
>> single version. so in that case you will need to collect one disk for each version
>> of Vista retail.

>
>Don't think so.
>All the 32-bit versions are on my one retail disk.
>I'll assume you have to ask for another disk to get 64-bit.

A more complete answer is that the retail Ultimate box includes both
32-bit and 64-bit versions, other retail editions only have one version.
--
Insert something clever here.

Hello,
Volume License Media is different.
So there are Businesss and Enterprise Volume License media
Enterprise is only available as Volume License, so it won't be on the
Retail or OEM DVD's
Thanks,
Darrell Gorter[MSFT]

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights
--------------------
|>From: DevilsPGD <spam_narf_spam@crazyhat.net>
|>Subject: Re: Are all Vista CDs the same?
|>Date: Thu, 08 Mar 2007 19:37:10 -0700
|>Organization: Disorganized
|>Message-ID: <drh1v2h8hroj83ngojm0d9eujns8d1anmq@4ax.com>
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|>In message <4E64F951-AD76-4B38-AA24-F7DD8B55DD55@microsoft.com> mhonzell
|><mhonzell@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
|>
|>>"Dan" wrote:
|>>
|>>> The Retail disks are different in that they include the 64 and 32bit
versions of a
|>>> single version. so in that case you will need to collect one disk for
each version
|>>> of Vista retail.
|>>
|>>Don't think so.
|>>All the 32-bit versions are on my one retail disk.
|>>I'll assume you have to ask for another disk to get 64-bit.
|>
|>A more complete answer is that the retail Ultimate box includes both
|>32-bit and 64-bit versions, other retail editions only have one version.
|>--
|>Insert something clever here.
|>

In message <ew2BqcYYHHA.2320@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl> "R" <none@none.com>
wrote:

>I have heard that all Vista DVD's are really the same, the product key
>determines what's installed.

Pretty much.

However, there are multiple DVD's, but most of us won't ever encounter
them.

Starter and Enterprise aren't on the retail DVD, nor is the "K" (Korea)
version. On a similar topic, do all Vista DVD's have the "N" versions?
(Mine does, but that might be an Action Pack thing)
--
Insert something clever here.