Online "Anytime upgrade" horror

Posted: 10-18-2007, 10:35 AM

Arthur Hoornweg

Guest
Posts: n/a

Hello all,

I've had my new notebook with Vista (a Fujitsu Siemens Amilo Xi 1526
with Vista home premium) for two weeks now.
Yesterday I noticed that some essential stuff is missing in Vista HP
(such as the security policy editor) which I really need to test my
NT services (I'm a developer). So I decided to give the
"online anytime upgrade" a go and upgrade to Vista Ultimate.

I acquired a Vista "Ultimate" upgrade licence online for a hefty 199
Euros, made a full Acronis Trueimage backup of both the system
and the license file on a network file server and started the upgrade
process.

Downloading the additional files took an hour over my 4 megabit DSL
connection. The automatic upgrade process itself, including the latest
updates from Microsoft, took another whopping 5 hours and involved
half a dozen reboots. At the end of the process, I properly registered
the operating system online.

The first thing I noticed when the notebook was finally up and running
was that the welcome tune sounded choppy. Also, the movement of
the mouse cursor wasn't smooth anymore. Attempts to play a video
dvd resulted in choppy sound and jerky video. Something was interfering
with the system. The task manager showed no abnormal CPU consumption.
I travel a lot so I like to be able to use the notebook for multimedia as
well, this situation clearly wasn't satisfactory for me.
I did some searching on Google but found no solution that worked for
me. An upgrade like this is a rather radical change to the system,
it's not just a matter of returning to the previous system restore point.

I decided to deinstall and reinstall the audio driver. The notebook then
bluescreened upon every reboot and did a core dump each time.

I then did a "last known good" reboot. Bluescreen.

I started Windows in safe mode and deleted the audio driver again.
After the next reboot Windows automatically re-installed the audio
driver and bluescreened again. Stubborn bugger.

I then tried to boot from a Vista DVD to do a repair installation, only
to find that it wouldn't detect my SATA controller. It needed drivers
and asked for a medium. I inserted the drivers CD that came with
the notebook but it contained only some setup.exes which weren't
really helpful. These guys from Fujitsu must assume that Windows
is already up and running when you install the SATA drivers....

I extracted the driver files from the executables (using Winrar, great
tool) on a separate computer, copied the driver files onto a USB stick
and tried my luck again. Bummer. They didn't even match my Sata
controller. I give up. I promise myself that the very next thing on
my shopping list is going to be a USB box for SATA drives.

The bootable Acronis Trueimage rescue cd is brilliant. It recognized
my SATA controller and network card immediately (phew!).
Restoration went smooth as silk. Surely it must be Linux-based...

But how the heck am I going to get that expensive upgrade installed
properly? I paid for it and I want it to work! I still have the upgrade
license file. It appears to be a XML file which contains a serial
number. Can I use this serial number to do a complete re-install
or repair installation from DVD? Any clues?

--
Arthur Hoornweg

(In order to reply per e-mail, please just remove the ".net"
from my e-mail address. Leave the rest of the address intact
including the "antispam" part. I had to take this measure to
counteract unsollicited mail.)

--
Arthur Hoornweg

(In order to reply per e-mail, please just remove the ".net"
from my e-mail address. Leave the rest of the address intact
including the "antispam" part. I had to take this measure to
counteract unsollicited mail.)

Responses to "Online "Anytime upgrade" horror"

Richard Urban

Guest
Posts: n/a

Re: Online "Anytime upgrade" horror

Posted: 10-18-2007, 11:00 AM

Before you install the anytime upgrade, make certain that you have the
latest drivers for your hardware, downloaded and saved, on CD's. These
drivers should come from the manufacturers web sites - not from Windows
Download.

Also make sure you have the SATA drivers available. These must be extracted,
individual files - not an executable program that will only run after Vista
has been installed.

When the O/S has been installed accept the default system drivers - if any
are available. Do not allow the O/S to search on line for new drivers.
Direct the driver install to the driver CD you created before you started
for the latest drivers.

If the O/S does not recognize the SATA drive natively you *will* have to
install the drivers as a separate step during the install process. You may
have to supply them a second time after the first reboot during install. I
do!

--

Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
(For email, remove the obvious from my address)

"Arthur Hoornweg" <antispam.hoornweg@casema.nl.net> wrote in message
news:eLaq0oWEIHA.3940@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...

> Hello all,
>
> I've had my new notebook with Vista (a Fujitsu Siemens Amilo Xi 1526
> with Vista home premium) for two weeks now.
> Yesterday I noticed that some essential stuff is missing in Vista HP
> (such as the security policy editor) which I really need to test my
> NT services (I'm a developer). So I decided to give the
> "online anytime upgrade" a go and upgrade to Vista Ultimate.
>
> I acquired a Vista "Ultimate" upgrade licence online for a hefty 199
> Euros, made a full Acronis Trueimage backup of both the system
> and the license file on a network file server and started the upgrade
> process.
>
> Downloading the additional files took an hour over my 4 megabit DSL
> connection. The automatic upgrade process itself, including the latest
> updates from Microsoft, took another whopping 5 hours and involved
> half a dozen reboots. At the end of the process, I properly registered
> the operating system online.
>
> The first thing I noticed when the notebook was finally up and running
> was that the welcome tune sounded choppy. Also, the movement of
> the mouse cursor wasn't smooth anymore. Attempts to play a video
> dvd resulted in choppy sound and jerky video. Something was interfering
> with the system. The task manager showed no abnormal CPU consumption.
> I travel a lot so I like to be able to use the notebook for multimedia as
> well, this situation clearly wasn't satisfactory for me.
> I did some searching on Google but found no solution that worked for
> me. An upgrade like this is a rather radical change to the system,
> it's not just a matter of returning to the previous system restore point.
>
> I decided to deinstall and reinstall the audio driver. The notebook then
> bluescreened upon every reboot and did a core dump each time.
>
> I then did a "last known good" reboot. Bluescreen.
>
> I started Windows in safe mode and deleted the audio driver again.
> After the next reboot Windows automatically re-installed the audio
> driver and bluescreened again. Stubborn bugger.
>
> I then tried to boot from a Vista DVD to do a repair installation, only
> to find that it wouldn't detect my SATA controller. It needed drivers
> and asked for a medium. I inserted the drivers CD that came with
> the notebook but it contained only some setup.exes which weren't
> really helpful. These guys from Fujitsu must assume that Windows
> is already up and running when you install the SATA drivers....
>
> I extracted the driver files from the executables (using Winrar, great
> tool) on a separate computer, copied the driver files onto a USB stick
> and tried my luck again. Bummer. They didn't even match my Sata
> controller. I give up. I promise myself that the very next thing on
> my shopping list is going to be a USB box for SATA drives.
>
> The bootable Acronis Trueimage rescue cd is brilliant. It recognized
> my SATA controller and network card immediately (phew!).
> Restoration went smooth as silk. Surely it must be Linux-based...
>
>
> But how the heck am I going to get that expensive upgrade installed
> properly? I paid for it and I want it to work! I still have the upgrade
> license file. It appears to be a XML file which contains a serial
> number. Can I use this serial number to do a complete re-install
> or repair installation from DVD? Any clues?
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> --
> Arthur Hoornweg
>
> (In order to reply per e-mail, please just remove the ".net"
> from my e-mail address. Leave the rest of the address intact
> including the "antispam" part. I had to take this measure to
> counteract unsollicited mail.)
>
> --
> Arthur Hoornweg
>
> (In order to reply per e-mail, please just remove the ".net"
> from my e-mail address. Leave the rest of the address intact
> including the "antispam" part. I had to take this measure to
> counteract unsollicited mail.)

Arthur Hoornweg

Guest
Posts: n/a

Re: Online "Anytime upgrade" horror

Posted: 10-18-2007, 11:48 AM

Richard Urban wrote:

> Before you install the anytime upgrade, make certain that you have the
> latest drivers for your hardware, downloaded and saved, on CD's. These
> drivers should come from the manufacturers web sites - not from Windows
> Download.

....

Thanks for the tips. But now that I have Vista Home Premium restored again,
which came pre-installed on my notebook, I'd like to do a second attempt
to install Ultimate. Not online, but rather from DVD.
All I have is the downloaded license file "WindowsAnytimeUpgrade.slupkg-ms"
(which is basically an XML file) but I also happen to have a full Vista DVD
available from our company's Microsoft Action Pack. Inside the XML file
is a serial number which I assume I can use as the key.

Do you know if I can start the upgrade from this DVD? Or should I do
a clean Vista Ultimate install from DVD?

Is it possible *at all* to do a full clean Vista Ultimate installation from
DVD if you only have the Home Premium -> Ultimate upgrade key?
And will the registration system work at all? After all, I registered it
yesterday before I knew the installation was broken.

--
Arthur Hoornweg

(In order to reply per e-mail, please just remove the ".net"
from my e-mail address. Leave the rest of the address intact
including the "antispam" part. I had to take this measure to
counteract unsollicited mail.)

Richard Urban

Guest
Posts: n/a

Re: Online "Anytime upgrade" horror

Posted: 10-18-2007, 12:19 PM

Sorry. I can't answer that question. I have no knowledge of your particular
install DVD.

--

Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
(For email, remove the obvious from my address)

"Arthur Hoornweg" <antispam.hoornweg@casema.nl.net> wrote in message
news:%23PHsfRXEIHA.5788@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...

> Richard Urban wrote:
>> Before you install the anytime upgrade, make certain that you have the
>> latest drivers for your hardware, downloaded and saved, on CD's. These
>> drivers should come from the manufacturers web sites - not from Windows
>> Download.
>
> ...
>
> Thanks for the tips. But now that I have Vista Home Premium restored
> again,
> which came pre-installed on my notebook, I'd like to do a second attempt
> to install Ultimate. Not online, but rather from DVD.
> All I have is the downloaded license file
> "WindowsAnytimeUpgrade.slupkg-ms"
> (which is basically an XML file) but I also happen to have a full Vista
> DVD
> available from our company's Microsoft Action Pack. Inside the XML file
> is a serial number which I assume I can use as the key.
>
> Do you know if I can start the upgrade from this DVD? Or should I do
> a clean Vista Ultimate install from DVD?
>
> Is it possible *at all* to do a full clean Vista Ultimate installation
> from
> DVD if you only have the Home Premium -> Ultimate upgrade key?
> And will the registration system work at all? After all, I registered it
> yesterday before I knew the installation was broken.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> --
> Arthur Hoornweg
>
> (In order to reply per e-mail, please just remove the ".net"
> from my e-mail address. Leave the rest of the address intact
> including the "antispam" part. I had to take this measure to
> counteract unsollicited mail.)

Arthur Hoornweg

Guest
Posts: n/a

Re: Online "Anytime upgrade" horror

Posted: 10-18-2007, 02:14 PM

Richard Urban wrote:

> Sorry. I can't answer that question. I have no knowledge of your
> particular install DVD.
>

It's just the full-featured original Vista DVD from MS. The license key
determines which version (Home, business, ultimate) one can install
and unlock.

--
Arthur Hoornweg

(In order to reply per e-mail, please just remove the ".net"
from my e-mail address. Leave the rest of the address intact
including the "antispam" part. I had to take this measure to
counteract unsollicited mail.)

Richard Urban

Guest
Posts: n/a

Re: Online "Anytime upgrade" horror

Posted: 10-18-2007, 03:48 PM

If it is the "official" retail DVD from M/S you can perform a clean install
(which I would recommend).

--

Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
(For email, remove the obvious from my address)

"Arthur Hoornweg" <antispam.hoornweg@casema.nl.net> wrote in message
news:O0SHFjYEIHA.4196@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...

> Richard Urban wrote:
>> Sorry. I can't answer that question. I have no knowledge of your
>> particular install DVD.
>>
>
> It's just the full-featured original Vista DVD from MS. The license key
> determines which version (Home, business, ultimate) one can install
> and unlock.
>
>
> --
> Arthur Hoornweg
>
> (In order to reply per e-mail, please just remove the ".net"
> from my e-mail address. Leave the rest of the address intact
> including the "antispam" part. I had to take this measure to
> counteract unsollicited mail.)

Mark

Guest
Posts: n/a

Re: Online "Anytime upgrade" horror

Posted: 10-18-2007, 12:34 PM

Insert the Vista installation DVD and close it when it opens.
From within Vista HP, double-click the downloaded License file.
The installation will use the DVD to perform the entire upgrade. No product
key will be required.
You will probably need to perform a phone activation since you previously
installed this license.

NOTE:
This upgrade will not work unless Vista HP is currently activated.

"Arthur Hoornweg" <antispam.hoornweg@casema.nl.net> wrote in message
news:%23PHsfRXEIHA.5788@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...

> Richard Urban wrote:
> > Before you install the anytime upgrade, make certain that you have the
> > latest drivers for your hardware, downloaded and saved, on CD's. These
> > drivers should come from the manufacturers web sites - not from Windows
> > Download.
>
> ...
>
> Thanks for the tips. But now that I have Vista Home Premium restored

again,

> which came pre-installed on my notebook, I'd like to do a second attempt
> to install Ultimate. Not online, but rather from DVD.
> All I have is the downloaded license file

"WindowsAnytimeUpgrade.slupkg-ms"

> (which is basically an XML file) but I also happen to have a full Vista

DVD

> available from our company's Microsoft Action Pack. Inside the XML file
> is a serial number which I assume I can use as the key.
>
> Do you know if I can start the upgrade from this DVD? Or should I do
> a clean Vista Ultimate install from DVD?
>
> Is it possible *at all* to do a full clean Vista Ultimate installation

from

> DVD if you only have the Home Premium -> Ultimate upgrade key?
> And will the registration system work at all? After all, I registered it
> yesterday before I knew the installation was broken.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> --
> Arthur Hoornweg
>
> (In order to reply per e-mail, please just remove the ".net"
> from my e-mail address. Leave the rest of the address intact
> including the "antispam" part. I had to take this measure to
> counteract unsollicited mail.)

Arthur Hoornweg

Guest
Posts: n/a

Re: Online "Anytime upgrade" horror

Posted: 10-18-2007, 02:10 PM

Mark wrote:

> Insert the Vista installation DVD and close it when it opens.
> From within Vista HP, double-click the downloaded License file.
> The installation will use the DVD to perform the entire upgrade. No product
> key will be required.
> You will probably need to perform a phone activation since you previously
> installed this license.

OK, I will try that. I was hoping I could do a "clean" repair install
from the
bootable media itself, doing a completely new driver installation, rather
than updating the system whilst it is running. Since it failed me once, I'm
afraid it could fail again since the only difference is that the files come
from the DVD rather than from the website.

--
Arthur Hoornweg

(In order to reply per e-mail, please just remove the ".net"
from my e-mail address. Leave the rest of the address intact
including the "antispam" part. I had to take this measure to
counteract unsollicited mail.)

Mark

Guest
Posts: n/a

Re: Online "Anytime upgrade" horror

Posted: 10-18-2007, 02:36 PM

Two catches:
1. It's an upgrade license. So the previous system must be in place.
2. It won't work unless the previous system is what you bought an upgrade
for and is activated.

I've tried doing the "clean" install method using the PID within the XML
file. Doesn't work.
You can "clean" install Vista HP from the DVD by methods posted everywhere,
but you will still have to install Vista HP a second time to put in the
license in place and activate and then install a third time to use the Vista
Ultimate upgrade license. (Very time consuming and not too "clean" by the
time you are done.)

My recommendation:
Once you get it installed and have all your trusted applications in place,
make a full backup!
Then, if you need to re-install, you just restore the backup. You only have
to "install" once, it takes 20 minutes vice the hours for the upgrade
install, all your applications are ready to use and Vista is
"pre-activated."

"Arthur Hoornweg" <antispam.hoornweg@casema.nl.net> wrote in message
news:urlh6gYEIHA.4196@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...

> Mark wrote:
>
> > Insert the Vista installation DVD and close it when it opens.
> > From within Vista HP, double-click the downloaded License file.
> > The installation will use the DVD to perform the entire upgrade. No

product

> > key will be required.
> > You will probably need to perform a phone activation since you

previously

> > installed this license.
>
>
> OK, I will try that. I was hoping I could do a "clean" repair install
> from the
> bootable media itself, doing a completely new driver installation, rather
> than updating the system whilst it is running. Since it failed me once,

I'm

> afraid it could fail again since the only difference is that the files

come

> from the DVD rather than from the website.
>
>
>
>
>
>
> --
> Arthur Hoornweg
>
> (In order to reply per e-mail, please just remove the ".net"
> from my e-mail address. Leave the rest of the address intact
> including the "antispam" part. I had to take this measure to
> counteract unsollicited mail.)

Richard Urban

Guest
Posts: n/a

Re: Online "Anytime upgrade" horror

Posted: 10-18-2007, 03:52 PM

Please note that a clean install does NOT equal a repair install.

As in Windows XP, if you have a severely hosed system a clean install is
warranted. A repair install, while it will install the correct operating
system code, will NOT compensate for the fact that you may have something
configured incorrectly or may have other software that is interfering with
the correct operation of the operating system. Your miss-configuration will
be carried over.

--

Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
(For email, remove the obvious from my address)

"Arthur Hoornweg" <antispam.hoornweg@casema.nl.net> wrote in message
news:urlh6gYEIHA.4196@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...

> Mark wrote:
>
>> Insert the Vista installation DVD and close it when it opens.
>> From within Vista HP, double-click the downloaded License file.
>> The installation will use the DVD to perform the entire upgrade. No
>> product
>> key will be required.
>> You will probably need to perform a phone activation since you previously
>> installed this license.
>
>
> OK, I will try that. I was hoping I could do a "clean" repair install from
> the
> bootable media itself, doing a completely new driver installation, rather
> than updating the system whilst it is running. Since it failed me once,
> I'm
> afraid it could fail again since the only difference is that the files
> come
> from the DVD rather than from the website.
>
>
>
>
>
>
> --
> Arthur Hoornweg
>
> (In order to reply per e-mail, please just remove the ".net"
> from my e-mail address. Leave the rest of the address intact
> including the "antispam" part. I had to take this measure to
> counteract unsollicited mail.)

LinkBack

Thread Tools

Display Modes

« Previous Thread | Next Thread »

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Switch to Linear Mode Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads You may post replies You may not post attachments You may not edit your posts BB code is On Smilies are On [IMG] code is On HTML code is Off Trackbacks are On Pingbacks are On Refbacks are On

Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Missing "Documents" and "Music" folders after upgrade from Windows XP. Anyone know how to recreate them?	Sean	Windows Vista Install & Setup	5	04-05-2007 04:24 AM
"Windows Media Center" upgrade to "Vista Business" ?	peyz	Windows Vista Install & Setup	4	02-11-2007 07:02 AM
Difference "upgrade" vs "full" version of Windows XP ??	Don M	Windows XP New Users	4	01-29-2004 06:07 AM
Manual "Windows Update" produces "ActiveX/active scripting" error message even with "LOW" security level setting in "Trusted" Zone	Ray2	Windows XP Help & Support	1	11-14-2003 06:50 PM
"Website unavailable while working offline" message while online.	Steve	Windows XP Network & Web	0	09-17-2003 11:38 PM