My Vista Beta Expired - Please Help, Question

[mileslong]

i have an intel 20" imac. ih ave boot camp and was running a beta version of vista ultimate on it i received from microsoft. it expired last week and will now only let me open it in safe mode and use IE explorer. i then purchased vista ultimate upgrade from windows marketplace and stored in my digital locker.

i tried to download it but it keeps giving error messages like my serial number is not valid etc. actually it is asking for some other type of number that you can only get if you have a disc or if the download was successful which is ludicrous if you can't download it and install it to begin with.

i have gone round and round with this marketplace support and windows vista support and it getsm e nowhere. im going to try and get my money back for the download and just go to a store to buy a disc now. so my real question is this.

if i am going from an expired version of vista ultimate beta, can i buy the ultimate upgrade or do i have to purchase the whole operating system?

[andy5000]

The beta version is a version for testing and doesnt cost. As far as i am aware you can not upgrade from a beta version using an upgrade disc, an upgrade disc is to upgrade from windows xp full version (paid version).Hope this makes sense

[vanmacguy]

Yeah with regard to Microsoft Operating Systems, running a Beta version doesn't give you the ability to upgrade.

You have to buy a real copy before you can upgrade. The upgrade you bought is probably assuming you're upgrading from XP.

If you have XP, install it, and then use your Vista upgrade.

Cheers.

[mileslong]

hey guys, what i have is a vista beta version that microsoft mailed me. i dont have windows XP.

since its a beta version of vista, do i still have to buy the complete operating system? in other words i cant just upgrade from a beta to the final release?

[dejo]

since its a beta version of vista, do i still have to buy the complete operating system? in other words i cant just upgrade from a beta to the final release?
Yes, you do. No, you can't.

[mileslong]

ok, thanks a lot for all the help. i just decided to get a refund on the ultimate upgrade and go get a disc from best buy for the whole operating system.

now will i have to redo the boot camp setup i currently have? will the new vista ultimate install over the current vista beta??

[FelixDerKater]

There is a 2008 Server beta about if you wish to wait a bitlonger to buy into Windows.


http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2008/default.mspx