Upgrade to another edition of Windows Vista
If you want more features than you currently have in your existing edition of Windows Vista, you can upgrade to another edition. You can either buy an upgrade disc at a retail store or use Windows Anytime Upgrade to buy the upgrade online.
How you upgrade depends on your answers to these three questions:
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Do you have an upgrade copy or a full product copy of Windows Vista? You can find out what copy you have by checking the front of the Windows Vista retail box or your online sales receipt.
With an upgrade copy, you can install Windows Vista if you already own a compliant, licensed version of Windows 2000, Windows XP, or Windows Vista. With a full copy, you can upgrade, when possible, or perform a clean installation of Windows Vista, even if no operating system is installed on your computer.
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Does the edition of Windows Vista currently installed on your computer allow you to perform an upgrade to the edition of Windows Vista that you purchased? If you're not sure, see "What installation choices are available to you?" later in this topic.
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Do you want to preserve your personal files, settings, and programs?
Performing an upgrade preserves your personal files, settings, and programs. Performing a clean installation of Windows Vista does not preserve your personal files, settings, and programs. For information about how to restore your files after a clean installation, go to How to restore your personal files after you perform a custom installation
online.
You might also need to decide whether to install a 32-bit or 64-bit version of Windows Vista. For more information, see 32-bit and 64-bit Windows: frequently asked questions.
Warning
If you have an upgrade copy of a 32-bit version of Windows Vista, you must start the upgrade while running your existing version of Windows.
For instructions on performing an upgrade or a clean installation, see Installing and reinstalling Windows.
For more information about installing and upgrading 32-bit versions of Windows, go to Installation choices for Windows Vista (32-bit) online.
Show all
The following tables show the installation choices when you upgrade from one edition of Windows Vista to another.
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Windows Vista Home Basic to
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Do this
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Windows Vista Home Premium
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Upgrade
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Windows Vista Business
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Upgrade
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Windows Vista Ultimate
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Upgrade
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Windows Vista (64-bit versions)
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Clean Installation
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Windows Vista Home Premium to
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Do this
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Windows Vista Home Basic
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Clean installation
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Windows Vista Business
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Clean installation
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Windows Vista Ultimate
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Upgrade
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Windows Vista (64-bit versions)
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Clean installation
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|
|
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Windows Vista Business to
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Do this
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Windows Vista Home Basic
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Clean installation
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Windows Vista Home Premium
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Clean installation
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Windows Vista Ultimate
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Upgrade
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Windows Vista (64-bit versions)
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Clean installation
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|
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Windows Vista Ultimate to
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Do this
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Windows Vista Home Basic
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Clean installation
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Windows Vista Home Premium
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Clean installation
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Windows Vista Business
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Clean installation
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Windows Vista (64-bit versions)
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Clean installation
|
|
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Windows Vista (64-bit versions) to
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Do this
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Windows Vista Home Basic
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Clean installation
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Windows Vista Home Premium
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Clean installation
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Windows Vista Business
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Clean installation
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Windows Vista Ultimate
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Clean installation
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Windows Vista (64-bit versions)
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Upgrade
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If you're not sure which edition of Windows Vista is installed on your computer, here's how to check:
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Open Welcome Center by clicking the Start button 
, clicking Control Panel, clicking System and Maintenance, and then clicking Welcome Center.
The edition of Windows that you are running is displayed with your computer details near the top of the window.
Using Windows Anytime Upgrade is a new way to upgrade your 32-bit edition of Windows Vista to another 32-bit edition of Windows Vista by purchasing the upgrade online. Pricing information for each edition of Windows Vista is available as part of the Windows Anytime Upgrade process.
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Open Windows Anytime Upgrade by clicking the Start button , clicking Control Panel, clicking System and Maintenance, and then clicking Windows Anytime Upgrade.
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Follow the instructions on each page.
When the upgrade is complete, you will have a new edition of Windows Vista running on your computer. To learn more about the new features that you just installed, read "What's new in Windows Vista" in the Welcome Center, which you'll see on your desktop, or search for "What's new" in Help and Support.
For more information about Windows Anytime Upgrade, to compare and purchase editions of Windows Vista, and to get pricing information, go to Windows Anytime Upgrade online.
Note
To use Windows Anytime Upgrade, you must already be running a 32-bit edition of Windows Vista.
You cannot perform an upgrade from a 32-bit version of Windows Vista to a 64-bit version of Windows Vista. You must use a full copy of Windows Vista to perform a clean installation of a 64-bit version.
For instructions on how to perform a clean installation, see Installing and reinstalling Windows.
For more information about installing and upgrading 64-bit versions of Windows, go to Installation choices for Windows Vista (64-bit)
online.
Warning
Begin the installation by inserting the 64-bit Windows Vista DVD into your computer's disc drive, and then restart your computer. You must start the 64-bit installation from the 64-bit disc because Windows installation will not run on a 32-bit version of Windows.
If you have a 64-bit version of Windows Vista installed, you can perform an upgrade to another 64-bit version as follows:
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Windows Vista Home Basic (64-bit) to Windows Vista Home Premium (64-bit)
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Windows Vista Home Basic (64-bit) to Windows Vista Ultimate (64-bit)
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Windows Vista Home Premium (64-bit) to Windows Vista Ultimate (64-bit)
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Windows Vista Business (64-bit) to Windows Vista Ultimate (64-bit)
Using a full copy, you can perform a clean installation of any 64-bit edition of Windows Vista.
