Install using any editions dvd?

[deathmachine]

Hey guys,
I did look around abit first and searched, couldn't see this question answered anywhere:
Just a quick question, im sure someone knows the answer, its quite straight forward.

I have a Windows Vista Business 32bit dvd... can my friend, who has Windows Vista Home Basic 32bit installed on her laptop, and has her product key on a sticker on the bottom, use my DVD on reinstall? If she puts in her product key, it should install Home Basic, activate, and be happy, right?

Any help on this issue welcome, just trying to help a friend sort out her laptop.

Cheers,

 

[Guest]

No, the Product Key must match the installation DVD. Why doesn't your friend have a Vista Home Basic DVD or a set of Recovery Disks? Are you sure there's no Recovery partition on the hard drive?

Grumpy

 

[ohiou_grad_06]

I think on a Dell system, if you hit f8 before it gets to the windows loading bar screen, it gives you the option of how to boot(safe mode, etc.), and that on those systems, it should give you the option to use the recovery partition.

To Grumpy, sometimes the oem systems don't even come with recovery disks unless the customer pays extra. They many times just make a recovery partition, which unfortunately doesn't help if the hard drive goes bye bye.

 

[Guest]

Every Dell I have ever ordered has shipped with Recovery Disks. Most other OEMs allow you to create a set.

Grumpy

 

[Zoron]

I've installed both Vista Home Premium and Vista Home Basic from the same DVD... the only difference was the product key. So yes, you can install different versions of Vista from the same DVD as long as you have the appropriate product key.