I've scanned many threads, and still have Questions. I've been asked to build a computer for a friend's son who is graduating HS & heading for college. I originally presumed I'd be loading Vista...
1) I've read in some thread that one cannot UPGRADE -from- an Academic Vista, that the honest person should do a full install to continue using the computer after graduation, and that one cannot UPGRADE to a later, non-AE release. Is this true? Is AE Vista truly supposed to expire upon final graduation?! I cannot find any licensing text on Microsoft's site for SKU 66I-00488 == Vista Home Premium AE Update. I don't see the logic of this idea, as it's an UPGRADE package in the first place, indicating it was preceeded by another (presumably non-AE) package. Perhaps I've missunderstood the posts.
2) I'm surprised as heck that I can't find Academic FULL Vista packages only AE *UPGRADE* packages, and only Home Premium at that. I'm doing a system build... but I guess there are NO FULL-release, non-Update VHP-AE packages to build from?! So it goes. His college certainly doesn't offer any discounted Vista except 66I-00488, VHP-AE Upgraded.
3) If VHP-AE Upgrade is useless for -building- a system: if I use the System Builders' [non-AE, obv.] VHP (66I-00715) version, its license and reality (as indicated by postings here) seem at odds. The SB/OEM license seems to preclude major h/w updates (e.g. the motherboard), yet endless posters indicate major changes can still be re-authenticated [activated?] by calling MS and promising the removed h/w shall no longer run using the original product key. How confident can one be of this? It -sounds- as reliable as a politician's promise! It doesn't seem too much to ask for MS to make this less stressful by changing their license... or are the postings WRONG?!
4) I'm comfortable with good olde XP, and I'm increasingly inclined to just build using XP-HE OEM. He can then upgrade to VHP whenever he chooses. Does his eventual VHP Upgrade free him from any OEM license issues as regards major h/w upgrades? [I expect he would have to phone MS and explain the upgrade to re-authenticate (or whateverthepropertermis).]
Sorry to drone on so long! Thanks...

Basilisk Pie - You did apologize for "droning" on - I counted at least six questions in your post.
I am not familiar with the academic version of Vista, however I do know that student versions of Microsoft Office are sold at a discounted price and are not upgradable to a newer version of Office when released. There is no expiration date.
Academic and Student versions are not the same - I would suspect that, except for the price diffferential, the academic version is identical to retail.
"Basilisk Pie"

The academic version is nothing less than "Home Premium Upgrade". It costs $68. It is not OEM. It does not come in any other flavor and is not the "Full" version which allows you to retain your old XP/2K product active.
I upgraded mine to Ultimate after about a month of use using the Windows Anytime Upgrade option.
There's no expiration. It's simply a break for students and teachers.
If you're comfortable with XP. Wait at least until SP1 is issued.
"Basilisk Pie"

"How to Clean Install Windows Vista with Upgrade Media":
winsupersite.com/showcase/winvista_upgrade_clean.asp
Gary VanderMolen
"Basilisk Pie"

Thanks! You've concisely answered enough of my concerns to make me confident about VHP-AE.
Re' going with XP: were it -my- computer, I'd probably do that. But, I don't want him to have to upgrade on his own at a later date.
"Mark" wrote:

What a remarkable article. Thanks!
It isn't ethically applicable here because this is a new computer. BUT it sounds like an answer for another problem I have: a computer loaded with XP Pro OEM went unrepairably insane and I can't find my master CD. Rather than order a "replacement media", I may just upgrade it to VHP since that can apparently be done w/o the original disk. ['Wish MS made ISO's of their key-protected disks available to download, however.]
Thanks again.
"Gary VanderMolen" wrote: