Windows Anytime Upgrade

Windows Anytime Upgrade (WAU) is an upgrade method offered by Microsoft and selected licensed resellers for users who wish to upgrade their edition of Windows Vista by buying a license online. This helps reduce the number of installation disks in circulation; all five editions of Vista are included on one 2.5 GB Windows Anytime Upgrade DVD.

Microsoft's current marketing material states that all installation media will contain all the functionality of the highest SKU (Stock Keeping Unit) and that higher level functions will be disabled through winlogon.exe and pidgen.dll. This is what is also used in differentiating between Windows XP Home and Windows XP Professional. In practical terms, this means that the license purchased online effectively determines which version of Vista WAU customers can upgrade from and to.

The benefit of WAU is that if one were to decide that they wanted Media Center, Aero, or Windows Fax and Scan out of a computer that currently runs Vista Home Basic, they could complete the upgrade without needing to acquire a different installation disk. A possible drawback is that such a technology is potentially highly exploitable, making it possible for users to switch to a higher SKU through a possible security hole without purchasing an upgrade.

Method

Upgrading to another version of Windows Vista requires the purchase of a license online. This is the software package which is your permission to upgrade. Included in the license is the Product Key but this is not seen during the upgrade process as the upgrade is automatic. The user is not required to input any key, such as that associated with packaged products bought in the shops or provided by OEMs with their products. The license download can be achieved direct by going straight to the website address or by using the Windows Anytime Upgrade feature in Vista itself that is available through the Vista control panel, then clicking on "System and Maintenance". One can then complete the process by downloading the license software that is required for the process and this prepares the computer for the upgrade and the use of the DVD media containing Vista. It is important to note that Vista itself is on the Windows Anytime Upgrade DVD and is not downloadable during this process.

Upgrade process

Users are required to complete the upgrade by installing the proper files associated with the edition unlocked with their downloaded license package using one of several methods. The Windows Vista DVD media can be used so long as it's marked with the label "Includes Windows Anytime Upgrade". An OEM can also preload files onto the hard drive of a computer running Windows Vista. Finally, an OEM may include a separate Anytime Upgrade DVD along with, or instead of, the typical restore disk. If any of the above are not present, then a Windows Anytime Upgrade DVD can be ordered by request during the upgrade process for a nominal shipping and handling fee.

Problems Encountered

Users have encountered a number of basic problems with the upgrade process, many related to simple mistakes being made. Firstly, it is not possible to upgrade simply by putting the upgrade DVD into your computer. This only results in a trial upgrade being installed and reduced functionality after 30 days when your computer asks for a product key you don't have and need to pay for. Secondly, users have reported that official sites are not clear on what the upgrade process entails. Many have thought the Vista versions themselves were downloadable and that the license (which is the part of the upgrade that costs money) was in fact the upgraded version of Vista. Hence they have tried using their license package via a link provided in a confirmation email sent after the license purchase online only to find they needed to wait for their DVD to arrive by mail. The link in their email has subsequently expired three days later (as it does) and their license has been saved for them in Microsoft's new Digital Locker service. Thirdly, a number of users have mistakenly ordered the wrong upgrade licenses meaning that the product would not install. Microsoft has determined a number of approved upgrade paths as statutory and the correct paths must be followed for the upgrade to function correctly.

Availability

Windows Anytime Upgrade is available only in the US, Canada, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and Japan. Pricing varies greatly by location with those in the US and Canada paying substantially less than those in Europe. The user's location is fixed during the order process using IP localization and the user has no opportunity to change this during the order process. Windows users in other countries such as Australia, New Zealand and South Africa do not have access to the service. [citeweb|title=Microsoft Watch - Vista - Getting Windows Vista online|url=http://www.microsoft-watch.com/content/vista/buying_windows_vista_online.html|publisher=microsoft-watch.com|accessdate=2008-02-24]

Windows Anytime Upgrade Packs

To expand the limited availability and accessibility of Windows Anytime Upgrade, Microsoft has introduced Windows Anytime Upgrade Packs since May 2007 in North America, EMEA and Asia-Pacific countries. [citeweb|title=Windows Anytime Upgrade Packs, in detail|url=http://www.istartedsomething.com/20070821/windows-anytime-upgrade-packs-detail/|publisher=istartedsomething.com|accessdate=2008-02-24] These packs are available in retail as well as online stores.

Since February 2008, in some countries where it was previously possible to upgrade using a downloaded licence and the original installation media, users attempting to purchase an upgrade via the Microsoft website are now informed that they can only receive the upgrade via a mailed Upgrade Pack. The SKUs available for order are from Vista RTM to the new SP1 version of the upgrade (in certain locales only at present).Fact|date=February 2008

References

External links

* [http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/help/3af7e05f-4d2a-4af7-a168-9242f9093bb81033.mspx Upgrade to another edition of Windows Vista]
* [http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsvista/buyorupgrade/windowsanytimeupgrade/overview.mspx Windows Vista:Windows Anytime Upgrade]