upgrade from 32-64 bit windows in Mountain Lion

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I have just received my new iMac 27" and am in the process of moving everything over from my 2006 MBP which ran on Snow Leopard and Vista (32-bit) in boot camp. I understand that Mountain Lion doesn't like 32-bit Windows, and I don't mind upgrading, but I'm trying not to spend more that the $40 for the upgrade from Vista to 8. Is there anyway to get Windows 8 on my new system using an upgrade? I do have an external optical drive. I have used a roommate's copy of Windows 7 just to test out boot camp, and have that running, but for no more that 30 days. I have the install disk for my copy of Vista, but if I try to install it, I can't move the curser to complete the install. Any ideas?
 
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G'day and welcome to the forums.

Best option is Windows 7 64bit. And don't talk about illegal use of software here. It is frowned upon. New computers will not install Vista.
 
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G'day and welcome to the forums.

Best option is Windows 7 64bit. And don't talk about illegal use of software here. It is frowned upon. New computers will not install Vista.

Thanks for the reply. And sorry for frowned upon talk. I have no intention of using the Windows 7 on my system, just used it as a test. I don't think that is illegal, but I could be wrong. My intention is to legally get to a Windows 8 upgrade from my purchased Vista on my new iMac.
 

chscag

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As far as I'm aware, XP, Vista, are legal upgrades to Windows 7 albeit by doing a clean install from XP. Vista is a direct upgrade. I haven't seen the official MS upgrade policy to Windows 8, but my understanding is that Vista and Windows 7 are legal upgrades.

Having said the above, an upgrade version will not work since there is no way to eject the Vista disk to prove to Windows 8 that the upgrade is legal. Which is why the Boot Camp assistant states that you must use a full version. There may be work arounds (as there were with the Windows 7 upgrade), however, I'm not aware of any at the present time.
 
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As stated a new iMac will only install Windows 7 not Vista.
 

chscag

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As stated a new iMac will only install Windows 7 not Vista.

True Harry, but Vista is a legal upgrade path to Windows 7 and 8. I believe that's what the OP was concerned about. But as I stated above, it really doesn't matter since he will need a full version of Windows 8 anyway.
 
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Thanks for the help. I am writing from Windows 8 on my iMac. I read on another forum that someone with a similar problem called Microsoft support, who gave him and .iso of Windows 7 to use but not activate in order to download the Windows 8. I used this method and had to first install Windows 7, with all the drivers and such, then downloaded the Windows 8 upgrade. Each time I had to burn a disk from the .iso using Disk Util as the flash drive method ran into problems related to EFI (I think). I had originally downloaded the Windows 8 upgrade on my MacBook Pro and then tried to install it on my iMac, but the updater program from Microsoft automatically gave me the 32-bit version, so that didn't work technically, though it was the legal path to take. I'm not sure that route was a dead end or helped later, but when I installed 8, and put in my the Key sent to me with my purchase, everything activated fine. Little work to get online, but that was solved, even have the trackpad working, Granted this took many hours or installing, reading posts, and trial and error, but from what I've read its getting easier. Bootcamp 4.1 seems to be on the right track.
 
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Good news.

chscag being a new iMac, as stated in original thread, did not think Vista would actually install, only Windows 7. Is this not the case still?
 

chscag

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No, you're right Harry. Vista won't install but it can be used as a legal upgrade to Windows 7 and 8. In other words, if you possess a license for Vista, you can legally buy and install the Windows 7 or 8 upgrade version. But, as you and I know that doesn't work on a Mac because of the slot loading optical drives. So as Mac owners, we're always forced to buy the full version which is more costly. But that's the way it goes..... ;)
 

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