Hopefully I can help a little bit,

You do get downgrade rights to Win XP Pro with the Vista Business license with or without Software Assurance.

Also if you have Software Assurance you do get rights to Vista Ultimate. I have a 80 page Microsoft document I can e-mail with the verification of this. If you have Win Vista w/SA then you can call 1-866-230-0560. Hit Option #1 (English). Hit Option#2 for Software Assurance.

They can generate Vista Ultimate keycodes for you, you just need to order the media kit ($27 - $35 dependnig on source). A unique key is generated for each installation. So if you want to install on 10 pc's and you have more than 10 licenses they will issue you 10 unique keycodes to use with the same media kit.

Also one more change with the new Vista licenses. In the past if a user had XP Home they could purchase the XP Pro upgrade license. You can no longer do this. Home products can not be upgraded through the Open license program. So if you have Windows Pro 2000 you can upgrade using the license program but if you have Vista Home Basic, or Home premium you can not! I'm not saying it won't work, just that it's not legal :)

If there are any questions or if you would like the MS document I have feel free to e-mail me.

Jeramie
jeramie@ccbnonprofits.com

wow, I've received multiple e-mails already on the Vista Ultimate document. Feel free to e-mail me and I'll reply with it. Here's the copied and pasted section from the document:

Windows Vista Ultimate

Customers with Software Assurance in the systems product pool as of November 1, 2006 are eligible for this benefit during the term of their Software Assurance coverage. For each Windows license covered under Software Assurance, customers have the option to use Windows Vista™ Ultimate in place of Windows Vista Business on their licensed device. The type of Windows Vista Business license acquired determines whether there is an ongoing right to use Windows Vista Ultimate.

Software Assurance customers with a perpetual license for Windows Vista Business, will have a perpetual right to use Windows Vista Ultimate on the SA covered device. Otherwise, the right to use Windows Vista Ultimate expires upon the expiration of rights under the Windows license for which Software Assurance coverage was acquired.

Customers may not move Windows Vista Ultimate from the licensed device to another device. However, customers may reassign Software Assurance coverage to a replacement device, as permitted under their license agreement, the right to use Windows Vista Ultimate in place of Windows Vista Business will apply to that new device. For details on when Software Assurance coverage may be reassigned to a replacement desktop, customers should refer to their license agreement.

Note: Windows Vista Ultimate customers are permitted to use the MUI version of the downgraded Windows Operating System in place of Windows Vista Enterprise and Windows Vista Business.

Eligible customers will be able to receive the media associated with this benefit as of January 2007.

Windows Vista Ultimate is an OS for home and small business users. It combines the data protection, networking, and management of a business-focused operating system, the productivity and flexibility of a mobility-focused operating system, and the family safety and digital entertainment features of a consumer-focused operating system.

Windows Vista Ultimate cannot be activated using volume license keys. It requires activation one desktop system at a time. Upon activation of this benefit, customers will need to contact the Software Assurance Call Center for product activation.

Downgrade rights: For Windows Vista Ultimate downgrade rights, please refer to Windows Vista Business downgrade rights.

Does this only apply to the full version of Vista Business or does it also apply to the Vista Business Upgrade that is offered here on TechSoup?

After a lot of frustrating calls to Microsoft, a few calls to reach a person at TechSoup, I finally found out [font face='Arial' size='3' color='red']the number non-profits need to call for the media is 800-248-0655 option 5[/font], and not 866-230-0560.

Non-profits calling any other number will likely face a difficult challenge, being told they must contact the reseller for the media. If you call any other number, you can talk and explain until you are blue in the face, and you won't get anywhere. If you simply call the correct number, gee, simply calling the correct number saves so many headaches.

For clarification about the WinXP Pro upgrade to Vista Ultimate: if you go that route, and not to the Vista Business edition(s), you must buy one media set per license that you want to install as Vista Ultimate. That is a one DVD per install edition, whereas the other versions can have one key for volume licensing.

Another issue, just to save everyone a lot of time ... if you do order the Windows Vista Ultimate media (one DVD or multiple CDs per install) -- you should get one keycode in the DHL package that's delivered to you with the media.

No matter what, for all keycodes, or if NONE are sent, simply call the Multiple and Volume Licensing Division at Microsoft -- 866-230-0560 -- and an email will be sent to the registered email account verifying that you requested the keycodes.

Within three business days (for security reasons) the keycodes will be sent via email in an Excel spreadsheet to that same address. They will not tell you, and I doubt the person you are speaking with knows, when the codes will be sent, but they are generated and sent automatically upon request and verification.

Aaah the joys of Microsoft. Right hand doesn't know what the left is doing.

Scoop, I assume the XP keycode doesn't work? Also we are told if you have 100 licenses of Vista Enterprise w/SA you can get 1 media kit for Vista Ultimate and 100 keycodes (not that any company should install Vista Ultimate on all their machines, should just use it on the media center pc's that need the additional features). I have a large client now that has 300 Vista w/SA licenses and have deployed 20 Vista Ultimate installations onto their media pc's using 1 media kit and the 20 installation keycodes that were sent on that spreadsheet.

When this benefit first came out there was an orange keycode sticker on the back of each media, which is why at first you needed a media for each install. Now they are issuing multiple keycodes via e-mail or over the phone as you stated so you "should" only need one media.

That is until MS comes in and changes things again :)

On March 29 2007 at 2:32 PM, Jeramie wrote:
Aaah the joys of Microsoft. Right hand doesn't know what the left is doing.
This isn't just a "Microsoft" thing. I've had similar issues with Dell, H-P, Apple, and Symantec in the past over similar issues in the past. Such as, with H-P, order several custom computers that are identical, but one or two are RAID-ready, while the rest, identical in every other aspect, are not. When challenged, the CSRs say, "Well, it doesn't make sense for the others to be different." Don't ask, "Who is the customer?", as that doesn't equate either.

With Symantec, an order for several products was placed, all with the download-only option. Then you order one CD -- and suddenly, when the email receipt arrives -- every item has the CD shipping. When you call back, are sent to outsource-land for hours of misery, you are asked, "You ordered this so why don't you want all the CDs?" Explaining you did NOT order a CD for every install does no good. When you try to cancel the entire order, you are asked, "Why do you think you can cancel?" Then there is the person who understands the script and the anticipated responses provided in the script, but if you have an issue not addressed in the customer service scripts, well, let's just say it is easier to walk across the noonday desert, barefoot, with broken glass slicing your feet.

No, this isn't a Microsoft-only issue. It's a problem that is society-wide, but spreading, some in part due to outsourcing and language barriers. Some of it has to do with corporations giving information and sharing it with the upper level echelons in each division, but when it is passed down, the old adage of training applies: If you need to hire someone to fill a spot, knowing this person needs to be sharp, and needs to have your 110 percent ethic, and you will be doing the training, research has shown that somewhere around 15 percent loss is to be expected in results and quality. If that person trains someone new, another 15 percent. To illustrate this, simply make a Xerox copy of an original document printed on a laser printer at 600 dpi. Then make a copy of the copy, and repeat that 30 times -- making a copy of the copy that just came out of the copier. It won't be long before the results are clearly evident.

I did call back to the number that non-profits need to call to order media -- 800-248-0655 (option 5) -- to explain to the person who took my order, and, in the end, managed to get me to the right people, the entire issue, and the process. Perhaps, just perhaps, this will help others -- and maybe it will be shared up and down the stream of folks in that department, as well as with her peers. Just perhaps.

----- Edited (to add) -----
What I did learn, after speaking with a supervisor during that call, is non-profits with licenses through the "Charity" program, should first call 866-230-0560 ( option 2). The person fielding the question will address the issue initially, then transfer you to the appropriate office or number -- and explain to the new person receiving the call just what you need -- to ensure everything goes correctly.

I called 866-230-0560 (#2) to verify this and was told "That is exactly how things should work, and it should save a lot of frustration."

Although I spent a lot of time because of misinformation, maybe someone else will benefit.

The Vista Ultimate discs/keys that are being supplied, are these upgrades, just as the Vista Business being offered here is, or is it a full installation?

I find it odd so many are interested in Vista Ultimate and wonder how many really know what little extra this provides compared to the business edition...


* Experience photos and entertainment in your living room with Windows Media Center

*Better protect your data against loss with Windows BitLocker Drive Encryption

* Easily make DVDs with Windows DVD Maker

* Have more fun on your PC with three new premium games: Chess Titans, Mahjong Titans, and Inkball

* Create high definition movies with Windows Movie Maker in High Definition


Wow. That's it. The movie maker sounds interesting, but anyone doing serious video editing is going to be using Adobe...

From our perspective, we just ordered Office 2007 and Windows XP Professional licenses. For some of our lower end units, even these will be stretches...

At home I've experienced Vista Ultimate first-hand and a month later, aside from the eye candy, I can say it's not worth the trouble. Not to mention all the bits of my system that are not functional under Vista (Creative Live! sound card, still sold in stores HP laser printer, still sold in stores Creative webcam, etc.)

Hindsight is everything, and I'm glad I kept Windows XP Pro as a dual boot. :) We'll see how Vista shapes up with SP2. :)

I also have Windows Vista Ultimate & Office 2007.

My opinions:
1. Unless you buy a new piece of hardware that requires Vista, don't rush to Vista.
2. If for bragging rights only, don't rush to Vista.
3. Office 2007 has a lot of eye candy, and that's it. Vista not required.

Comments:
Windows Vista supports the HP LaserJet 2100 (circa 1998) via a Parallel to USB cable as a "plug and play" device. Note that this printer was marketed to businesses and there are many thousands still in use. HP could not afford to ignore that many devices for their customer base. In this regard, historically Creative has been notoriously slow in providing drivers for new Operating Systems.

Since this topic was started in November of 2006, many answers are available that were unknowns on that date.

I am having trouble networking a Vista computer we recently purchased with the XP computers in our small office network. The new computer has the home version of Vista. I have turned sharing on for it and put it on a network with the same name as our existing network. (Network discovery is on, private network, all the sharing options are green, etc.)

The Vista computer has no problem accessing files from the XP computers on the network. However, the XP computers cannot access the Vista one. It doesn't show up in Network Places, but if you click on view workgroup computers, it shows it. However, if you click on it or attempt to access it, an error message is returned saying that the computer could not be found. (Right click and choose properties and the message is that the server could not be found on the network, double click on it and the message is the computer is not accessible, the network path could not be found.)

Any help would be most appreciated.

I bought a computer with Home Premium on it.  Can I upgrade to Vista Business?  Carol

Hi csteele!  According to this web page from Microsoft, yes you can.  The second bullet reads:

Microsoft

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.

So scroll down the page to "What installation choices are available to you?" and click on the question.  It will list your version of Vista and the available upgrades.  According to the web page, Vista Home Premium has a valid upgrade to Vitsa Business.