The Windows Vista upgrade option is unavailable when you start the computer by using the Windows Vista DVD

View products that this article applies to.

This article is intended for a beginning to intermediate computer user.

You may find it easier to follow the steps if you print this article first.

Expand all | Collapse all

Symptoms of the problem

When you start the computer by using the Windows Vista DVD, the Windows Vista upgrade option is unavailable.

Steps to work around the problem

To work around this problem, make sure that the Windows Vista DVD is not inserted when you start the computer. Then, insert the Windows Vista DVD to upgrade to Windows Vista. To do this, follow these steps:

Make sure that the Windows Vista DVD is not inserted, and then start the computer.
After you see the Welcome screen, insert the Windows Vista DVD into the computer's DVD drive.
In the Windows Vista dialog box, click Upgrade.

If the Windows Vista DVD does not automatically start after you insert the Windows Vista DVD into the computer's DVD drive, follow these steps:

Click Start, click Run, type DVD_DriveLetter:\startup.exe, and then press the ENTER key.

Note The DVD_DriveLetter placeholder represents the drive letter of the DVD drive on the computer.
In the Windows Vista dialog box, click Upgrade.