You cannot select the Upgrade option when you try to install Windows Vista, and you receive a Windows cannot determine if another operating system exists on your computer error message
You cannot select the Upgrade option when you try to install Windows Vista, and you receive a Windows cannot determine if another operating system exists on your computer†error message
| Article ID | : | 933166 |
| Last Review | : | April 16, 2007 |
| Revision | : | 2.1 |
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Symptoms of the problem
When you try to install Windows Vista, you cannot select the Upgrade option. Additionally, you receive the following error message in the Install Windows dialog box:
Upgrade has been disabled
- Windows cannot determine if another operating system exists on your computer. Try repairing the boot configuration, and then begin the installation again.
Back to the topCAUSE
The location that is specified for the Windows directory is incorrect.
Steps to resolve the problem
To resolve this problem, start your previous operating system, and then edit the Boot.ini file to specify the correct location for the Windows directory. To do this, follow these steps.
Step 1: Save a backup copy of the Boot.ini file
| a. | Click Start, click Run, type sysdm.cpl, and then click OK. |
| b. | In the System Properties dialog box, click the Settingsbutton on the Advancedtab of the Startup and Recovery area. |
| c. | In the System Startup area, click Edit. This step opens the file in Notepad for editing. |
| d. | In Notepad, click Fileon the Menubar, and then click Save As. |
| e. | Right-click in an empty area of the Save Asdialog box, point to Newin the shortcutmenu, and then click Folder. |
| f. | Type a name for the new folder, and then press ENTER. For example, type temp, and then press ENTER to create a folder named temp. |
| g. | Double-click the new folder named temp, and then click Save to save a backup copy of the Boot.ini file. |
Step 2: Edit the Boot.ini file
| a. | Click Start, click Run, type sysdm.cpl, and then click OK. |
| b. | On the Advancedtab, click Settingsin the Startup and Recovery area. |
| c. | In the System Startup area, click Edit. |
| d. | Find the line in the Boot.ini file that contains the name of the previous operating system. For example, you may find a line that resembles the following.
If the Windows Vista Setup program created a partition in the unallocated disk space in front of the partition where a previous operating system is installed, the previous operating system partition must be marked as partition 2. In this scenario, you must increment the partition value by one. For example, if the Boot.ini file contains partition(1) for Windows XP, modify this text to partition(2). The modified line resembles the following.
|
| e. | After you make the correction, click Save on the File menu to save the new version of the Boot.ini file, and then exit Notepad. |
Advanced troubleshooting
For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
927295 (/Feedback.aspx?kbNumber=927295/) You cannot select the Upgrade option when you try to install Windows Vista, and you receive the following message: “Windows cannot determine if another operating system exists on your computerâ€
APPLIES TO
| • | Windows Vista Enterprise |
| • | Windows Vista Enterprise 64-bit Edition |
| • | Windows Vista Ultimate |
| • | Windows Vista Ultimate 64-bit Edition |
| • | Windows Vista Business |
| • | Windows Vista Business 64-bit EN |
| • | Windows Vista Home Premium |
| • | Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit Edition |
| • | Windows Vista Home Basic |
| • | Windows Vista Home Basic 64-bit Edition |
Keywords:Â |
kbexpertiseinter kbceip kbcode kbprb kbtshoot kbsetup KB933166 |
Microsoft Knowledge Base Article
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