Frequently Asked Questions
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Q: What is the difference between Windows Express Upgrade and Windows Anytime Upgrade?

A: Express Upgrade

Windows® Express Upgrade was offered to customers that purchased Gateway® or eMachines® computers between October 26, 2006 and March 15, 2007 and that came pre-loaded with Windows XP. In partnership with Microsoft® and a third party company, ModusLink, Gateway/eMachines will send customers an upgrade version of the Windows Vista™ operating system. The media for the Express Upgrade will be sent to customers directly from ModusLink, and does not come with the computer.

Express Upgrade is fully supported by Gateway/eMachines on a technical level.

Note: Gateway/eMachines is only offering 32-bit versions of the Express Upgrade for Windows Vista.

Windows Anytime Upgrade

Windows Anytime Upgrade (WAU) is a new feature that lets you step from a lower version of Windows Vista, such as Home Basic, to a higher version, such as Home Premium or Ultimate. Windows Anytime Upgrade requires you to have an activated copy Windows Vista already installed on a computer. A Windows Anytime Upgrade DVD is included with all Gateway/eMachines systems that ship with Windows Vista.

The Windows Anytime Upgrade process must not be started from the DVD; users can click on Windows Anytime Upgrade in the Control Panel or from the Start Menu. If you insert the DVD you start the Windows Vista installation, which requires a product key.

Gateway/eMachines does not support Windows Anytime Upgrade versions of Windows Vista. Customers are entitled to technical support from Microsoft for Windows Anytime Upgrade versions of the operating system.

Note: Originally, Gateway/eMachines only shipped 32-bit versions of Windows Vista. Windows Anytime Upgrade only supports installation to the same version (32-bit) of the operating system, therefore, 64-bit will not be supported unless Gateway/eMachines ships a 64-bit version in the future.