FUSION 5: Trying to go from xP 32bit to W8 64bit w/actual physical 64 upgrade disk

[kemosabe4]

I MUST be overlooking SOMETHING here.  Scenario #1) Using the ACTUAL 64 bit upgrade disk doesn't work because I get a message indicating that I can't upgrade using a 64 bit disk with a 32 bit system (makes sense, I guess). Scenario #2) So, then I set the BIOS to boot the xP system from the 64b disk (in an attempt to continue working with my existing system to "prove" that I was upgrading AN EXISTING system with my upgrade disk). THAT didn't work either; it barely starts the upgrade but then informs me that I must reboot the system WITHOUT the disk and then insert the disk once the system is up -- that puts me back at Scenario #1 again. I'm going around in circles at this point. For the record, I am successfully able to install this 64 bit Windows8 BUT THEN I CAN'T VALIDATE IT with Microsoft because it recognizes my INSTALL KEY as an upgrade key and not a FULL install key. Can anybody tell me where I'm going wrong? Thanks in advance.  Danny, Allentown, PA

[avanish321 · Accepted solution]

Hi, before trying to upgrade windows xp, run the upgrade assistant inside your vm .

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-8/upgrade-to-windows-8 . Run the link inside the vm.

For detailed steps refer http://communities.vmware.com/thread/423315?tstart=0

Following info taken from ms website directly.

Can I upgrade from a 32-bit version of Windows to a 64-bit version of Windows 8?

Yes, but you can't do this using Upgrade Assistant. If  your PC has a 64-bit capable processor (CPU) but is currently running a  32-bit version of Windows, you can install a 64-bit version of Windows 8, but you'll need to buy Windows 8 as a DVD.

You also won't be able to keep any files, settings, or apps when you upgrade from a 32-bit to a 64-bit version.

[kemosabe4]

My apologies, I've been very tardy in responding about my path to resolution on this issue - and - it's been so long since I did this that the specific details about my undertaking are forgotten. 

After searching/Googling other experiences/resolution-paths to issues similar to this, I ended up performing a rather intricate/technical (at least to me) procedure to install the appropriate driver (and associated software) to allow me to be able to actually recognize the UPGRADE disk and USE it at the opportune time that the upgrade procedure required it.  I guess what surprises me is that the resolution to this issue was not something "non-technical" and therefore very intimidating for a non-technical person.  I am somewhat technical and that was my salvation.

As I post this, I tried to retrace my investigative steps to re-discover what it was that provided me with my solution; I believe the resolution involved installing a VMWare SCSI driver as noted in http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=101539...

I am now running Windows 8 64-bit.