Windows Anytime Upgrade: An upgrade method offered by Microsoft and selected licensed resellers for users who wish to upgrade their edition of Windows Vista by buying a license online.

When you try to activate Windows Vista over the Internet after you use a Windows Anytime Upgrade DVD to upgrade Windows Vista, you receive an error message that resembles the following:

The Windows Vista version product key you typed is invalid for activation.

Note: Windows Anytime Upgrade is an upgrade option that lets you upgrade a basic version of Windows Vista to a version of Windows Vista that includes more features. This upgrade option requires that you purchase a Windows Anytime Upgrade package for the version of Windows Vista to which you are upgrading. The Windows Anytime Upgrade package includes a license agreement and a product key for this version of Windows Vista.

Consider the following scenario. You have a computer that is running a version of Windows Vista. You use the Windows Anytime Upgrade DVD to perform a clean installation of Windows Vista. Then, you try to activate Windows Vista over the Internet. In this scenario, you receive an error message that resembles the following:

The Windows Vista version product key you typed is invalid for activation.

Note: Windows Anytime Upgrade is an upgrade option that lets you upgrade a basic version of Windows Vista to a version of Windows Vista that includes more features. This upgrade option requires that you purchase a Windows Anytime Upgrade package for the version of Windows Vista to which you are upgrading. The Windows Anytime Upgrade package includes a license agreement and a product key for this version of Windows Vista.

Consider the following scenario. You have a computer that is running a version of Windows Vista. You upgrade to another version of Windows Vista by using the Windows Anytime Upgrade (WAU) DVD. Then, you try to activate Windows Vista over the Internet. In this scenario, you receive an error message that resembles the following:

The Windows Vista product version product key you typed is invalid for activation.

When you try to perform a Windows Anytime Upgrade in Windows Vista, you may see a Software Licensing Commerce Client (SLCC) dialog box. This dialog box contains an error message that resembles the following:

An error occurred during the license installation

Error Code: 0×80070426
Error Information:
The service has not been started.

For assistance please try one of the following support contacts:

When you try to use a Windows Anytime Upgrade (WAU) product key during a clean installation of Windows Vista, you receive an error message that resembles the following:

To use the product key you entered, start the installation from your existing version of Windows.

After you upgrade Windows Vista by using Microsoft Windows Anytime Upgrade (WAU), you cannot uninstall the upgraded version of Windows Vista.

For example, after you use WAU to upgrade Windows Vista Home Premium to Windows Vista Ultimate, you cannot reinstall Windows Vista Home Premium.

When you try to use Windows Anytime Upgrade (WAU) to upgrade Windows Vista, you may receive the following error message:
Unable to open the license

Error Code: 0×8007000D
Error information:
The data is invalid.

Note: This problem occurs after you complete the WAU purchase process, and then you click the link to download the upgrade.