# How does upgrade software work?

**URL:** https://forum.kirupa.com/t/how-does-upgrade-software-work/179673
**Category:** random
**Created:** [February 22, 2006, 5:54am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/how-does-upgrade-software-work/179673 "2006-02-22T05:54:02Z")
**Posts on this page:** 1
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![MTsoul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/91b2a8/32.png) [@MTsoul](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/MTsoul)
#### Post date: [February 22, 2006, 5:54am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/how-does-upgrade-software-work/179673/1 "2006-02-22T05:54:02Z")

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I’ve never had much experience with those. Say I have Windows XP and I buy Windows Vista (when it comes out). Would I have to reinstall XP and then upgrade to Vista (use both disks) everytime I reformat? That’d be a pain.