Illegal Copy

[PC398]

Advice required please. I have a computer running Win 98, I bought a Win XP
Home Edition upgrade for it. Before I could put the upgrade on,about 6
months ago a friend gave me his old computer, running Win XP Pro, no other
system on there, it has SP1 & SP2 installed. Just recently I am unable to
get updates for it, and today I received a message from Microsoft that my
Windows might not be genuine. My friend no longer lives here so am unable to
verify. Could I install the upgrade I have to make it genuine? or do I have
to format, install Winows 98, then install the upgrade. Thanks for any
assistance.

 

[DL]

Assuming you wish to remain legal;
You can use your winxp upgrade to clean install, theres no need to instal
win98 first, just have the cd ready when winxp complains.

 

[PC398]

Thanks for your info, does that mean I can install this upgrade over
the top of this XP pro illegal copy?

 

[Another Brian]

Yes. The install will do a format to erase the existing illegal copy.

 

[Larry Samuels]

Boot from the home cd, run setup, delete the pro partition, create new
partition for home,feed it the 98 cd when it asks for verification. No need
to install 98 first.

--
Larry Samuels Associate Expert
MS-MVP (2001-2005)
Unofficial FAQ for Windows Server 2003 at
http://pelos.us/SERVER.htm
Expert Zone-

 

[PC398]

Thanks everyone for your help, much appreciated.

 

[Larry Samuels]

You're welcome!

--
Larry Samuels Associate Expert
MS-MVP (2001-2005)
Unofficial FAQ for Windows Server 2003 at
http://pelos.us/SERVER.htm
Expert Zone-

 

[PC398]

Hi Larry,
I did what you told me, changed my BIOS so it would boot from
Home CD, it said press any key to boot from CD but just opens up into my
Windows XP Pro, when I try to inswtall from the CD, it tells me I have a
newer version of Windows on the machine, and will not install. Can I delete
Windows XP Pro? then try and put Home upgrade on? thanks for any assistance.

 

[Larry Samuels]

Hmm--forgot about the pro to home aspect.
You will need to format the drive or delete the partition from another
bootable disk before it will allow you to proceed with the XP Home
installation.
--
Larry Samuels Associate Expert
MS-MVP (2001-2005)
Unofficial FAQ for Windows Server 2003 at
http://pelos.us/SERVER.htm
Expert Zone-

 

[Larry Samuels]

Forgot to mention--watch the boot screen when you are trying to boot from
the cd. It should give you a prompt to "press any key to boot from cd". If
no key is pressed within 10 seconds the pc will continue and boot from the
hard drive.

--
Larry Samuels Associate Expert
MS-MVP (2001-2005)
Unofficial FAQ for Windows Server 2003 at
http://pelos.us/SERVER.htm
Expert Zone-

 

[PC398]

Hi,
Yes I get the prompt to press any key to boot from cd, and I press
immediately, but it goes to Windows XP Pro, so, looks as if I will have to
format. Thanks for all your info.

 

[Larry Samuels]

You're welcome!

You will have to format (even when booting from cd) because XP Pro cannot be
downgraded to XP home.

--
Larry Samuels Associate Expert
MS-MVP (2001-2005)
Unofficial FAQ for Windows Server 2003 at
http://pelos.us/SERVER.htm
Expert Zone-

 

[PC398]

Thanks a lot, will have to do that then.

You're welcome!

You will have to format (even when booting from cd) because XP Pro cannot
be downgraded to XP home.

--
Larry Samuels Associate Expert
MS-MVP (2001-2005)
Unofficial FAQ for Windows Server 2003 at
http://pelos.us/SERVER.htm
Expert Zone-

 

[Harry Ohrn]

Hi. If you haven't already sorted this you can boot off the Windows XP Home
Upgrade and at the first screen select the option to Repair using the
Recovery Console. You will be prompted for the Administrator password which
you will need to enter. At the command prompt type the following and press
the Enter Key

DISKPART

highlight the partition and delete it. When finished type the following and
press Enter

EXIT

This will reboot the computer. The XP CD should recognize that there is no
current. At the the first screen select the option to Setup Windows and then
follow the rest of the on screen instructions to do a new install. You will
be prompted for a qualifying version of Windows so have your Windows 98 CD
handy.

 

[PC398]

Hi Harry,
I tred to boot off the Home Cd, but it comes up saying
'Press any key to boot from DC" when I do, it just opens up into my Windows
XP Pro, and starts up. If I just put the Home Cd in to do an install without
trying to boot from it, which as I said, does not work, it then tells me I
have a newer version on than the Home XP, so will not install.
Thanks for your help.

Hi. If you haven't already sorted this you can boot off the Windows XP
Home Upgrade and at the first screen select the option to Repair using the
Recovery Console. You will be prompted for the Administrator password
which you will need to enter. At the command prompt type the following and
press the Enter Key

DISKPART

highlight the partition and delete it. When finished type the following
and press Enter

EXIT

This will reboot the computer. The XP CD should recognize that there is no
current. At the the first screen select the option to Setup Windows and
then follow the rest of the on screen instructions to do a new install.
You will be prompted for a qualifying version of Windows so have your
Windows 98 CD handy.
--

Harry Ohrn MS MVP [Shell\User]

Thanks a lot, will have to do that then.