G
Guest
Hi there! I'm hoping somebody can assist me in navigating the Microsoft
Upgrade Minefield.
I'm looking to upgrade ten Win98 machines to WinXP, but I don't want to fall
foul of licencing regulations. All of the 98 machines run a correctly
licenced copy of Win98SE Upgrade in that I have 10 shrinkwrapped boxed retail
copies of it in my store, but I can't tie any of these to a correctly
licensed "qualifying product" or COA (which look like they disappeared quite
some time ago in the last clearout, well before I started here).
My question then, is whether Win98 UPGRADE is a qualifying product for a Win
XP Pro upgrade, or whether it relies on the original qualifying product
(Win95, which ISN'T a qualifying product anyway...)? Is there a certain
amount of grace given by MS on this, which (legally/officially) ignores the
install type of the current licenced system?
Incidentally, I have exactly the same problem with Office, so thoughts on
this would be appreciated too.
Obviously, I'm relectant to purchase retail copies if it can be avoided,
especially since I can't get the full version of XP Pro through volume
licensing. It would have to be a retail boxed copy job, which really doesn't
make any sort of sense at all.
Also, if anyone can point me in the direction of a good resource on MS
licencing other than their website (on phoning MS, the very helpful chap gave
me a 60 character URL and directed me to that!) I would be most grateful.
Thanks in advance
D Walker
Upgrade Minefield.
I'm looking to upgrade ten Win98 machines to WinXP, but I don't want to fall
foul of licencing regulations. All of the 98 machines run a correctly
licenced copy of Win98SE Upgrade in that I have 10 shrinkwrapped boxed retail
copies of it in my store, but I can't tie any of these to a correctly
licensed "qualifying product" or COA (which look like they disappeared quite
some time ago in the last clearout, well before I started here).
My question then, is whether Win98 UPGRADE is a qualifying product for a Win
XP Pro upgrade, or whether it relies on the original qualifying product
(Win95, which ISN'T a qualifying product anyway...)? Is there a certain
amount of grace given by MS on this, which (legally/officially) ignores the
install type of the current licenced system?
Incidentally, I have exactly the same problem with Office, so thoughts on
this would be appreciated too.
Obviously, I'm relectant to purchase retail copies if it can be avoided,
especially since I can't get the full version of XP Pro through volume
licensing. It would have to be a retail boxed copy job, which really doesn't
make any sort of sense at all.
Also, if anyone can point me in the direction of a good resource on MS
licencing other than their website (on phoning MS, the very helpful chap gave
me a 60 character URL and directed me to that!) I would be most grateful.
Thanks in advance
D Walker