Upgrading from Windows 98 to XP

[Steve]

I am planning to upgrade my Windows 98 (on a Toshiba
Satellite 4015) with Windows XP. Most of what I have read
suggests a clean installation is better than an upgrade.
Any experience doing this? Problems to look out for?
Windows 98 users are entitled to upgrade to Windows XP at
the reduced rate. Does this discount apply to the
purchase of a full copy for a clean installation?

Thanks for the advise.

Steve

 

[Rick \Nutcase\ Rogers]

Hi Steve,

Evene if you have to clean install (which I do not recommend), you can use
the upgrade disk. The upgrade will do a clean install as long as it can see
the Win98 installation. I would do an upgrade, as you can always do a clean
install if it doesn't work. Things to watch for are incompatible
hardware/software, do your homework. See if your hardware is either on the
compatibility list, or that there are drivers available for it.

Compatibility list:
ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/services/whql/hcl/winxphclx86.txt

Make sure programs will either run, or require a patch or upgrade (check
with program vendor). Also, read here:
http://aumha.org/win5/a/xpupgrad.htm

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers aka "Nutcase" MS-MVP - Win9x
Windows isn't rocket science! That's my other hobby!

Associate Expert - WinXP - Expert Zone

 

[Michael Solomon \(MS-MVP Windows Shell/User\)]

No, the reduced rate is for the upgrade CD but don't despair, you can do a
clean install with the upgrade CD and note, this does give you a full
install.

First, be sure your system is set to boot from the CD Rom
drive. When you boot your system, the first screen usually contains a
message to depress a specific key if you wish to enter setup, do so.

Once inside, navigate to the boot sequence and place the CD-ROM drive first
in line. Place the XP CD in the drive, save and exit setup, if an OS is
already installed on your system, a few screens into the boot process, you
should see a message to press any key if you wish to boot from the CD and
about 10 seconds in which to do it. ***NOTE: because this is an upgrade, at
some point during setup you will be asked for proof of a previous operating
system, place one of the CDs containing a previous OS in the drive and
follow the instructions at that screen.

After loading drivers and files, you should be taken to a screen with
the following:

To Setup Windows XP now, press ENTER.
To Repair a Windows XP Installation using Recovery Console press R.
To Quit setup without installing Windows XP, press F3.

In your case, press ENTER.

Agree to the License agreement by pressing F8.

You will then be taken to a screen with two options.

To repair the selected Windows XP installation press R.
To continue installing a fresh copy of Windows XP without repairing,
press ESC.

This will bring you to a partition map where you
can delete, create and format partitions.
Select the drive you wish to format, delete the partition, then create a new
partition, format as desired and continue with XP installation.

 

[Norm]

During the XP install it will ask for the 98cd to verify that you have an
upgradeable OS, so as long as you have that you can do a clean installation.
I would load the XP cd and run the compatibility test first.