windows xp OEM from W98se

[Setchell]

Hi,

I just bought a new MB, memory, and processor---and the dealer offered a
deal on an OEM Windows XP, suggesting I upgrade (from an OEM of W98se).

Installed everything. The upgrade to the oem XP starts ok, boots to a DOS
upgrade program that offers to "replace the old windows operating system"
but warns me that it will erase all applications, system files, etc. from
Windows 98se, perhaps even the "my documents" folder.

Questions:
1) Given I have only one petition on the HD (60 gig) with a TON of programs,
files, etc., can I go ahead with the upgrade/replacement of Win98se to XP
without screwing up all of it? That is, will it work like a normal, non-OEM
XP upgrade?

2) If not, any suggestions? Thanks for any ideas, I appreciate it.

Steve
(e-mail address removed)

 

[Donald McDaniel]

Hi,

I just bought a new MB, memory, and processor---and the dealer
offered a deal on an OEM Windows XP, suggesting I upgrade (from an
OEM of W98se).

Installed everything. The upgrade to the oem XP starts ok, boots to
a DOS upgrade program that offers to "replace the old windows
operating system" but warns me that it will erase all applications,
system files, etc. from Windows 98se, perhaps even the "my documents"
folder.

Questions:
1) Given I have only one petition on the HD (60 gig) with a TON of
programs, files, etc., can I go ahead with the upgrade/replacement of
Win98se to XP without screwing up all of it? That is, will it work
like a normal, non-OEM XP upgrade?

2) If not, any suggestions? Thanks for any ideas, I appreciate it.

Steve
(e-mail address removed)

There is no way an OEM version of XP will upgrade an older version of
Windows. This is because OEMs are designed to be put on a new computer,
which are presumed to have clean hard drives.

This is one of the "cons" of buying an OEM version of XP. The other two
are:
1) An OEM version of XP cannot be transferred to another computer. IT must
remain with the first computer it is installed on. So if your current setup
bites the dust, you will be forced by Microsoft to buy a new license for the
new computer
2) Microsoft does NOT support OEM software, so if anything goes wrong, you
will have to pay them $35 per incident for support. All OEM support must be
provided by the ones who sold the software to you: i.e, the dealer; or by
someone else.

The upshot? Unless you purchase a "retail" version of XP, you will be unable
to upgrade your current install of Windows 98, keeping all software and data
on the hard drive.

 

[Ron Martell]

Hi,

I just bought a new MB, memory, and processor---and the dealer offered a
deal on an OEM Windows XP, suggesting I upgrade (from an OEM of W98se).

Installed everything. The upgrade to the oem XP starts ok, boots to a DOS
upgrade program that offers to "replace the old windows operating system"
but warns me that it will erase all applications, system files, etc. from
Windows 98se, perhaps even the "my documents" folder.

Questions:
1) Given I have only one petition on the HD (60 gig) with a TON of programs,
files, etc., can I go ahead with the upgrade/replacement of Win98se to XP
without screwing up all of it? That is, will it work like a normal, non-OEM
XP upgrade?

2) If not, any suggestions? Thanks for any ideas, I appreciate it.

Donald L McDaniel has given you the correct answer.

The best you can do with your OEM version of XP is to run the "Files
and Settings Transfer Wizard from the CDROM to save your Windows 98
data files and program configuration settings to a network drive,
another hard drive partition, or a backup device.

Then install the OEM version of Windows XP. Everything existing on
the drive will be wiped out, as the warning notice indicates.

Once the install is complete you can run FASTW again from within
Windows XP to restore the data files and configuration settings. You
will have to reinstall all repeat all of the application programs.

Either that, or you will need to purchase a Retail Upgrade version of
Windows XP, which will do an upgrade of your Windows 98, preserving
all of the installed applications, user data files, etc.

Good luck


Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

"The reason computer chips are so small is computers don't eat much."