XP Pro Evaluation copy due to expire

[Cynthia Hathaway]

The computer I'm using has a Windows XP Pro Evaluation
copy on it which is due to expire in 2 days. I think its
a Beta product. How do I restore it back to the old
version if I can't find the software. I have my original
95 sofware which isn't on a computer. Can I somehow put
it on this system temperarally untill I can either find
the original software for this computer and or upgrade
the 95 with my Windows 98 upgrade which I also can't
locate. ??? I'm just afraid that if this eval. copy
expires I will lose the OS and then won't be able to get
back into it.
Thanks to anyone who can help
Cyndi H.

 

[Donald McDaniel]

The computer I'm using has a Windows XP Pro Evaluation
copy on it which is due to expire in 2 days. I think its
a Beta product. How do I restore it back to the old
version if I can't find the software. I have my original
95 sofware which isn't on a computer. Can I somehow put
it on this system temperarally untill I can either find
the original software for this computer and or upgrade
the 95 with my Windows 98 upgrade which I also can't
locate. ??? I'm just afraid that if this eval. copy
expires I will lose the OS and then won't be able to get
back into it.
Thanks to anyone who can help
Cyndi H.

What you are really worried about are the files you have created and saved
while using the XP evaluation. Don't worry about accessing them after the
evaluation expires. XP will continue to run after the evaluation period is
up, but only in "Safe" mode. This is so you will be able to back up your
files. I hope you have a CD-RW drive. Backing up your data on floppies can
get very tricky, especially when you have gigabytes of data to back up.

The only way you are going to be able to install Windows 98 is by starting
your computer with a Windows 98 startup floppy, then using fdisk to remove
any NTFS volumes you might have created, then creating new FAT32 volumes,
formatting them, then using your Windows 98 install CD to reinstall Windows
98. If your Windows 98 install CD is an upgrade version, you will need, of
course, another full version of Windows as proof of eligibility for upgrade.
This version does not need to be on the HD. All you need to do is put its
CD or floppies into their respective drives when the Windows 98 installation
program complains that it cannot find a version of Windows on the HD.

This will require destroying all programs and data on the HD, of course. It
will also require your Windows 98 and Windows 95 installation CDs, in
addition to a Windows 98 startup floppy containing the CD drivers and other
utilities, so you better get busy backing up your data, then looking for
your Windows 98 and Windows 3.x/95 install cds/floppies.