Academic Win XP Pro Upgrade Won't Install.

  • Thread starter Thread starter OsakaBill
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OsakaBill

I am trying to install Win XP Pro Upgrade on an old HP Pavillion.

I can't.

First, the installer reports that it cannot determine what kind of
computer I am using. I forces me to make a selection between an i486
based machine or other.

Second, the installer reports that it cannot find an appropriate version
of Windows on the computer. It states that I must insert the machine's
original Windows CDs into the CD-ROM drive before I can continue.

The only reason I went out and bought the Win XP Pro Upgrade in the
first place is that the HP's original CD-ROMs have gone missing. Win98
is currently hosed on the machine (it won't even boot into Safe Mode
without crashing when trying to load the Desktop). I need to reinstall
Windows and figured I'd upgrade.

What is this and how can get around it?
 
Download and use the latest version of the XP Upgrade Advisor:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/howtobuy/upgrading/advisor.asp

--
Nicholas

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------


| I am trying to install Win XP Pro Upgrade on an old HP Pavillion.
|
| I can't.
|
| First, the installer reports that it cannot determine what kind of
| computer I am using. I forces me to make a selection between an i486
| based machine or other.
|
| Second, the installer reports that it cannot find an appropriate version
| of Windows on the computer. It states that I must insert the machine's
| original Windows CDs into the CD-ROM drive before I can continue.
|
| The only reason I went out and bought the Win XP Pro Upgrade in the
| first place is that the HP's original CD-ROMs have gone missing. Win98
| is currently hosed on the machine (it won't even boot into Safe Mode
| without crashing when trying to load the Desktop). I need to reinstall
| Windows and figured I'd upgrade.
|
| What is this and how can get around it?
 
Bruce,

Thanks for all of the information. I never imagined that this was going
to become so complicated.

What makes this more difficult, is that the HP Pavillion I am trying to
upgrade right now cannot boot into Win98 at all. Therefore I cannot do
anything from inside the machine, let alone download and run the XP
Upgrade advisor.

As I said, I bought the XP upgrade because Mom lost her original CDs
so we cannot even restore Win98 if we wished too. Seemed like WinXP
was our only choice.

I will check out the compatibility pages you kindly provided and see
what happens.

Thanks again.
 
The requirements for Home or Pro are the same (basically).

If you can access the CD-ROM settings in the BIOS, set the
computer to boot from the CD-ROM. Then put your XP CD in
the drive and boot the computer. Select install... when the
computer asks for a previous OS, put your W98, W-ME or any
Windows CD in the CD-ROM and point the install program to
that CD as proof. Then the XP upgrade will install. It
will give you the option to do a clean install with a format
of the drive (you can also partition at this time.

That should fix your hard drive.


| I checked the MS Windows Compatibility page and according
to that
| page, the HP Pavilion 4450 I am working with can run
Windows XP. It
| does not say if this is the Home or Pro edition.
 
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