can I use upgrade xp rather than "full" version?

[dkearney]

Here's the deal: I lost my oem windows xp disc from Dell.
And since I'm out of my service period they said I have
to purchase a full version of windows xp to reinstall on
a clean hard drive (I like to start fresh every six
months or so). If I tried to installed a new upgrade
version of xp, would it recognize a previous copy of
windows xp and install properly?

If that won't work, what about this? I have an OEM
Windows 98 disc from a computer no longer in use (rest in
peace). Could I install that on a clean hard drive and
then install an upgrade windows xp over that?

I'm just trying to be legal and do it as cheaply as
possible! Thanks for your help.

 

[Len]

much better off goin full install.....

 

[t.cruise]

You DO NOT HAVE TO INSTALL Windows 98 first, you just need the CD. When a
Windows XP Upgrade CD Setup says it can't find proof of eligibility for
upgrade, remove the Windows XP Upgrade CD from the drive, replace it with
the Windows 98 CD, and direct the dialog box to that drive, Setup will find
what it needs, and when Upgrade eligibility is established, replace the
Windows 98 CD with the Windows XP Upgrade CD, and continue the Windows XP
install.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

In

If that won't work, what about this? I have an OEM
Windows 98 disc from a computer no longer in use (rest in
peace). Could I install that on a clean hard drive and
then install an upgrade windows xp over that?

Yes, but it's not necessary. The requirement to use an upgrade
version is to *own* a previous qualifying version's installation
CD (not an OEM restore CD), not to have it installed. When setup
doesn't find a previous qualifying version installed, it will
prompt you to insert its CD as proof of ownership. Just insert
the previous version's CD, and follow the prompts. Everything
proceeds quite normally and quite legitimately.

 

[Alex Nichol]

Here's the deal: I lost my oem windows xp disc from Dell.
And since I'm out of my service period they said I have
to purchase a full version of windows xp to reinstall on
a clean hard drive (I like to start fresh every six
months or so). If I tried to installed a new upgrade
version of xp, would it recognize a previous copy of
windows xp and install properly?

That I don't think will work

If that won't work, what about this? I have an OEM
Windows 98 disc from a computer no longer in use (rest in
peace). Could I install that on a clean hard drive and
then install an upgrade windows xp over that?

That will. Get to a 98 that can run a program, then Run the CD from
that system. Enter Install, change Upgrade to New Install, then when it
asks you to confirm where, you can hit ESC and get the chance to select
the current partition, delete it, and create a new RAW one, going on
to format it as part of the setup

This will by then have detected that it legitimate to upgrade, and so
not even ask for the previous system's CD as evidence

 

[Alex Nichol]

Just insert
the previous version's CD, and follow the prompts. Everything
proceeds quite normally and quite legitimately.

But an OEM Win98 is probably a restore CD that does not have the win98
folder containing .cab files that setup will want to check

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

In

But an OEM Win98 is probably a restore CD that does not have the win98
folder containing .cab files that setup will want to check

Some OEM CDs are Restore CDs as you say, but many others are
regular installation CDs. I had assumed a regular one in my
reply, and didn't specify, as I should have, that that works only
if my assumption is correct.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

In

In check


Some OEM CDs are Restore CDs as you say, but many others are
regular installation CDs. I had assumed a regular one in my
reply, and didn't specify, as I should have, that that works only
if my assumption is correct.

Oops! I just checked the message you had replied to, and found
that I *did* specify (in a part of the message you snipped) that
a restore CD wouldn't work.