Install vs Upgrade W XP home

[brian]

I have a Dell lap with W 98. I bought a Sony dvd/cd-rw and
W XPhome Ed. because I want to kill a malfunctioning W98
and replace it with WXP. I have extensive photos, some
programs that I don't have cd's for and docs/files of
formal immigration and business importance to save that
will not fit on a floppy. I can not use the SONY without
installing Upgrade or Full install of XP because it won't
run on W98. My conclusion is that I need to upgrade first,
use the SONY to back up My Pictures, My Docs, etc., and
then format the HD, install W XP Home ED., and my
programs, then the saved stuff.
The problem is that I don't know if (a) with the piracy
language on XP Home if I can first upgrade, then wipe and
reinstall (Advanced, to format the hard drive) and expect
to not invalidate the MS Piracy agreement (one computer,
one install) and /or (B)with the encryption i fear is
poresent lose the ability to reinstall the XP that I
bought with no recourse with MS for support. What do you
think? I can't save my Pictures, docs or programs for
which I have no viable CD to reinstall and I have big
problems with the current W98 2nd Ed. as it gives me
VHDINIT.EXE and the like warnings every startup and normal
shut down is a thing of the past.... Please help with
guidance if you have time. I am not in the US, I am in
Mexico for my kayak guide business and do not have the
resources like in the US for advice, nor source to buy any
software I might have to replace for the next 8 months.

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

I would suggest you go ahead and perform an upgrade
over Windows 98, but do not elect to "activate" XP
when requested to do so. You have a 30 day period
before you must actually activate XP.

After you backup your files to a CD, you can then perform
a "clean install" if you wish. You can activate XP anytime
within 30 days of installing XP.

HOW TO: Prepare to Upgrade Windows 98 or
Windows Millennium Edition to Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;316639

Troubleshooting Windows XP Setup
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_setup.htm

Also, physically disconnect all your peripheral hardware devices,
especially USB devices (not including your mouse, keyboard or
monitor). Uninstall any antivirus program, too!

Clean Install Windows XP
http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

[Courtesy of Michael Stevens, MS-MVP]


--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

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


| I have a Dell lap with W 98. I bought a Sony dvd/cd-rw and
| W XPhome Ed. because I want to kill a malfunctioning W98
| and replace it with WXP. I have extensive photos, some
| programs that I don't have cd's for and docs/files of
| formal immigration and business importance to save that
| will not fit on a floppy. I can not use the SONY without
| installing Upgrade or Full install of XP because it won't
| run on W98. My conclusion is that I need to upgrade first,
| use the SONY to back up My Pictures, My Docs, etc., and
| then format the HD, install W XP Home ED., and my
| programs, then the saved stuff.
| The problem is that I don't know if (a) with the piracy
| language on XP Home if I can first upgrade, then wipe and
| reinstall (Advanced, to format the hard drive) and expect
| to not invalidate the MS Piracy agreement (one computer,
| one install) and /or (B)with the encryption i fear is
| poresent lose the ability to reinstall the XP that I
| bought with no recourse with MS for support. What do you
| think? I can't save my Pictures, docs or programs for
| which I have no viable CD to reinstall and I have big
| problems with the current W98 2nd Ed. as it gives me
| VHDINIT.EXE and the like warnings every startup and normal
| shut down is a thing of the past.... Please help with
| guidance if you have time. I am not in the US, I am in
| Mexico for my kayak guide business and do not have the
| resources like in the US for advice, nor source to buy any
| software I might have to replace for the next 8 months.

 

[Michael Stevens]

May I suggest doing the backup before the upgrade, and it is not a give that
all you application will carry over to XP.

--

Michael Stevens MS-MVP XP
(e-mail address removed)
http://michaelstevenstech.com
For a better newsgroup experience. Setup a newsreader.
http://michaelstevenstech.com/outlookexpressnewreader.htm

I would suggest you go ahead and perform an upgrade
over Windows 98, but do not elect to "activate" XP
when requested to do so. You have a 30 day period
before you must actually activate XP.

After you backup your files to a CD, you can then perform
a "clean install" if you wish. You can activate XP anytime
within 30 days of installing XP.

HOW TO: Prepare to Upgrade Windows 98 or
Windows Millennium Edition to Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;316639

Troubleshooting Windows XP Setup
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_setup.htm

Also, physically disconnect all your peripheral hardware devices,
especially USB devices (not including your mouse, keyboard or
monitor). Uninstall any antivirus program, too!

Clean Install Windows XP
http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

[Courtesy of Michael Stevens, MS-MVP]


--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

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


| I have a Dell lap with W 98. I bought a Sony dvd/cd-rw and
| W XPhome Ed. because I want to kill a malfunctioning W98
| and replace it with WXP. I have extensive photos, some
| programs that I don't have cd's for and docs/files of
| formal immigration and business importance to save that
| will not fit on a floppy. I can not use the SONY without
| installing Upgrade or Full install of XP because it won't
| run on W98. My conclusion is that I need to upgrade first,
| use the SONY to back up My Pictures, My Docs, etc., and
| then format the HD, install W XP Home ED., and my
| programs, then the saved stuff.
| The problem is that I don't know if (a) with the piracy
| language on XP Home if I can first upgrade, then wipe and
| reinstall (Advanced, to format the hard drive) and expect
| to not invalidate the MS Piracy agreement (one computer,
| one install) and /or (B)with the encryption i fear is
| poresent lose the ability to reinstall the XP that I
| bought with no recourse with MS for support. What do you
| think? I can't save my Pictures, docs or programs for
| which I have no viable CD to reinstall and I have big
| problems with the current W98 2nd Ed. as it gives me
| VHDINIT.EXE and the like warnings every startup and normal
| shut down is a thing of the past.... Please help with
| guidance if you have time. I am not in the US, I am in
| Mexico for my kayak guide business and do not have the
| resources like in the US for advice, nor source to buy any
| software I might have to replace for the next 8 months.

 

[Alex Nichol]

My conclusion is that I need to upgrade first,
use the SONY to back up My Pictures, My Docs, etc., and
then format the HD, install W XP Home ED., and my
programs, then the saved stuff.
The problem is that I don't know if (a) with the piracy
language on XP Home if I can first upgrade, then wipe and
reinstall (Advanced, to format the hard drive) and expect
to not invalidate the MS Piracy agreement (one computer,
one install) and /or (B)with the encryption i fear is
poresent lose the ability to reinstall the XP that I
bought with no recourse with MS for support

If you run the Upgrade CD from the present system, and do an upgrade,
then there will probably be no need to do a subsequent clean install
anyway - the entire system is going to get replaced. Read Gary
Woodruff's article on upgrading to XP at
http://www.aumha.org/win5/a/xpupgrad.htm

If you should subsequently need to format and install clean, there will
be no difficulty with the activation - you can do that repeatedly on
the same hardware. (See www.aumha.org/win5/a/wpa.htm).

I am not clear where encryption comes into this - unless you have some
documents encrypted by third party software. If that is so I would make
quite sure the encryption keys were backed up safely off the machine
first - just in case.

 

[Alex Nichol]

May I suggest doing the backup before the upgrade, and it is not a give that
all you application will carry over to XP.

The problem appears to be that until he has done the upgrade, he has no
means of doing the backup, because the only writer he has will; not work
with the existing system, and floppies are not big enough. I don't see
a way around that, short of borrowing a parallel port device (eg a Ditto
tape) for a precautionary backup