Installing XP (SP3) in a guest system

[Gordon Biggar]

I am using VMware on a Dell desktop, which uses a Vista 64-bit platform. I
am trying to set up a guest system that uses XP (SP3). I have done this
successfully on another similarly-configured desktop.

When I am using Windows Setup to install XP (it's an Upgrade version), I
receive the following message: "Setup cannot find a previous version of
Windows installed on your computer. Insert a Windows CD [pick one, any one:
from Windows 95 on]."

Obviously, the XP software is attempting to ensure that a valid Windows
system pre-existed. When I insert any one of a number of original Windows
CDs (e.g., Windows 95, Windows 2000, etc.), I nevertheless receive an error
message, which states, "Setup could not read the CD, or the CD is not a
valid Windows CD."

These are all valid CDs, and I have gone through this process, as mentioned
earlier, on another desktop. Why is XP not recognizing the CDs installed
this time around?

Thanks in advance for any thoughts.

Gordon Biggar
Houston, Texas

 

[ANONYMOUS]

I am using VMware on a Dell desktop, which uses a Vista 64-bit
platform. I am trying to set up a guest system that uses XP (SP3). I
have done this successfully on another similarly-configured desktop.

When I am using Windows Setup to install XP (it's an Upgrade version), I
receive the following message: "Setup cannot find a previous version of
Windows installed on your computer. Insert a Windows CD [pick one, any
one: from Windows 95 on]."

Obviously, the XP software is attempting to ensure that a valid Windows
system pre-existed. When I insert any one of a number of original
Windows CDs (e.g., Windows 95, Windows 2000, etc.), I nevertheless
receive an error message, which states, "Setup could not read the CD, or
the CD is not a valid Windows CD."

These are all valid CDs, and I have gone through this process, as
mentioned earlier, on another desktop. Why is XP not recognizing the
CDs installed this time around?

Thanks in advance for any thoughts.

Gordon Biggar
Houston, Texas

Since you are asking for my thoughts, I would install Win95 first
(because it is the smallest operating system) and then install Windows
XP SP3 on top of it. The reason being, Operating systems require a
previous version to be present before an upgrade CD can be used to
install a new one. This is certainly the case with Windows 7 but I
can't remember what was the position 10 years ago when XP first came
out. I have not used anything before XP though we have everything in
our labs for testing purposes.

Hope this helps but if you have any need to access any old, unworkable
solutions, by Pig-Bear, Microsoft Valuable Pig. then google have full
archive available for next 7 years.

The link to the archive is here:

<http://groups.google.co.uk/group/microsoft.public.windowsxp.general/topics?lnk=srg&hl=en>

Please also note that Pig-Bear will delete this message as soon as he
reads it because he is a very sensitive idiot around here. Everything
affects him and this gives us pleasure to put more pressure on him.
Watch the space.

hth

 

[Gordon Biggar]

Sir Anonymous (the "Sir" is assumed, of course...) --

Good thought. At the link you offered, I even saw my posting from the
VMware Forum site, although I do not think that this is a VMware issue.
Normally, I don't like installing one operating system over another, but it
may be the only route, if I can't get XP to accept the original CDs.

Note: on my other desktop I was able to install the Upgrade version of XP
into the guest by inserting a Windows 2000 installation CD, as requested,
for proof. But, that was last time...

Thanks for taking the time to post a response. Much appreciated.

GB

I am using VMware on a Dell desktop, which uses a Vista 64-bit platform.
I am trying to set up a guest system that uses XP (SP3). I have done
this successfully on another similarly-configured desktop.

When I am using Windows Setup to install XP (it's an Upgrade version), I
receive the following message: "Setup cannot find a previous version of
Windows installed on your computer. Insert a Windows CD [pick one, any
one: from Windows 95 on]."

Obviously, the XP software is attempting to ensure that a valid Windows
system pre-existed. When I insert any one of a number of original
Windows CDs (e.g., Windows 95, Windows 2000, etc.), I nevertheless
receive an error message, which states, "Setup could not read the CD, or
the CD is not a valid Windows CD."

These are all valid CDs, and I have gone through this process, as
mentioned earlier, on another desktop. Why is XP not recognizing the CDs
installed this time around?

Thanks in advance for any thoughts.

Gordon Biggar
Houston, Texas

Since you are asking for my thoughts, I would install Win95 first (because
it is the smallest operating system) and then install Windows XP SP3 on
top of it. The reason being, Operating systems require a previous version
to be present before an upgrade CD can be used to install a new one. This
is certainly the case with Windows 7 but I can't remember what was the
position 10 years ago when XP first came out. I have not used anything
before XP though we have everything in our labs for testing purposes.

Hope this helps but if you have any need to access any old, unworkable
solutions, by Pig-Bear, Microsoft Valuable Pig. then google have full
archive available for next 7 years.

The link to the archive is here:

<http://groups.google.co.uk/group/microsoft.public.windowsxp.general/topics?lnk=srg&hl=en>

Please also note that Pig-Bear will delete this message as soon as he
reads it because he is a very sensitive idiot around here. Everything
affects him and this gives us pleasure to put more pressure on him. Watch
the space.

hth

 

[Gordon Biggar]

I was able to set up the guest system using an original XP Home Edition CD
that I have. If I use my Upgrade version of XP Professional (SP3), can I
install it over the Home Edition version? Or, is that somewhat dicey?

GB

 

[Bob I]

Works fine. Its the "upgrades" from "DOS windows" versions to "NT
Windows" that carry along problematic baggage.

I was able to set up the guest system using an original XP Home Edition
CD that I have. If I use my Upgrade version of XP Professional (SP3),
can I install it over the Home Edition version? Or, is that somewhat
dicey?

GB

I am using VMware on a Dell desktop, which uses a Vista 64-bit
platform. I am trying to set up a guest system that uses XP (SP3). I
have done this successfully on another similarly-configured desktop.

When I am using Windows Setup to install XP (it's an Upgrade version),
I receive the following message: "Setup cannot find a previous version
of Windows installed on your computer. Insert a Windows CD [pick one,
any one: from Windows 95 on]."

Obviously, the XP software is attempting to ensure that a valid
Windows system pre-existed. When I insert any one of a number of
original Windows CDs (e.g., Windows 95, Windows 2000, etc.), I
nevertheless receive an error message, which states, "Setup could not
read the CD, or the CD is not a valid Windows CD."

These are all valid CDs, and I have gone through this process, as
mentioned earlier, on another desktop. Why is XP not recognizing the
CDs installed this time around?

Thanks in advance for any thoughts.

Gordon Biggar
Houston, Texas

 

[Gordon Biggar]

Many thanks.

GB

Works fine. Its the "upgrades" from "DOS windows" versions to "NT Windows"
that carry along problematic baggage.

I was able to set up the guest system using an original XP Home Edition
CD that I have. If I use my Upgrade version of XP Professional (SP3),
can I install it over the Home Edition version? Or, is that somewhat
dicey?

GB

I am using VMware on a Dell desktop, which uses a Vista 64-bit platform.
I am trying to set up a guest system that uses XP (SP3). I have done
this successfully on another similarly-configured desktop.

When I am using Windows Setup to install XP (it's an Upgrade version), I
receive the following message: "Setup cannot find a previous version of
Windows installed on your computer. Insert a Windows CD [pick one, any
one: from Windows 95 on]."

Obviously, the XP software is attempting to ensure that a valid Windows
system pre-existed. When I insert any one of a number of original
Windows CDs (e.g., Windows 95, Windows 2000, etc.), I nevertheless
receive an error message, which states, "Setup could not read the CD, or
the CD is not a valid Windows CD."

These are all valid CDs, and I have gone through this process, as
mentioned earlier, on another desktop. Why is XP not recognizing the
CDs installed this time around?

Thanks in advance for any thoughts.

Gordon Biggar
Houston, Texas