OEM XP Pro Upgrade to Retail - Need full?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Bill Mathews
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Bill Mathews

I have Win XP Pro OEM on my machine. If I want to go to XP Pro retail, will
the retail upgrade package do that? Or does it take the full retail version?
I'm asking because I upgraded my wife's XP Home to XP Pro with the XP Pro
Retail upgrade version. But the box doesn't list XP Pro OEM as one of the XP
versions it will upgrade. The full version will of course install w.o.
checking for qualifying versions.

And yes, I know, even if the Upgrade version would work, I'd still need to
buy another copy, since I've used the one on my wife's computer. Also,
somewhere, I have the OEM Win Pro CD that came with my system.

As always, many thanks.
Bill
 
Why the desire to upgrade? There is no difference between
OEM and retail versions of XP Pro except for the license.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows Desktop Experience -
Windows Vista Enthusiast

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

I have Win XP Pro OEM on my machine. If I want to go to XP Pro retail, will
the retail upgrade package do that? Or does it take the full retail version?
I'm asking because I upgraded my wife's XP Home to XP Pro with the XP Pro
Retail upgrade version. But the box doesn't list XP Pro OEM as one of the XP
versions it will upgrade. The full version will of course install w.o.
checking for qualifying versions.

And yes, I know, even if the Upgrade version would work, I'd still need to
buy another copy, since I've used the one on my wife's computer. Also,
somewhere, I have the OEM Win Pro CD that came with my system.

As always, many thanks.
Bill
 
It will upgrade to xp pro ok,however you'd need to boot to xp pro cd,select
install xp,delete the partition,create one,then let xp format & install auto.
Also,if xp gets corrupted or a hd fails,etc,to reinstall xp retail,you'll
need to
install oem xp 1st,then repeat the above as outlined...
 
Bill said:
I have Win XP Pro OEM on my machine. If I want to go to XP Pro
retail, will the retail upgrade package do that? Or does it take
the full retail version? I'm asking because I upgraded my wife's XP
Home to XP Pro with the XP Pro Retail upgrade version. But the box
doesn't list XP Pro OEM as one of the XP versions it will upgrade.
The full version will of course install w.o. checking for
qualifying versions.
And yes, I know, even if the Upgrade version would work, I'd still
need to buy another copy, since I've used the one on my wife's
computer. Also, somewhere, I have the OEM Win Pro CD that came with
my system.
Click to expand...

So you want to take a Windows XP Professional PC and upgrade it to Windows
XP Professional?
Seems a futile thing to do... Might I as what you hope to gain by doing
something like this?
 
Is there a specific reason for wanting a retail installation as apposed to
the current OEM installation?
 
Well, I'd hoped to avoid a debate as to whether I needed to do this
particular upgrade.
Short story: I had posted an earlier question as to whether I could
reactivate my OEM Win XP Pro after I installed a new mobo.
Short answer to that: It depended on what sort of license the maker of my
system had for Windows XP.
Problem #1: The manufacturer of my system has gone to that PC Maker Heaven,
so I can't determine whether or not the license it had would allow XP to
reactivate after I put in a new mobo. There's nothing in the system
documentation that comes close to addressing this.
Problem #2: Microsoft, in its generousness, is about to pull the plug on
sales of XP, so I can't wait until I install a new mobo to buy another copy
if it should turn out that I need one to continue using my computer.
So, bottom line: I am going to buy another copy, retail this time, for
insurance. It's just of question of which - upgrade or full.
Do you see why I'd hoped to not have to get into the 'Why'? :-)
 
Bill said:
Well, I'd hoped to avoid a debate as to whether I needed to do this
particular upgrade.
Short story: I had posted an earlier question as to whether I could
reactivate my OEM Win XP Pro after I installed a new mobo.
Short answer to that: It depended on what sort of license the maker
of my system had for Windows XP.
Problem #1: The manufacturer of my system has gone to that PC Maker
Heaven, so I can't determine whether or not the license it had
would allow XP to reactivate after I put in a new mobo. There's
nothing in the system documentation that comes close to addressing
this. Problem #2: Microsoft, in its generousness, is about to pull the
plug on sales of XP, so I can't wait until I install a new mobo to
buy another copy if it should turn out that I need one to continue
using my computer. So, bottom line: I am going to buy another copy, retail
this time,
for insurance. It's just of question of which - upgrade or full.
Do you see why I'd hoped to not have to get into the 'Why'? :-)
Click to expand...

Not really...

All you had to say was, " I am replacing the motherboard and since Windows
XP sales were stopping at the end of this month - I want to be sure that if
I replace the entire computer someday - I can tranfer the license without
worry of going against of any agreements. What should I do in order to make
sure I can carry my new license of Windows XP to my next computer and
possibly beyond?"

The answer could have been that you should purchase the Windows XP Full
Retail licensed copy and do nothing to your current copy unless you just
have to. If you do have to - perform a repair installation and use the key
that came with the new retail licensed copy and then tape your OEM
installation CD and a copy of the cd key for it ot the inside of that old
computer. If you ever go to sell/give away that older computer - format it
using the OEM product key and CD and leave it taped inside the computer and
tell the new owner that is where heir installation media is. Then use your
retail full CD as you please.

The reason you need the full - unless you always and forever keep that
computer you are doing the upgrade on - the upgrade (work or not) would not
transfer because the upgraded OS needs to transfer with it and you cannot
transfer the OEM license that came with the computer to another computer.
Now - if by chance - you bought a computer in the future with Windows
9x/ME/2000/XP already on it - you could again use the upgrade licensed
version given you wiped the old OEM first - but I would say that probably
wouldn't be upgrading your computer in power much and I wouldn't see that
happening.
 
The 'why' helps
As allready stated a full retail edition is required
Allthough if you are replacing the mobo now, on what was a working
installtion, only a repair installation is required. Whether that succeeds
depends on whether the OEM cd is bios locked to the origonal hardware.
If it succeeeds and you have to use online activation it is only neccessary
to state thet you have replaced a failed part, you will then be provided
with a new activation code.
 
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