Unable to upgrade from Windows 98 SE pre-installed in SONY Vaio laptop F430

[Guest]

I just tried to install Windows XP Professional on my SONY Vaio F430 laptop, which had Windows 98SE pre-installed at the time of purchase in February 2000
After I agreed to the license agreement, I am prompted to insert a Windows 98 disk
My laptop did not come with a specific Windows 98 disk, but it came with two systems recovery disks and one application recovery disk. When I inserted any one of these system recovery disks, I got the message that the disks cannot be read. The only option that was then offered to me was to cancel installation of Windows XP
How can I continue with the installation of Windows XP in my situation
Even though I do not have a separate Windows 98 disk, I feel I am entitled to the upgrade because on the bottom of my laptop there is clearly a "Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition" "Certificate of Authenticity" and a "Product Key" number.
Thanks
Peter 206-683-402

 

[anonymous]

The easiest way out is to borrow a CD from a friend to fool your XP disk
into thinking you're not trying to pull a fast one. Might be even a 95
CD would work there too.

 

[Mike]

I just tried to install Windows XP Professional on my SONY Vaio F430

laptop, which had Windows 98SE pre-installed at the time of purchase in
February 2000.

After I agreed to the license agreement, I am prompted to insert a Windows 98 disk.
My laptop did not come with a specific Windows 98 disk, but it came with

two systems recovery disks and one application recovery disk. When I
inserted any one of these system recovery disks, I got the message that the
disks cannot be read. The only option that was then offered to me was to
cancel installation of Windows XP.

How can I continue with the installation of Windows XP in my situation?
Even though I do not have a separate Windows 98 disk, I feel I am entitled

to the upgrade because on the bottom of my laptop there is clearly a
"Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition" "Certificate of Authenticity" and a
"Product Key" number.

Thanks!
Peter 206-683-4020

The Windows 98 version on your laptop will be an OEM.. no upgrade is
possible but you can do a clean install.. for this you need the full retail
version of XP Pro.. before you continue, ensure that you download ALL XP
compatible device drivers for your laptop..

 

[pjp]

This is when you find out that the version of software that came with your
Sony is OEM which means it's forever tied to the machine it was originally
sold with and nothing else.

In essence you bought and paid for a "limited version" of the OS when you
bought the Sony.

Nice little scam between MS and the OEM's heh?

HP, Dell, Gateway etc. all the same and notice how it's never mentioned by
any of them.

I just tried to install Windows XP Professional on my SONY Vaio F430

laptop, which had Windows 98SE pre-installed at the time of purchase in
February 2000.

After I agreed to the license agreement, I am prompted to insert a Windows 98 disk.
My laptop did not come with a specific Windows 98 disk, but it came with

two systems recovery disks and one application recovery disk. When I
inserted any one of these system recovery disks, I got the message that the
disks cannot be read. The only option that was then offered to me was to
cancel installation of Windows XP.

How can I continue with the installation of Windows XP in my situation?
Even though I do not have a separate Windows 98 disk, I feel I am entitled

to the upgrade because on the bottom of my laptop there is clearly a
"Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition" "Certificate of Authenticity" and a
"Product Key" number.

 

[Steve C. Ray]

You surely can upgrade a OEM version of Windows.

 

[Steve C. Ray]

Go to Sony's website and get the instructions for upgrading your laptop.
There are important steps you need to do before you start the upgrade. I
suggest you print out the instructions and follow them carefully.

--
Steve C. Ray
(Replace "mail" with "36db"

I just tried to install Windows XP Professional on my SONY Vaio F430

laptop, which had Windows 98SE pre-installed at the time of purchase in
February 2000.

After I agreed to the license agreement, I am prompted to insert a Windows 98 disk.
My laptop did not come with a specific Windows 98 disk, but it came with

two systems recovery disks and one application recovery disk. When I
inserted any one of these system recovery disks, I got the message that the
disks cannot be read. The only option that was then offered to me was to
cancel installation of Windows XP.

How can I continue with the installation of Windows XP in my situation?
Even though I do not have a separate Windows 98 disk, I feel I am entitled

to the upgrade because on the bottom of my laptop there is clearly a
"Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition" "Certificate of Authenticity" and a
"Product Key" number.

 

[Mike]

You surely can upgrade a OEM version of Windows.

From the wording, it seems like there is no OS on the laptop presently.. the
guy has recovery disks but that is all.. so no upgrade is possible because
XP can't find files that prove ownership of Win 98.. if he reloads 98, then
he could do an upgrade, but that would leave vestiges of 98 on the drive
which is maybe not a good thing.. even obtaining a Win 98 cd will not solve
all problems.. you and I both know that the chances of XP detecting and
installing all of the devices are not good.. I see that your reply to the OP
covers that..

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

It's quite possible to perform a clean installation using the
Upgrade CD, provided you have the true installation CD for the earlier
OS. Unfortunately,
an OEM "Recovery/Restore" CD will not work for this purpose; you must
have a true installation CD, complete with the "\Win98" folder and
*.cab files, or the "\i386" folder of WinNT/2K.

Alternatively, or especially if all you have is an OEM Recovery CD
for the earlier OS, you can even start the upgrade from within the
current Win98/Me/NT/2K installation, and still elect to perform a
clean installation, to include formatting the drive. In this case,
there's no further request for the qualifying OS's installation CD,
because the installation routing "remembers" that you started from
within the qualifying OS. This process is more time-consuming, but
you get the same results: a clean installation of WinXP.


Bruce Chambers

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[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

That's incorrect. An OEM CD cannot perform an upgrade, but
there's nothing to prevent one from using an Upgrade CD to upgrade an
OEM installation of the earlier OS.

Bruce Chambers

--
Help us help you:




You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
having both at once. -- RAH