Upgrade Licencing

[Guest]

Hi there! I'm hoping somebody can assist me in navigating the Microsoft
Upgrade Minefield.

I'm looking to upgrade ten Win98 machines to WinXP, but I don't want to fall
foul of licencing regulations. All of the 98 machines run a correctly
licenced copy of Win98SE Upgrade in that I have 10 shrinkwrapped boxed retail
copies of it in my store, but I can't tie any of these to a correctly
licensed "qualifying product" or COA (which look like they disappeared quite
some time ago in the last clearout, well before I started here).

My question then, is whether Win98 UPGRADE is a qualifying product for a Win
XP Pro upgrade, or whether it relies on the original qualifying product
(Win95, which ISN'T a qualifying product anyway...)? Is there a certain
amount of grace given by MS on this, which (legally/officially) ignores the
install type of the current licenced system?

Incidentally, I have exactly the same problem with Office, so thoughts on
this would be appreciated too.


Obviously, I'm relectant to purchase retail copies if it can be avoided,
especially since I can't get the full version of XP Pro through volume
licensing. It would have to be a retail boxed copy job, which really doesn't
make any sort of sense at all.

Also, if anyone can point me in the direction of a good resource on MS
licencing other than their website (on phoning MS, the very helpful chap gave
me a 60 character URL and directed me to that!) I would be most grateful.

Thanks in advance

D Walker

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

"My question then, is whether Win98 UPGRADE is a qualifying product for a Win
XP Pro upgrade....?"

Yes, it is. Also, a Microsoft Windows 95 installation CD is also a qualifying product,
although one cannot upgrade from Windows 95 to Windows XP.

All "Volume License" versions of Windows XP Professional are "full versions"
and can be used to upgrade over an existing Windows 98 installation or be used
to perform a "clean install" of Windows XP Professional.

How to Acquire Microsoft Product Licenses Through Microsoft's Volume Licensing Programs
http://www.microsoft.com/licensing/howtoacquire.mspx

Microsoft Volume Licensing FAQ
http://www.microsoft.com/licensing/resources/faq.mspx

Windows XP supported upgrade paths
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;292607&Product=winxp

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

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

Be Smart! Protect Your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/default.aspx

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

:

| Hi there! I'm hoping somebody can assist me in navigating the Microsoft
| Upgrade Minefield.
|
| I'm looking to upgrade ten Win98 machines to WinXP, but I don't want to fall
| foul of licencing regulations. All of the 98 machines run a correctly
| licenced copy of Win98SE Upgrade in that I have 10 shrinkwrapped boxed retail
| copies of it in my store, but I can't tie any of these to a correctly
| licensed "qualifying product" or COA (which look like they disappeared quite
| some time ago in the last clearout, well before I started here).
|
| My question then, is whether Win98 UPGRADE is a qualifying product for a Win
| XP Pro upgrade, or whether it relies on the original qualifying product
| (Win95, which ISN'T a qualifying product anyway...)? Is there a certain
| amount of grace given by MS on this, which (legally/officially) ignores the
| install type of the current licenced system?
|
| Incidentally, I have exactly the same problem with Office, so thoughts on
| this would be appreciated too.
|
|
| Obviously, I'm relectant to purchase retail copies if it can be avoided,
| especially since I can't get the full version of XP Pro through volume
| licensing. It would have to be a retail boxed copy job, which really doesn't
| make any sort of sense at all.
|
| Also, if anyone can point me in the direction of a good resource on MS
| licencing other than their website (on phoning MS, the very helpful chap gave
| me a 60 character URL and directed me to that!) I would be most grateful.
|
| Thanks in advance
|
| D Walker

 

[Daniel Walker]

"My question then, is whether Win98 UPGRADE is a qualifying product
for a Win
XP Pro upgrade....?"

Yes, it is. Also, a Microsoft Windows 95 installation CD is also a
qualifying product, although one cannot upgrade from Windows 95 to
Windows XP.

Hmm. But I'm still confused... the Win95 CD can be used, but isn't a
supported path - so would that be legal?

If somebody came to me and demanded to see my XP licences, could I hold up
my Open Licence XP Upgrades and my original boxed retail Win98 Upgrades,
legally and without needing to produce anything else? Obviously, I don't
want to buy upgrades if they're useless because they rely on something I
don't have? Or do the rules specify I just need to use a qualifying product
to install the thing? That would be odd... on the other hand, if you've
been upgrading for a while it might be difficult to provide a chain of
upgrade licences going back years?

Any ideas?

Many thanks in advance

Daniel Walker

 

[Star Fleet Admiral Q]

The Win95 CD is a legal "Proof" of prior licensing, it is just not a
supported "technical" upgrade path - ie one is legal, one is technical.
When installing WinXP using Win95 as "Proof" of licensing for upgrade, you
have to do a "clean" install, using the WinXP upgrade CD, but when XP setup
asks for the "Proof" of "Prior Qualification Product", insert the Win95 CD
and it will be accepted. In other words you can't upgrade the actual disk
contents from Win95 to WinXP, it has to be deleted and installed fresh.

 

[Daniel Walker]

OK... so let me get this absolutely straight. I can, quite legally,
purchase 10 Win XP Upgrade licences, use my 10 corresponding Win 98 Upgrade
retail licences to clean install them, and be in the clear in terms of
licencing?

If that's the case, great. But, out of interest, what in that prevents
somebody from installing multiple copies of XP Upgrade using one previous
upgrade version (apart from ethics!)?

If I understand this right, Microsoft just don't care if your previous
version was full or upgrade - as long as you've purchased *something*
before, that's close enough.

Daniel Walker

 

[Michael Stevens]

OK... so let me get this absolutely straight. I can, quite legally,
purchase 10 Win XP Upgrade licences, use my 10 corresponding Win 98
Upgrade retail licences to clean install them, and be in the clear in
terms of licencing?

If that's the case, great. But, out of interest, what in that prevents
somebody from installing multiple copies of XP Upgrade using one
previous upgrade version (apart from ethics!)?

If I understand this right, Microsoft just don't care if your previous
version was full or upgrade - as long as you've purchased *something*
before, that's close enough.

Daniel Walker

The 98 upgrade is a qualifier for XP upgrade CD. All previous Window on that
computer will become one license and can only be used in conjunction.
Ethics is the answer.
My concern would be if the systems should be upgraded or replaced. A system
that started as a 95 system is going to be well below the minimum
requirements for XP. The expense of software and hardware upgrades needed
for the XP upgrade and what you get as the result, would make me look into
replacing the entire system with much more powerful systems for close to the
same price.

Click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into the address box
if using the web based newsgroup.
For upgrading to XP Home or Pro, see the links below.
http://aumha.org/a/xpupgrad.htm
XP Upgrade
http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/windowsxp_sg_2kupgrade.asp
http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/windowsxp_sg_9xupgrade.asp
See the link below for steps on performing a Clean Install.
http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html
Known problems with XP upgrades.
http://michaelstevenstech.com/xpupgdissues.html
Known Problems with Clean installs.
http://www.labmice.net/WindowsXP/Install/installbugs.htm
Top 10 Reasons for Moving to Windows XP Professional
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/evaluation/whyupgrade/top10.asp
Why Windows XP Professional?
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/evaluation/whyupgrade/default.asp
Windows XP Professional Features
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/evaluation/features.asp

--

Michael Stevens MS-MVP XP
(e-mail address removed)
http://michaelstevenstech.com
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