Upgrade Windows ME to Windows XP

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Pat

I want to purchase two Windows XP Home Edition Upgrades (Not Full Versions):

The computers are a Dell and a Gateway. They both were originally shipped
with a CD that is a restore of an image that includes Windows ME and other
applications which I don't care about and just delete any way.

OBJECTIVE:

I want to format the hard drives, on both systems, and load a fresh copy of
Windows XP from the Home Edition Upgrades. I do not want to load over
Windows ME. Its a piece of crap!

PROBLEM:

How do I prove I own Windows ME when Windows XP asks for me to load the CD?

All I have is a Restore CD from Gateway and Dell, and also the Serial
Numbers and Certification Codes for the Windows ME.

I believe that Windows XP Upgrade will only accept a Windows ME Full Edition
CD as proof of ownership.



Any comment will be appreciated.


Thanks,

Pat
 
Pat,

What follows is the procedure to do what you need to do, but BEFORE doing
that, make sure that your system will actually support WinXP by running the
free upgrade advisor utility that MS has created. Go to the following
website and DL/run the utility, look for any updates (at the Dell or Gateway
support websites) that are required BEFORE any installation of WinXP and you
should be "good to go" (technically).
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/howtobuy/upgrading/advisor.asp

Contact Dell and Gateway's tech supt and ask them if the CDs that they
supplied will or will not be recognized by WinXP Upgrade version as a
"qualifying media". This will depend on how they created the CDs. If not,
ask them to send you a CD that will work for an upgrade (at most they should
charge you from $0 to $20).

All you'll need is ONE CD and you can use it as "proof" for both machines
since you already have legal licenses for WinME on both machines. So,
whichever company will cut you the best deal is the one to order the CD from
(assuming that both tell you that the CDs supplied with your machines won't
work).

If they give you a story that "you can't upgrade" or "it won't be covered by
warranty", just push them for the answer to the question above until they
give you the answer you need or ask to speak with a supervisor.
 
Thanks, Len. Very good recommendation.


Len Segal said:
Pat,

What follows is the procedure to do what you need to do, but BEFORE doing
that, make sure that your system will actually support WinXP by running the
free upgrade advisor utility that MS has created. Go to the following
website and DL/run the utility, look for any updates (at the Dell or Gateway
support websites) that are required BEFORE any installation of WinXP and you
should be "good to go" (technically).
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/howtobuy/upgrading/advisor.asp

Contact Dell and Gateway's tech supt and ask them if the CDs that they
supplied will or will not be recognized by WinXP Upgrade version as a
"qualifying media". This will depend on how they created the CDs. If not,
ask them to send you a CD that will work for an upgrade (at most they should
charge you from $0 to $20).

All you'll need is ONE CD and you can use it as "proof" for both machines
since you already have legal licenses for WinME on both machines. So,
whichever company will cut you the best deal is the one to order the CD from
(assuming that both tell you that the CDs supplied with your machines won't
work).

If they give you a story that "you can't upgrade" or "it won't be covered by
warranty", just push them for the answer to the question above until they
give you the answer you need or ask to speak with a supervisor.

--

Regards,
Len Segal, MCP
Microsoft - MVP
Click to expand...
 
Greetings --

.. It is possible to perform a clean installation
using an Upgrade CD.

Simply boot from the WinXP Upgrade CD. You'll be offered the
opportunity to delete, create, and format partitions as part of the
installation process. The Upgrade CD checks to see if a qualifying OS
is installed, and, if it finds none, it asks you to insert the
installation media (CD) of that 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.

Have you made sure that your PC's hardware components are capable
of supporting WinXP? This information will be found at the PC's
manufacturer's web site, and on Microsoft's Hardware Compatibility
List: (http://www.microsoft.com/hcl/default.asp) Additionally, run
Microsoft WinXP Upgrade Advisor to see if you have any incompatible
hardware components or applications.

You should, before proceeding, take a few minutes to ensure that
there are WinXP device drivers available for all of the machine's
components. There may not be, if the PC was specifically designed for
Win98. Also bear in mind that PCs designed for, sold and run fine
with Win9x/Me very often do not meet WinXP's much more stringent
hardware quality requirements. This is particularly true of many
models in Compaq's consumer-class Presario product line or HP's
consumer-class Pavilion product line. WinXP, like WinNT and Win2K
before it, is quite sensitive to borderline defective hardware
(particularly motherboards, RAM and hard drives) that will still
support Win9x.

HOW TO Prepare to Upgrade Win98 or WinMe
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q316639


Bruce Chambers

--
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