Upgrading from ME to XP Home on a new hard drive, original died.

[Guest]

My daughter's COMPAQ Presario 5010US had it's hard drive die on her. She has
a RECOVERY CD that came with the pc. The pc was running Windows ME. I also
have a COA number that include OEM as part of the key. There is also a
Windows ME key on a sticker inside the computer that is different then the
other COA number. Do I need these numbers as part of the activation? If so,
which one?

I have installed a "newer" Seagate 40 GB hard drive without an operationg
system on it and would like to upgrade to Windows XP Home edition. I have
read many of the posts about using the WINDOWS XP Home Edition Upgrade
version from our local retail store. Does this software come with a valid
key that I can use to activate the product after I upgrade? Is this RECOVERY
CD the same as a good OS for the upgrade?

Can I use the WINDOWS 98 SE CD that I have for my older pc as proof of a
viable OS? I am not sure of the product key for it though.

I have sent HP/COMPAQ an inquiry to this as well. I know there are a lot of
questions posted here. Any help on these would be appreciated. Thank you.

 

[RobertVA]

My daughter's COMPAQ Presario 5010US had it's hard drive die on her. She has
a RECOVERY CD that came with the pc. The pc was running Windows ME. I also
have a COA number that include OEM as part of the key. There is also a
Windows ME key on a sticker inside the computer that is different then the
other COA number. Do I need these numbers as part of the activation? If so,
which one?

I have installed a "newer" Seagate 40 GB hard drive without an operationg
system on it and would like to upgrade to Windows XP Home edition. I have
read many of the posts about using the WINDOWS XP Home Edition Upgrade
version from our local retail store. Does this software come with a valid
key that I can use to activate the product after I upgrade? Is this RECOVERY
CD the same as a good OS for the upgrade?

Can I use the WINDOWS 98 SE CD that I have for my older pc as proof of a
viable OS? I am not sure of the product key for it though.

I have sent HP/COMPAQ an inquiry to this as well. I know there are a lot of
questions posted here. Any help on these would be appreciated. Thank you.

Retail OS upgrades come with their own key for use during instalation.
Qualifying OS's product key / COA number not required for the upgrade
itself.

Retail Upgrade installations require the presense of a qualifying
earlier OS instalation on the computer OR insertion of the instalation
media for the qualifying earlier OS. Recognition of OEM media for OS
upgrades may vary. Major manufacturer's CD sets that restore the
computer to its delevery state, erasing any user files and post delivery
software instalations, aren't likely to be recognized as qualifying
earlier OS instalation media. The source of the OEM OS should be able to
advise you on this capability.

You might not be able to install applications that came with the
computer after a clean instalation of a newer OS. Clean instalations of
the newer OS are often regarded as more reliable.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

My daughter's COMPAQ Presario 5010US had it's hard drive die on her.
She has a RECOVERY CD that came with the pc. The pc was running
Windows ME. I also have a COA number that include OEM as part of the
key. There is also a Windows ME key on a sticker inside the computer
that is different then the other COA number. Do I need these numbers
as part of the activation? If so, which one?

You need neither.

I have installed a "newer" Seagate 40 GB hard drive without an
operationg system on it and would like to upgrade to Windows XP Home
edition. I have read many of the posts about using the WINDOWS XP
Home Edition Upgrade version from our local retail store. Does this
software come with a valid key that I can use to activate the product
after I upgrade?

Yes.


Is this RECOVERY CD the same as a good OS for the
upgrade?

The Windows Me Recovery CD? You don't need any CD but the XP CD to do an
upgrade.

Can I use the WINDOWS 98 SE CD that I have for my older pc as proof
of a viable OS?

To do an upgrade, the proof is the installed operating system--in your case
Windows Me. If you want to do a clean installation with an upgrade CD (which
you probably want to do if the old HD died) you need the CD of a previous
qualifying product. You can use either a Windows 98 CD or an Me CD.

The requirement to use an upgrade version is to *own* a previous qualifying
version's installation CD (with an OEM restore CD, see below), not to have
it installed. When setup doesn't find a previous qualifying version
installed, it will prompt you to insert its CD as proof of ownership. Just
insert the previous version's CD, and follow the prompts. Everything
proceeds quite normally and quite legitimately.

You can also do a clean installation if you have an OEM restore CD of a
previous qualifying version. It's more complicated, but it *can* be done.
First restore from the Restore CD. Then run the XP upgrade CD from within
that restored system, and change from Upgrade to New Install. When it asks
where, press Esc to delete the partition and start over.

I am not sure of the product key for it though.

Doesn't matter. You don't need it to install XP.