Upgrading from Windows ME to xp Home

[Guest]

Please bear with me as this is a complicated question. I was given a previously used laptop (Sony VAIO) from my father about a year ago. As he had purchased the laptop new, it came with a pre-installed (OEM is it??) version of Windows ME on it. At the time I came into possestion of the laptop I was a member of the Information Systems program at a university that participates in the Microsoft Academic Alliance (MSDNAA) through which program i was able to secure a free XP professional Licence (which I installed on the VAIO). i just purchased a new laptop and would like to give the VAIO to my Sister in law. Of course I would not feel right about giving her the laptop with the MSDNAA licence on it, and will purchase a new XP home licence for the machine. I do not have any of the disks that origionally came with the VAIO, but I do have the Certificate of Authenticity and Product key for the origional Windows ME licence (as it is pasted onto the bottom of the machine).

After all of the background information here is my question: Do I need to purchase a full installation of XP home ($199.00), or may I purchase and use the Upgrade version of XP home ($99.00)? Also because I do not have any of the origional media that came with the laptop (i.e. I don't have a disk to prove that I have a previous version of windows), can I (and more importantly is it legal to) just boot from the XP home CD and reformat the drive, assuming that the copy of XP pro currently (from the MSDNAA) installed will allow me to get past the check for an acceptable upgradeable copy of Windows.

 

[Guest]

You have many oiptions available to you, depending upon the future user and
use of the Vaio.

You can choose to buy the XP Pro Upgrade [Academic Edition] which will allow
for non-commercial use. It would be better if, in the furture when the PC
needed rebuilding, if you could locate the original Me disks, being Sony it
is most likely a 'restore' CD Set and not a single Microsoft Disk. ALternate
is to find a friend with Me and copy their installation disk. After all you
still have the important CoA stuck on the Vaio.

If you are uncomfortable with that, then go and buy the full version of
Windows XP [Home or Pro] for the next user.