Upgrading To XP

[Guest]

I have a computer with Windows ME on it (from Gateway). Can I use the Windows
ME CD that came with the system and an Upgrade version of Windows XP to
upgrade to XP?

I think the version of Windows ME i have is OEM but not really sure...

Thanks for help

 

[Millybags]

Hi,

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/upgrading/matrix.mspx

I would do it. I suspect that the XP installer just uses the Windows ME CD
as a check. Make sure your hardware is going to support XP at
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/upgrading/sysreqs.mspx

Steve

 

[Bob Knowlden]

I expect that you'll be able to use the installed version of ME to qualify
an upgrade version of XP.

However, if you wish to do a clean installation on a drive that does not
have ME installed, it's possible that the upgrade CD won't recognize the
Gateway CD as "qualifying media". See:

http://aumha.org/win5/a/xpupgrad.php

My "qualifying media" is a retail upgrade CD for Win98 gold. For safety, I
use a CD-R backup copy. (No license number is entered for the Win98 CD.)


Address scrambled. Replace nkbob with bobkn.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

I have a computer with Windows ME on it (from Gateway). Can I use the Windows
ME CD that came with the system and an Upgrade version of Windows XP to
upgrade to XP?

I think the version of Windows ME i have is OEM but not really sure...

Thanks for help

Have you verified that all of 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 Windows Catalog:
(http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/hcl/default.mspx)

You should also take a few minutes to ensure that there are
WinXP-specific device drivers available for all of the machine's
components. There may not be, if the PC was specifically designed for
Win98/Me. 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 or substandard 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

Upgrading to Windows XP
http://aumha.org/win5/a/xpupgrad.htm

It's possible to perform a clean installation using the Upgrade CD,
provided you have the true installation CD for the earlier OS.

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.


--

Bruce Chambers

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