Windows 98 to XP Pro

  • Thread starter Thread starter shawnsmith
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shawnsmith

I am building a new computer and would like to install
Microsoft Windows XP Pro as the OS. So far I have found
the software in an OEM version, retail version and an
upgrade (from windows 98 and up). I have an older
computer with Windows 98 on it and on a quick restore disk
so I have the license. Can I move windows 98 from my old
machine using the restore disk to my new machine and do
the XP pro update? Is it possible to do a clean install
with the XP Pro update on the new system using the windows
98 numbers if I uninstall 98 from the old system? If you
have any other suggestions please let me know.
 
I am building a new computer and would like to install
Microsoft Windows XP Pro as the OS. So far I have found
the software in an OEM version, retail version and an
upgrade (from windows 98 and up). I have an older
computer with Windows 98 on it and on a quick restore disk
so I have the license. Can I move windows 98 from my old
machine using the restore disk to my new machine and do
the XP pro update? Is it possible to do a clean install
with the XP Pro update on the new system using the windows
98 numbers if I uninstall 98 from the old system? If you
have any other suggestions please let me know.
Click to expand...

Chances are that Win98 is A: an OEM version, which is non
transferrable, and b:The restore disc is tied to be useable only on
the machine it came with.

In short, no, you need the full retail or OEM versions.
 
Greetings --

The fact that your Win98 installation is on a "quick restore disk"
indicates that the license is an OEM one. As such, this license
cannot legitimately be transferred to the new computer to be used to
qualify for the upgrade. (An OEM license is _permanently_ bound to
the first computer on which it is installed, and is not transferable
to another computer under any circumstances.)

This leave you with the options of buying (a) a second-hand retail
Win98 license to use as a qualifier for the WinXP Upgrade, (b) a full
retail license for WinXP, or (c) an OEM license.


Bruce Chambers

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I am building a new computer and would like to install
Microsoft Windows XP Pro as the OS. So far I have found
the software in an OEM version, retail version and an
upgrade (from windows 98 and up). I have an older
computer with Windows 98 on it and on a quick restore disk
so I have the license. Can I move windows 98 from my old
machine using the restore disk to my new machine and do
the XP pro update?
Click to expand...

According to the terms of the license, no you may not. Such a recovery
disk is licensed only for the machine where first installed (and the
same would apply to the XP OEM version - once installed its license
lives and dies with that machine). Also it is quite likely that a
restore CD like that would not install on different hardware anyway
Is it possible to do a clean install
with the XP Pro update on the new system using the windows
98 numbers if I uninstall 98 from the old system?
Click to expand...

No. The Win98 number is for installing Win98. You really need a full
XP. And if you are likely to want to build a successor one sometime in
the future, make it a retail one, not OEM, so you could transfer it
onward
 
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