XP home upgrade or full version?

[Jhg654]

I currently have Windows ME on an older HP. The operating
system is, of course part of the hard drive. This hard
drive has basically crashed (corrupted files, etc). We
tried HP service, paid the $40 by credit card, and got
zero help from the idiot from India (she suggested I go to
Radio Shack!). What I want to do is re-build a machine
from several spare parts I have. Can I load a legally
purchased XP home upgrade onto a new bare hard drive? I
have my product code from my windows ME version, but dont
want to upgrade the old drive. Or do I have to purchase a
new full version of XP home?

 

[Rick \Nutcase\ Rogers]

Hi,

In order to install the WinXP Home upgrade disk as a clean install, you will
need to show the system a qualifying media disk (like Win98, WinME, or
Win95). It will not install without it. Your WinME media for the HP is
likely in a restore format, and will not work as a qualifying disk. Unless
you possess one of these disks in a retail or generic OEM format, you will
need the full version.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers aka "Nutcase" MS-MVP - Win9x
Windows isn't rocket science! That's my other hobby!

Associate Expert - WinXP - Expert Zone

 

[Alex Nichol]

I currently have Windows ME on an older HP. The operating
system is, of course part of the hard drive. This hard
drive has basically crashed (corrupted files, etc). We
tried HP service, paid the $40 by credit card, and got
zero help from the idiot from India (she suggested I go to
Radio Shack!). What I want to do is re-build a machine
from several spare parts I have. Can I load a legally
purchased XP home upgrade onto a new bare hard drive? I
have my product code from my windows ME version,

Provided you have a regular MS CD, with a folder Win9x containing Cab
files, then you can use that as 'evidence of qualification' for the XP
Upgrade, showing it in the CD drive when setup asks where Windows is.
If it is a 'restore' disk, as with HP it may well be, it will not be
recognised. And probably would not install well enough on the revised
machine to be able to boot and run the Upgrade from it (provided you got
that started, you could then take New Install, when it asks where, hit
ESC and delete the present partition to make a new one - by that time
the check has been made)