XP Pro to new machine

[Bill]

I am getting a new Dell computer w/XP home installed. As I mentioned a while
ago here, I want to upgrade Home to Pro with the Pro upgrade CD I bought. My
current machine will no longer be in use so I will not be violating any
rules.

It was suggested in this group that I do a clean install of Pro and remove
the junk Dell puts on the machine, I agree with this suggestion and plan to
do so. I have already downloaded SP2 to a CD to install and will immediately
go to the Windows Update site and get'm all.

I believe the new Dell comes with all the back up re-install stuff already
on the HD - pretty sure I am not getting a Home CD. I have no idea where on
the HD all this 'back up' will be stored and am curious if formatting the
drive and doing a clean install will wipe it out.

Anybody know?
Any other suggestions appreciated

FYI - I don't have the patience to build my own - have had good luck with
Dell in the past - that's why

TIA

Bill

 

[Bert Kinney]

Hi Bill,

With no XP Home CD, you will not be able to satisfy the upgrade the
upgrade compliancy check. Most OEM CD's will not satisfy the
compliancy check any way.

When the new system arrives, I would suggest creating a restore point
with System Restore and then go to add/remove programs and uninstall
any programs and utilities you do not want. Make sure to remove any
Norton and McAfee programs.
Here are some suggestions for anti virus programs.
Virus and Spyware removal and prevention.
http://bertk.mvps.org/html/spyware.html

Create another restore point.

If you are comfortable with the registry, open the registry and use
the search tool to search for programs that were previously removed.
Example: If McAfee was uninstalled, in the registry press Ctrl+IF and
search for McAfee and Network Associates and remove there keys.

Then when the system is running correctly, perform the upgrade to Pro.

 

[Tim Slattery]

I am getting a new Dell computer w/XP home installed. As I mentioned a while
ago here, I want to upgrade Home to Pro with the Pro upgrade CD I bought. My
current machine will no longer be in use so I will not be violating any
rules.

It was suggested in this group that I do a clean install of Pro and remove
the junk Dell puts on the machine, I agree with this suggestion and plan to
do so. I have already downloaded SP2 to a CD to install and will immediately
go to the Windows Update site and get'm all.

I think you may have trouble with this. You'll clear off your disk
drive, then use your upgrade CD to try to install XP Pro. At some
point, it will ask for proof of a qualifying system to upgrade. At
this point you would insert your XP CD...but a new Dell system won't
come with an XP CD, only a "recover" CD of some sort that will return
your system to factory condition.

 

[Daniel]

Bert

If Bill used the Pro CD to format and install, wouldn't that find the
original OS and accept the upgrade?

Daniel

 

[Bert Kinney]

Hi Daniel,

I dont think it will.

I did find a better way to preform a clean install for OEM systems.
Below is a snip from the following article.
Upgrading to Windows XP
http://aumha.org/win5/a/xpupgrad.php

<snip>
So what do you do if your OEM CD or Restore disk does not work as
qualifying media? One neat new feature of XP allows one to get around
this problem. First, start the XP clean install from within an
existing qualified install rather then from the XP CD or from a DOS
prompt. When you see the screen that ask what type of install to do,
change “Upgrade (Recommended)” to “New install.” You can then select
the existing partition, format it, and do a Clean Install, never
having to insert your qualifying product CD.
<snip>

 

[Daniel]

Thanks Bert, that's useful information

Daniel

Hi Daniel,

I dont think it will.

I did find a better way to preform a clean install for OEM systems.
Below is a snip from the following article.
Upgrading to Windows XP
http://aumha.org/win5/a/xpupgrad.php

<snip>
So what do you do if your OEM CD or Restore disk does not work as
qualifying media? One neat new feature of XP allows one to get around this
problem. First, start the XP clean install from within an existing
qualified install rather then from the XP CD or from a DOS prompt. When
you see the screen that ask what type of install to do, change "Upgrade
(Recommended)" to "New install." You can then select the existing
partition, format it, and do a Clean Install, never having to insert your
qualifying product CD.
<snip>