XP Upgrade Questions

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traderrik

Hi all - I'm currently running Win 98SE, and am trying to
decide whether to use a new install of XP or an upgrade.
I know that a full install would require reinstallation of
my programs; would an upgrade require the same?

Also, I would like to maintain the FAT32 drive format; is
that possible with an upgrade? (On a different machine, a
full XP install accepted the existing FAT32 partition.)

Finally, my PC originated with Win 95 (no idea if
registered, but I have the "Key"), and I upgraded from it
to 98, then to 98SE. How can I be sure that my OS is
eligible for an XP upgrade, and subsequent registration
with MS?

Thanks for any and all input!

(sorry for cross-post; my ISP doesen't offer this group)
 
Always better to do a clean install when possible, less opportunity for
"legacy" entries in Registry to be carried over and cause problems later on.
Downside is that you do indeed have to re-install all applications, but we
usually find old, unused apps still on the machine, that we wouldn't want to
re-install.

You should also always run the Upgrade Advisor to ensure that your system
and SW will work properly with WinXP. You should make sure that your system
will actually support WinXP by running the free upgrade advisor utility that
MS has created. Go to the following website and DL/run the utility, look for
any updates (at the computer mfr or HW/SW support websites) that are
required BEFORE any installation of WinXP and you should be "good to go"
(technically).
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/howtobuy/upgrading/advisor.asp

An in-place upgrade doesn't usually require a re-install of SW, HOWEVER many
utilities built for Win98 will not run (or cause crashes) under WinXP, so
need to be removed/replaced with more compliant utilities (AV software
usually fits in this category).

WinXP will work with FAT32, however the advantages to NTFS are less chances
for HDD corruption when something crashes or you lose power on the system,
so it bears taking a second look before making this decision.

As long as you have an older OS CD (NOT a "recovery CD" supplied by a
computer mfr), you'll have no problem if you decide to do a clean install.

I'm not sure what ngs your ISP doesn't provide (so you may never see this
reply), but you can always use IE or other news reader and connect directly
to the MS newsgroups without going through your ISP's newsgroup server. Just
set up to use msnews.microsoft.com as your newsgroup server (no account or
password required).
 
Thanks, Len! All makes sense.

Can you tell me if the upgrade version of XP-Home will
provide me the choice of a full install, in the event the
upgrade isn't satisfctory?

Thanks again.
 
Greetings --

Yes. It's quite possible to perform a clean installation using an
Upgrade CD. You'll be offered the opportunity to delete, create, and
format partitions as part of the installation process.

Simply boot from the WinXP Upgrade CD. 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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having both at once. -- RAH
 
traderrik said:
Hi all - I'm currently running Win 98SE, and am trying to
decide whether to use a new install of XP or an upgrade.
I know that a full install would require reinstallation of
my programs; would an upgrade require the same?

Also, I would like to maintain the FAT32 drive format; is
that possible with an upgrade? (On a different machine, a
full XP install accepted the existing FAT32 partition.)

Finally, my PC originated with Win 95 (no idea if
registered, but I have the "Key"), and I upgraded from it
to 98, then to 98SE. How can I be sure that my OS is
eligible for an XP upgrade, and subsequent registration
with MS?
Click to expand...

An upgrade install of Windows XP will preserve your installed
applications and user data files.

There is zero reason to be afraid of doing an upgrade install of
Windows XP. While not every upgrade works out well, the overwhelming
majority of them do. And if the upgrade does not work out well then
you always have the option of doing a clean install.

Before upgrading to Windows XP you should read former MVP Gary
Woodruffs excellent article on this subject at
http://aumha.org/win5/a/xpupgrad.htm

And if you do decide to go for a clean install instead you should use
the Files And Settings Transfer Wizard on your Windows XP CD to first
save the user data files and program configuration settings to another
hard drive partition, a network drive, or a removable backup device.
Then when you have installed XP you can run it again to import the
saved data. This save a tremendous amount of work in restoring data
files and reconfiguring the computer. Gary also has an article on
this subject at http://www.aumha.org/win5/a/fast.htm

Good luck


Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

"The reason computer chips are so small is computers don't eat much."
 
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