XP upgrade

[Stu]

I'm about to upgrade from W98SE to XP Home (due to
applications that won't run on W98.) It has been
recommended I wipe my machine and start again, due to
applications' drivers, etc.
1. Can I use my XP upgrade disc on a blank machine?
2. Any other comments on this recommendation?

 

[Jose Francisco]

Greetings,

No you can't use an upgrade cd to do a clean installtion of Windows XP.
However, you can just upgrade to Windows XP.

Thanks and best of luck!

 

[Guest]

Hi,

to get a fresh installation you will have have the full version Cd.
you cannot use the upgrade cd for a fresh installation. this can be used only for upgrading from prior versions since the cd checks for the previous OS before attempting to upgrade.

 

[Gordon]

Hi,

to get a fresh installation you will have have the full version Cd.
you cannot use the upgrade cd for a fresh installation.

Rubbish. I've got an upgrade version of XP Pro and done clean installations
several times. All you do is insert the qualifying CD when asked.

 

[Bill]

I have to agree with Gordon here. I have an upgrade version of XP Pro and
done a clean install

Bill

I'm about to upgrade from W98SE to XP Home (due to
applications that won't run on W98.) It has been
recommended I wipe my machine and start again, due to
applications' drivers, etc.
1. Can I use my XP upgrade disc on a blank machine?
2. Any other comments on this recommendation?

 

[Mike]

As long as you have a Win98 cd, full version or OEM, or ME full version..
booting from the XP cd will at some point ask for the W98/ME cd briefly to
check for qualifying product.. it WILL NOT work with recovery cds..

 

[Plato]

1. Can I use my XP upgrade disc on a blank machine?
2. Any other comments on this recommendation?

Yes just make sure you have your win98/me disk handy when it asks for
it.

 

[Ken Blake]

In

I'm about to upgrade from W98SE to XP Home (due to
applications that won't run on W98.) It has been
recommended I wipe my machine and start again, due to
applications' drivers, etc.

My recommendation is the oppoite.

Although many people will tell you that formatting and installing
cleanly is the best way to go, I disagree. Unlike with previous
versions of Windows, an upgrade to XP replaces almost everything,
and usually works very well.

My recommendation is to at least try the upgrade, since it's much
easier than a clean installation. You can always change your mind
and reinstall cleanly if problems develop.

However, don't assume that doing an upgrade relieves you of the
need to backup your data, etc. before beginning. Before starting
to upgrade, it's always prudent to recognize that things like a
sudden power loss can occur in the middle of it and cause the
loss of everything. For that reason you should make sure you have
backups and anything else you need to reinstall if the worst
happens.

1. Can I use my XP upgrade disc on a blank machine?

Certainly, if you own a Windows 98 CD.

The requirement to use an upgrade version is to *own* a previous
qualifying version's installation CD (with an OEM restore CD, see
below), not to have it installed. When setup doesn't find a
previous qualifying version installed, it will prompt you to
insert its CD as proof of ownership. Just insert the previous
version's CD, and follow the prompts. Everything proceeds quite
normally and quite legitimately.

You can also do a clean install if you have an OEM restore CD of
a previous qualifying version. It's more complicated, but it
*can* be done. First restore from the Restore CD. Then run the XP
upgrade CD from within that restored system, and change from
Upgrade to New Install. When it asks where, press Esc to delete
the partition and start over.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

Some people will recommend that you perform a clean installation,
rather than upgrade over an earlier OS. For the most part, I feel
that these people, while well-meaning, are living in the past, and are
basing their recommendation on their experiences with older operating
systems. You'd probably save a lot of time by upgrading your PC to
WinXP, rather than performing a clean installation, if you've no
hardware or software incompatibilities. Microsoft has greatly
improved (over earlier versions of Windows) WinXP's ability to
smoothly upgrade an earlier OS.

WinXP is designed to install and upgrade the existing operating
system while simultaneously preserving your applications and data, and
translating as many personalized settings as possible. The process is
designed to be, and normally is, quite painless. That said, things
can go wrong, in a small number of cases. If your data is at all
important to you, back it up before proceeding.

If you really want to perform a clean installation, though,
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.

Have you made sure that 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) Additionally, run
Microsoft WinXP Upgrade Advisor to see if you have any incompatible
hardware components or applications.

You should, before proceeding, take a few minutes to ensure that
there are WinXP 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


Bruce Chambers
--
Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
having both at once. - RAH

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

It's quite 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.


Bruce Chambers
--
Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
having both at once. - RAH

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

It's quite 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.


Bruce Chambers
--
Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
having both at once. - RAH

Hi,

to get a fresh installation you will have have the full version Cd.
you cannot use the upgrade cd for a fresh installation. this can be

used only for upgrading from prior versions since the cd checks for
the previous OS before attempting to upgrade.

 

[Alex Nichol]

I'm about to upgrade from W98SE to XP Home (due to
applications that won't run on W98.) It has been
recommended I wipe my machine and start again, due to
applications' drivers, etc.
1. Can I use my XP upgrade disc on a blank machine?

You can, provided you have a regular 98 CD, not a maker's 'restore' one.
You boot the XP CD, make sure you delete and create a new partition and
when asked where Windows is, show it the 98 CD

2. Any other comments on this recommendation?

Yes. Don't follow it. An upgrade over an earlier system generally goes
fine, as it replaces mostr everything. But it will retain installed
programs and some drivers for things that might be difficult otherwise.
The 'always instal;l clean' was good advice at the time of Win95 to 98,
but is one of the bits of street wisdom that should now be forgotten.
If an upgrade does not work out you can always go back and do a clean
install; starting out with a format has burned your boats. Read Gary
Woodruff's article on upgrading to XP at
http://www.aumha.org/win5/a/xpupgrad.htm