Help with formatting and legitimizing Win XP

[Cadillakin]

Long story but my son-in law put a copy of WinXP Pro Corporate on my computer. I've recently found that out and wish to make my operating system legal.

In the interest of saving money, I bought a Win XP Home Upgrade. I have the previous Win98SE CD to use in the install process - proving I have a legit upgrade path.

I don't have a floppy drive for use. Only a CD and DVD drive. In my reading I'm finding that because I have an NTFS drive for my present XP PRO, my plan to boot from and format with my Win98SE cd won't work. It seems that some are suggesting that I need to buy a program like Partition Magic to change the NTFS file system to FAT32, then I can do what I planned. I'm not experienced formatting or using fdisk. Will my second physical hard drive be safe where I have my information backed up? I'm worried about losing all my data, family pictures and such..

Is there a way for me with the tools I have listed to format, fdisk or whatever.. to get that C drive cleared for an upgrade install of my newly purchased Win Xp Home?

 

[stash]

??
Just boot from the XP CD. It should prompt you to insert the 98 media as proof of the upgrade path.

 

[Cadillakin]

That would would be great.. I havent tried anything yet... just nervous to get started until I understand it all. So, even with a present operating system on my drive (xp pro corp), I can boot with the XP Home Upgrade, and it will ask me for my win98se cd, and then proceed to erase/format my present OS and install the new one?

 

[nerp]

Don't be too nervous, it's easy.

Just make sure all your important data is backed up. Boot the XP CD. It will walk you through blasting the old partition, creating a new, NTFS partition, inserting the 98 CD for a few seconds to "confirm" you have qualifying media for the upgrade, and the install XP.

I'm sure you'll handle it just fine.

 

[stash]

Yes, although the sequence might be different from what you wrote, I can't remember. But it won't format anything by itself. You'll get a screen that shows the installed drives/partitions, and you will be able to choose the one you want to format and install XP on. Make sure you choose the correct one

One thing I usually do just so there aren't any accidents is unplug the power connector to the secondary drive before I install an OS. After the OS installed, shut down the box and plug the power back into the drive.

 

[Cadillakin]

Thanks guys.. I'm feeling more at ease.

You know.. I wasn't sure how the upgrade install would proceed.. if it would stall because of my existing XP Pro OS, or if it would in fact go to the screen asking me to prove my upgrade path with the 98SE CD.

 

[nerp]

Stash raises good points -- quadruple check you're selecting the right drive/partition before proceeding with an install.

 

[CameraShy]

Originally posted by: Cadillakin
Thanks guys.. I'm feeling more at ease.

You know.. I wasn't sure how the upgrade install would proceed.. if it would stall because of my existing XP Pro OS, or if it would in fact go to the screen asking me to prove my upgrade path with the 98SE CD.

Same circumstances with me, more or less. I was suprised to learn that upon installing the XP Home Upgrade over the illegitimate XP Pro Corp, that proving my upgrade path never came up. I kept waiting.. worrying that my old 98 CD might not be recognized.. But it never happened.

So, those who suggest you can't downgrade or legitimize from Pro Corp to Home Upgrade are wrong.