Is it legal to upgrade using a"recovery" disc?

Fencer128

Platinum Member
Jun 18, 2001
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Hi,

A friend wishes to upgrade his sony laptop (currently running windows 2000 professional) to windows xp professional. He was supplied by sony with a recovery disc to use in the case of a windows install. My question is - is it possible and legal for him to purchase the upgrade version of windows xp instead of the full copy? If so (as I would hope) has anyone done this, and if so, were there any problems with the upgrade cd recognising the recovery cd as being a full/oem version of windows?

Thanks for your time,

Andrew
 

Fencer128

Platinum Member
Jun 18, 2001
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Hi,

Thanks for posting. If we don't get a quick answer here - then we will. The reason to try this first is that I know how long winded and drawn out official tech support enquiries can be!

Cheers,

Andrew
 

Convergys

Member
Nov 5, 2002
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It would be legal, because you did buy the OS with your OEM computer.. However.. The onyl real way to find out... is seeing if it will allow you. I dont see any problems with it. i work for HP.. and people have done that kind of stuff a lot.....
 

Fencer128

Platinum Member
Jun 18, 2001
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Hi,

Thanks for replying. I think you are right. The real question is: has anyone managed this procedure and verified that the windows installer recognises the recovery cd as the valid windows install cd for a previous version?

Cheers,

Andrew
 

NogginBoink

Diamond Member
Feb 17, 2002
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Upgrade media won't recognize the Sony media as qualifying media.
But it should upgrade an OS installed from the recovery media.
 

Fencer128

Platinum Member
Jun 18, 2001
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Hi,

Thanks. So I guess I'll have to do a clean install for him from the recovery disc, remove any sony stuff that's not necessary - and then do an upgrade to xp pro from that. It's a shame it has to happen that way as I always feel better about doing a clean install rather than an upgrade.

Cheers,

Andy
 

spyordie007

Diamond Member
May 28, 2001
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Originally posted by: Fencer128
Hi,

Thanks. So I guess I'll have to do a clean install for him from the recovery disc, remove any sony stuff that's not necessary - and then do an upgrade to xp pro from that. It's a shame it has to happen that way as I always feel better about doing a clean install rather than an upgrade.

Cheers,

Andy
You could always try the XP installer to see if it will recognize the restore CD as your windows media, it likely will not but I would still try. If you do an upgrade install at least you're upgrading from 2K and not 9x!

-Spy
 

DSE

Member
Feb 16, 2000
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Might be too late, but this is probably the next best thing.

It's true that the way the recovery CD is packaged will not allow WinXP CD to recognize the CD as a valid upgradable product. You can, however, boot to the WinXP CD, it will see the installed OS (Sony's Win2k), then give you the option to delete that partition, create a new one, then install WinXP clean on the new partition.
 

Fencer128

Platinum Member
Jun 18, 2001
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Hi,

Thanks. It's not too late! I will try that first and if it works and I'll post and tell.

Thank you,

Andrew
 

prosaic

Senior member
Oct 30, 2002
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It will work. I do it all the time. Clean install is definitely the way to go. The installation procedure will "remember" that you just deleted a qualifying OS partition and proceed through the clean install without bothering you for a previous version CD -- IF you don't interrupt the installation process.

- prosaic