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Question about Windows XP upgrade version..

P

paulpaul

Member
Here's the deal...I'm going to buy a used laptop, and many/most either come with no OS or Win 98 installed. My school has a deal going with Microsoft to get (among other things) a free download of Windows XP Pro, but it's just the upgrade, not the full version. I know the doing the upgrade can (maybe WILL) cause problems, but I'm a poor student and free is hard to argue with.

Can I upgrade from W98 to XP? Is going this way worth my time/am I going to be cursing my cheapness until I come up with something else?

Any advice would be appreciated.
 
You can reformat and install XP from scratch using the upgrade CD. At some point you will be prompted to insert your Windows 98 CD for upgrade verification, but other than that the process is identical to installing XP from the full version CD.
 
Will this work with a restore CD (i.e. from Dell/Gateway, etc.) as well? I mean the original CD you're supposedly upgrading from. Man, my brain's not communicating very well today...

Edited for clarity.
 
Originally posted by: paulpaul
Will this work with a restore CD (i.e. from Dell/Gateway, etc.) as well? I mean the original CD you're supposedly upgrading from. Man, my brain's not communicating very well today...

Edited for clarity.
Click to expand...

It should.

 
Originally posted by: paulpaul
Will this work with a restore CD (i.e. from Dell/Gateway, etc.) as well? I mean the original CD you're supposedly upgrading from. Man, my brain's not communicating very well today...

Edited for clarity.
Click to expand...

No. It will not.

XP Upgrade does not recognize OEM restore CD's as qualifying media.

However, if you install an OS from the restore media, you can then upgrade it to WinXP using the upgrade CD.
 
just install the os from the restore cd then do a clean install of xp ie: format etc, recommend ntfs also.
 
Okay, this is what I was afraid of...

Am I going to have problems using the upgrade CD (after installing from the restore CD) as opposed to buying the full version of XP Pro?

It seems like I read about people having trouble (stability especially) upgrading over another OS (XP over 98/ME etc.)
 
makes sure u have an OS on it already. Boot from the upgrade disk, formate the existing part. with NTFS and isntall it there. It shouldn't ask for anything if their is already an OS present on the HD, even if u format it. At least it didn't last time I did it!
 
Cool, now I feel a little better about popping for a lappy, knowing I can drop a decent OS on it for free (well, I'm certainly paying enough for school...)

I'm planning on downloading it off the network at school; are there any potential problems on the horizon w. this method?
 
Originally posted by: paulpaul
Cool, now I feel a little better about popping for a lappy, knowing I can drop a decent OS on it for free (well, I'm certainly paying enough for school...)

I'm planning on downloading it off the network at school; are there any potential problems on the horizon w. this method?
Click to expand...


There will be if it is not a bootable image.
 
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