Upgrade from 98SE to XP Pro or better to do clean full install?

[Liamster]

Title and summary above pretty much state the questions.

Thanks for your help!

 

[MrChad]

Clean install, absolutely.

XP and 98 are fundamentally different operating systems, and you will benefit from a better performing and more stable system if you install XP cleanly.

 

[Liamster]

Thanks MrChad.

I was thinking of sparing myself the $100 and going with the upgrade after a clean 98SE install, but now am of the understanding that the upgrade does not actually install the 98SE OS, just verifies that you have a valid copy and then proceeds to install the XP Pro.

I would be doing this from a brand new HDD with no data and would like to do it as cleanly as possible but at the lowest cost. In my situation would there really be a difference other than me saving $100 to how the upgrade installs on a nee HDD?

Thanks.

 

[MrChad]

You can do a clean install from an upgrade CD. Just boot from the XP CD, format your new partition with NTFS and continue. At some point setup will ask you to insert your 98 CD for verification. Once this is done, the install proceeds as usual.

 

[Navid]

Liamster,

MrChad was telling you how you should install your XP. He was not telling you to buy a full version instead of an upgrade.

As he suggested later, you can use an upgrade version and still do a clean install.
The name "Upgrade" is confusing!
If you have a win98 CD, you can get an XP upgrade and make a clean install of XP without ever needing to install 98 save some money without any loss.

 

[Liamster]

Guys, thanks again to both of you. Yes it certainly is confusing with them using the word "upgrade", indicating a build on top of an existing OS.

I was looking to do this as cost effective as possible without any installation issues now or problems down the road with the file structure.

You both have answered my question(s), I appreciate it!

 

[htmlmasterdave]

Always do fresh installs Upgrades just never feel as fast or stable.

 

[bacillus]

The cheapest possible option would be to get yourself and OEM copy of XP!

 

[spikeIt]

Just make sure your Win98 CD is not a recovery only CD, otherwise the XP upgrade version may not work for you. Or just find someone who has a CD of full 98, ME, etc.