Windows XP

[Maxil223]

Alright, people have said I need an old operating system serial number if i wanted to install the windows XP upgrade thing. Do I have to have the old OS installed to install windows XP upgrade? Or can I just install it on a brand new HDD and put in the code XXXXX-OEM-000XXX-00XXX

 

[dderolph]

You need to at least have the CD for your old version of Windows; you can merely insert it in the CD drive when prompted so that Win XP can verify that you're entitled to install WinXP from the upgrade CD. You don't need to have the old OS actually installed.

 

[Maxil223]

dangit, will a Restore CD work? cuz i dont have an OS cd. Ive never bought an OS before.

 

[dderolph]

Do you have the old HD with the older OS on it? If so, I'd suggest one of two approachs. Either install Win XP on the old HD and then copy everything from it to the new HD, or copy your old HD to the new HD, then install Win XP. I believe the install procedure will give you the option to either retain settings from your old OS or format the HD and do a clean install.

On second thought, the second approach is probably the better one; that way, if you elect to format before installing on the new HD and something goes wrong during the installation, you can copy from the old HD to the new one again and start over if necessary.

 

[Jeff7]

Depends. If you have an original Windows CD (not a manufacturer's restore disc), then the upgrade installation will simply ask to see the older version's CD, and then the installation will proceed normally.

If you only have a Restore Disc....well, you can try and see if the XP Upgrade installer can identify it, but if it can't, you have to install the old Windows version, then start the WinXP setup from within the old version of Windows. It'll give you the option to wipe out your Windows folder during the setup, but it won't let you outright format.

 

[jaykleg]

Hmmm. If you install the older Windows version on the hard drive, then boot from the Windows XP CD the Windows XP setup procedure should allow you to perform a clean installation -- no insertion of valid CD required in that case.

 

[J S Jackson]

Surely you must know someone in real life who has a 98/2000 windows CD laying around? Doesn't matter if he has used it to verify his copy as well, it will work. You just need ANY windows 98/2000 CD to pop in the drive for 10 seconds to verify that you are entitled to the upgrade.

 

[Anubis08]

When I built my system 3 months ago, I had an xp pro upgrade cd (obtained legally for $5 as I am a student and the deal is through my university) and a copy of xp home which i also purchased. This was a brand new system I put together, and had to format the HDD with the XP pro upgrade cd then loaded it on, and it even asked for a code (which I was given with the pro upgrade cd: although I don't know if you get a code when you buy the upgrade in a store), but I got the whole thing running perfect;y and it never asked me to insert a previous copy of any Microsoft operating system. I did not need the XP home cd for anything. So you do not always need a copy of old software to install with an upgrade cd.

 

[Montano]

I could be wrong but I believe the OS is the OS. I mean the upgrade version is really the full version, or how else could you install the FULL OS from an upgrade cd. I think what effects the install is the cd key you use. I feel (don't know for a fact) that the upgrade version comes with a cd key that makes the install ask for a previous version of Windoze. Every single upgrade cd I've ever used has asked for a previous version to verify.

 

[Tbirdkid]

No. The winxp upgrade requires that you have a prior version of windows to install anything from the disk. You can try the recovery cd from another computer and see if that will work. It should as long as it has the os on it. If not, just call a friend and see if they have a copy of 98 or something that you can use just to insert to prove you have a prior copy of windows.