XP upgrade or full version

Thread view:

Enable EMail Alerts

Start New Thread

Thread rating:

Lynn - 08 Aug 2004 18:27 GMT

I want to ugrade from Win ME to XP Pro, and I may want to
reformat the hard drive. My computer and software is OEM,
so I have only a system restore floppy rather than a full
system CD. Given that I may want to reformat, must I buy a
full version of XP Pro, or can I buy the upgrade version?
I ask because I have read that in order to fresh install I
may be asked for the original system CD, which I don't
have. I'd rather shell out the bucks now (if I must) and
save some hair pulling later.

Reply to this Message

Jon_Hildrum - 08 Aug 2004 19:04 GMT

Yes, for a clean install you will need a CD for a qualifying product or the
full version of WinXP.

However, it may be cheaper to get the upgrade version and buy one of the
qualifying products on Ebay than buying the full version.

Signature

Jon Hildrum
DTS MVP
Jon_Hildrum@msn.com
www.hildrum.com

> I want to ugrade from Win ME to XP Pro, and I may want to
> reformat the hard drive. My computer and software is OEM,
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> have. I'd rather shell out the bucks now (if I must) and
> save some hair pulling later.

Reply to this Message

Ron Martell - 08 Aug 2004 23:48 GMT

>I want to ugrade from Win ME to XP Pro, and I may want to
>reformat the hard drive. My computer and software is OEM,
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
>have. I'd rather shell out the bucks now (if I must) and
>save some hair pulling later.

You can do a clean install with the upgrade version in your situation.
The following is an excerpt from MVP Gary Woodruff's article on
Upgrading to Windows XP at http://aumha.org/win5/a/xpupgrad.htm

"So what do you do if your OEM CD or Restore disk does not work as
qualifying media? One neat new feature of XP allows one to get around
this problem. First, start the XP clean install from within an
existing qualified install rather then from the XP CD or from a DOS
prompt. When you see the screen that ask what type of install to do,
change Upgrade (Recommended) to New install. You can then select
the existing partition, format it, and do a Clean Install, never
having to insert your qualifying product CD."

Good luck

Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada

Signature

Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

"The reason computer chips are so small is computers don't eat much."

Reply to this Message

lynn - 09 Aug 2004 18:36 GMT

How do I decide which advice to take, now that I have two
dissenting opinions? I have only an OEM system restore CD,
a computer system that is giving me a few annoying
problems, and an only moderate ability to troubleshoot
these and future problems. Does that push the answer in
the direction of buying a full XP version?

>-----Original Message-----
>
[quoted text clipped - 18 lines]
>prompt. When you see the screen that ask what type of install to do,
>change "Upgrade (Recommended)" to "New install." You can

then select

>the existing partition, format it, and do a Clean Install, never
>having to insert your qualifying product CD."
>
>Good luck
>
>Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada

Reply to this Message

Ron Martell - 09 Aug 2004 18:52 GMT

>How do I decide which advice to take, now that I have two
>dissenting opinions? I have only an OEM system restore CD,
>a computer system that is giving me a few annoying
>problems, and an only moderate ability to troubleshoot
>these and future problems. Does that push the answer in
>the direction of buying a full XP version?

First read Gary's entire article and make sure you understand
everything that it says.

The procedure he describes for your situation has been used many times
and proven to work. Not all people are aware of this, because it is
an option that was not available with previous versions of Windows.

Good luck

Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada

Signature

Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

"The reason computer chips are so small is computers don't eat much."

Reply to this Message

lynn - 12 Aug 2004 01:39 GMT

Ron,

Thanks. The article was extremely helpful to me. I
appreciate your advice and direction.

>-----Original Message-----
>
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
>
>Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada

Reply to this Message