Windows XP Upgrade

[xane]

When I upgraded a machine from Windows 95 to Windows 98SE once, I actually did a full install using the 98SE CD and it asked for the 95 CD halfway through.

Can the same thing be done for 98SE to XP Home Edition, i.e. I buy the XP Home Upgrade but do a full install using the 98SE CD as well ?

 

[Jonty]

Hi xane

I know exactly what you mean about the 95 to 98 upgrade, since that happened to me too. However, the XP upgrade I'm not sure of. Basically, I upgraded one of my PCs from Windows ME to XP Home using the Upgrade CD. However, I recently thought I'd start a fresh so I popped in the XP Home Upgrade CD, booted from it, and the setup procedure began. I formatted my current installation, installed afresh, but at no point was I ever prompted for a previous Windows CD. In fact the whole process was exactly like installing afresh from a full, OEM copy of the OS.

Soooo, if things happen the same for you, then you should be fine without any previous CDs. However, I presume all this happened because XP was already installed, so don't take what I've said as gospel. I'll check with Microsoft and see what they say about how and when an 'upgrade' can be applied.

Kind Regards

Edit ~ If you're buying the OS now, then you might want to check the price of a full OEM copy, since it's usually around the same as what you'd pay for an upgrade on the highstreet

 

[Jonty]

Hi xane

Having had a little search, it seems you can perform a full install from an XP Upgrade CD, providing you have a full copy of one of the recognised upgrade OSs (e.g. Windows 98, 98SE, 2000 etc).

However, as I mentioned, if you're buying the OS now, you may as well purchase the full OEM copy, since an upgrade on the highstreet costs around £79.99 and an OEM copy from an e-tailer can be around £68.14 + P&P.

Kind Regards

 

[Embattle]

XP now works in a logical way, it will check the Hard drive first for one of the recognised OSs

 

[Jonty]

Originally posted by Embattle
XP now works in a logical way, it will check the Hard drive first for one of the recognised OSs

Ah, that makes sense Thanks Emb., that explains it.

Kind Regards

 

[xane]

I _may_ actually be using a clean disk, do you think it will ask in such case ?

 

[Jonty]

Hi xane

If you purchase the OEM copy of XP, then you won't need any previous disks, since I've installed afresh many times from OEM disks and it's a very smooth procedure throughout.

Kind Regards

 

[xane]

I just did a quick search, both Dabs and eBuyer don't offer OEM but the smaller suppliers do (like Tekheads for example). I got XP Pro last year as an OEM and had to buy hardware with it (got a cheapo Modem card), this one needs hardware anyway (see Shuttle SN41G2 thread), so thanks for that tip.

 

[Taz_tc]

Go to the scan website, would post the URL but I'm new here and it won't let me

They have the following item for sale:

LN3259 (Product ID)
MS Windows XP Home Edition OEM

£68.44 (incl VAT)

cheers,

Taz

 

[Jonty]

eBuyer also sell Windows XP Home OEM (with SP1a) for £68.14 inc. VAT exc. delivery, with no hardware bundles required.

Kind Regards

 

[Xavier]

Dabs do sell the OEM licenses, but you'd need to email their licensing team direct (licensing@dabs.com) and all companies should only sell an OEM license along with a core system component (motherboard, CPU, harddisc, etc) it's a requirement of the vendor license terms for them to do so.

 

[xane]

Doh :doh: I missed the eBuyer one, but tbh the price is virtually the same wherever I went, so I've ordered one with a shiney black Shuttle SN41G2 box from Tekheads

And a black DVD/CDRW

And an XP 2500+ Barton

/me checks bank balance

Once again thanks for the heads up on using OEMs.