Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general (More info?)

I understand the concept behind the Windows XP Upgrade Edition where you
must have an O/S already installed before you can use your Upgrade CD to
bring it up to Windows XP.

But I'm thinking, there's going to be a time when you are so frustrated
with the state your computer that you want to reinstall things afresh.
As this is usually down the track, are you up the creek without a paddle
if you haven't kept your old Windows 98 CD? Or is there some way of
forcing an Upgrade CD to do a full install?

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general (More info?)

You have to retain your Windows 98 CD if you wish
to perform a "clean install" of Windows XP in the future.
If you do not have the qualifying CD, then you cannot
perform a clean install using the Upgrade Version of
Windows XP. In that case, you would have to purchase
a "Full Version" of Windows XP.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User
Microsoft Newsgroups

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"TyBreaker" wrote:

| I understand the concept behind the Windows XP Upgrade Edition where you
| must have an O/S already installed before you can use your Upgrade CD to
| bring it up to Windows XP.
|
| But I'm thinking, there's going to be a time when you are so frustrated
| with the state your computer that you want to reinstall things afresh.
| As this is usually down the track, are you up the creek without a paddle
| if you haven't kept your old Windows 98 CD? Or is there some way of
| forcing an Upgrade CD to do a full install?

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general (More info?)

Carey Frisch [MVP] wrote:
> You have to retain your Windows 98 CD if you wish
> to perform a "clean install" of Windows XP in the future.
> If you do not have the qualifying CD, then you cannot
> perform a clean install using the Upgrade Version of
> Windows XP. In that case, you would have to purchase
> a "Full Version" of Windows XP.

OK. But in the past, you could insert the old Windows CD at some point
in the setup of the newer version of Windows for proof of upgrade rights
without actually having to install the old version. However I was
forced to do a full install of Windows 98 because the Windows XP Upgrade
Edition isn't even a bootable CD so you had to already have Windows
running so as to launch the setup program for XP.

I think this is an undue amount of effort when all I want is a clean
install of Windows XP and I own both versions. I fulfill any licensing
issues but am left with inconvenience. If Microsoft thinks this is
fair, why don't they boldly print this issue on the outside of their
packaging so users know what they are in for - every time they want to
reinstall? I've worked with PCs enough to know reinstalls are not uncommon.

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general (More info?)

Generally you dont *have* to have software installed in order to upgrade it.
However you *must* have the old product cd/floppy available during the
upgrade installation, in order to point to it when the upgrade complains.

"TyBreaker" <tybreakerNO@SPAMhotmail.com> wrote in message
news:RvLPe.11402$FA3.6575@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
> I understand the concept behind the Windows XP Upgrade Edition where you
> must have an O/S already installed before you can use your Upgrade CD to
> bring it up to Windows XP.
>
> But I'm thinking, there's going to be a time when you are so frustrated
> with the state your computer that you want to reinstall things afresh.
> As this is usually down the track, are you up the creek without a paddle
> if you haven't kept your old Windows 98 CD? Or is there some way of
> forcing an Upgrade CD to do a full install?

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general (More info?)

DL wrote:
> Generally you dont *have* to have software installed in order to upgrade it.
> However you *must* have the old product cd/floppy available during the
> upgrade installation, in order to point to it when the upgrade complains.
>

I was in this dilemma recently and once I'd destroyed the patitions on
my HD, I tried booting off the WinXP Upgrade CD - wasn't even recognised
as bootable media! I then booted off my Win98 boot floppy and attempted
to run the setup.exe on the WinXP CD but it complained it wasn't a DOS
executable.

I could not even initiate the WinXP installation unless I did it from a
fully installed Win98.

I'd LOVE to know how to avoid this for future reference but I couldn't
think of other options to try at the time.

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general (More info?)

The Windows XP CD is bootable and contains all the tools necessary
to partition and format your drive. Follow this procedure and allow
Windows XP to partition and format your drive:

NOTE: It would be best to physically disconnect all your peripheral hardware
devices, except the monitor, mouse and keyboard, before installing XP.

NOTE: If you have an internal Zip Drive installed, physically disconnect the
EIDE and power cable to it before proceeding, otherwise your main
hard drive may not be assigned the customary C: drive letter.
After installing Windows XP, you may then reconnect it.

1. Open your BIOS and set your "CD Drive as the first bootable device".

===> Accessing Motherboard BIOS
===> http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/ [...] cturer.htm

2. Insert your Windows XP CD in the CD Drive and reboot your computer.
3. You'll see a message to boot to the CD....follow the instructions.
4. The setup menu will appear and you should elect to delete all the existing
Windows partitions, then create a new partition, then format the primary
partition (preferably NTFS) and proceed to install Windows XP.

5. Clean Install Windows XP
http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

[Courtesy of Michael Stevens, MS-MVP]

6. ==> Immediately after installing Windows XP, turn on XP's Firewall.
==> http://www.microsoft.com/athome/se [...] fault.mspx

7. After Windows XP is installed, visit the Windows Update website
and download the available "Critical Updates".

8. After installing the critical updates, be sure and visit the support website
of the manufacturer of the computer to download and install any
available Windows XP compatible drivers, such as video adapter
and audio drivers.

9. If you happen to run into any installation difficulties, use the following resources:

How to Troubleshoot Windows XP Problems During Installation
http://support.microsoft.com/defau [...] -US;310064

Troubleshooting Windows XP Setup
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_setup.htm

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User
Microsoft Newsgroups

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"TyBreaker" wrote:

| I was in this dilemma recently and once I'd destroyed the patitions on
| my HD, I tried booting off the WinXP Upgrade CD - wasn't even recognised
| as bootable media! I then booted off my Win98 boot floppy and attempted
| to run the setup.exe on the WinXP CD but it complained it wasn't a DOS
| executable.
|
| I could not even initiate the WinXP installation unless I did it from a
| fully installed Win98.
|
| I'd LOVE to know how to avoid this for future reference but I couldn't
| think of other options to try at the time.

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general (More info?)

Carey Frisch [MVP] wrote:
> 1. Open your BIOS and set your "CD Drive as the first bootable device".
>
> ===> Accessing Motherboard BIOS
> ===> http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/ [...] cturer.htm

OK, I had adjusted the BIOS and made the CD the first bootable device
but now that you've confirmed the WinXP is bootable media, I'm thinking
the HP Vectra Pentium II 350 PC I was wrestling with might have had a
buggy BIOS or at least other BIOS switches that also needed tweaking
that didn't seem obvious to me.

Thank you for your assurance otherwise I would have thought that was the
way things were from now on. At least now I know it was the PC rather
than the WinXP CD.

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general (More info?)

TyBreaker wrote:

> But in the past, you could insert the old Windows CD at some
> point in the setup of the newer version of Windows for proof of upgrade
> rights without actually having to install the old version.


Yes, and the same is true of the Windows XP Upgrade CD.


> However I
> was forced to do a full install of Windows 98 because the Windows XP
> Upgrade Edition isn't even a bootable CD


Yes, it is. If you couldn't boot from it, either your BIOS boot settings
aren't correct, there's something wrong with your drive, or you did
something wrong. I don't mean to be accusatory, but the only other
possibility I can think of is that yours isn't a legitimate CD.

--
Ken Blake
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