Windows 98 to Windows XP Home Upgrade
Camman
NEW! England Icrontian
Here's a question because I've never run an upgrade version of Windows XP, only full install of pro.
My mothers computer has Windows 98 (original) running on it. I have the 98 CD, and the booklet with a Windows 98 valid key. Microsoft's website says you CAN upgrade Windows 98 or 98SE using the XP Home upgrade. I don't want to purchase the "full OEM" version because OEM versions (as of late 2005 I believe) can not be transferred to a new PC, they are only registered for one PC. Well I might be upgrading her computer soon and swapping out the motherboard while using an OEM version effectively makes it a new computer and MS won't issue a new activation key cause its "not the same computer" which is different from the retail version. It would also be nice to have the retail support.
So here is my question. When doing an OS upgrade (im going to start from scratch and clear off the system), can I wipe the system clean and do an install using my 98 Disc as proof or my 98 Key or something that it is in fact and upgrade or will I have to wipe the PC, install 98 and then run the upgrade??
I've heard some people say that if you do a full install you need to insert the 98 Disc or something to prove its an upgrade. Anybody know about this?
I was planning on ordering the Home XP upgrade on Amazon cause its only $94 http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002423YK/qid=1146176247/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_1/103-0039781-6188659?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance&n=229534
I really don't see any need for XP Pro because it obviously wont be joining a domain or anything like that.
My mothers computer has Windows 98 (original) running on it. I have the 98 CD, and the booklet with a Windows 98 valid key. Microsoft's website says you CAN upgrade Windows 98 or 98SE using the XP Home upgrade. I don't want to purchase the "full OEM" version because OEM versions (as of late 2005 I believe) can not be transferred to a new PC, they are only registered for one PC. Well I might be upgrading her computer soon and swapping out the motherboard while using an OEM version effectively makes it a new computer and MS won't issue a new activation key cause its "not the same computer" which is different from the retail version. It would also be nice to have the retail support.
So here is my question. When doing an OS upgrade (im going to start from scratch and clear off the system), can I wipe the system clean and do an install using my 98 Disc as proof or my 98 Key or something that it is in fact and upgrade or will I have to wipe the PC, install 98 and then run the upgrade??
I've heard some people say that if you do a full install you need to insert the 98 Disc or something to prove its an upgrade. Anybody know about this?
I was planning on ordering the Home XP upgrade on Amazon cause its only $94 http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002423YK/qid=1146176247/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_1/103-0039781-6188659?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance&n=229534
I really don't see any need for XP Pro because it obviously wont be joining a domain or anything like that.
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Comments
I didnt mean to ramble on, let me simplify my question.
I have a computer running Windows 98 original edition. I'm not going to "upgrade" this version because I want to wipe the thing clean of all the spyware and crap that is on it. At the same time I want to upgrade it to Windows XP Home edition. XP Home edition Upgrade is signifigantly cheaper than the full version (like $100 cheaper) and I have a valid Windows 98 key and CD. Will the XP Home upgrade version let me directly install XP Home on the system and ask me to like insert the 98 Disc as proof that it's an upgrade (somebody told me that once but I didn't really believe them) or will I need install 98 cleanly and then use the upgrade disc to bring it to up to XP Home.
Either way I'll probably end up doing it because it's so much cheaper to do an upgrade but it's just another pain step to have to reinstall 98.
When upgrading from Windows 98/98SE, you will have the choice to either import all your Windows98 stuff to Windows XP (by starting the install from Windows98 itself), or install Windows XP alongside 98 in a multi-boot manner (by booting directly from the CD), in which case it asks you to insert your Win98 CD for a time during installation to prove that you qualify for the "Upgrade edition", but it never actually writes any files from the Win98 disk to the hard drive.
Unless you run an Active Directory environment at home (and you would know for sure if you did), had a system running two separate CPUs in two separate sockets, or ran a multi-monitor system with two separate video cards, then you do not need XP Pro, nor will you wish you had it unless you plan to upgrade that system with one of the hardware options mentioned above at a later date.
99.999% of home users only need WindowsXP Home Edition. Less than 0.5% of those who do run XP Pro at home actually need the features XP Pro offers which Home does not.
Though I am only running it on one PC, what I meant by the keys was that this computer already has a valid copy of 98 on it and therfore should be eligible for the upgrade price.
-drasnor