XP upgrade

[Derry]

Ive got windows 2000 pro and bought a copy of windows xp
home upgrade. found out later that I cannot upgrade from
win 2000, I did have an old copy of win 98 but lost the
disk, but i still have the cd case and the product key.
can I get a replacement disk from microsoft? or posably
download one from some where and just use my cd key? Also
once I get this problem resolved and actually do the
upgrade is there an option to do a clean install with the
upgrade version? you know format the drive before it loads
xp. thanks.

[Ben Williams]

When you install XP upgrade it just checks to see if you have the disk. If
I remember right it was like:
"please enter you CD in drive D:" and then "you can remove it now"

You can do a complete install from the upgrade CD. It even prompts you if
you want to reformat.

Now to replace you missing CD of Windows 98. You could request a replace CD
from Microsoft. Borrow a CD from a friend , even if he is an online friend
;), and copy it .With a 4 year old that likes to play with CDs I had to do
this with a windows ME CD and it works just fine for the upgrade.
You need to have the registration key has proof you own the software.

--
Ben Williams

"Derry" > wrote in message
...
> Ive got windows 2000 pro and bought a copy of windows xp
> home upgrade. found out later that I cannot upgrade from
> win 2000, I did have an old copy of win 98 but lost the
> disk, but i still have the cd case and the product key.
> can I get a replacement disk from microsoft? or posably
> download one from some where and just use my cd key? Also
> once I get this problem resolved and actually do the
> upgrade is there an option to do a clean install with the
> upgrade version? you know format the drive before it loads
> xp. thanks.

[Jim Macklin]

Depending on store policy/ or you can deal directly with MS/
you might be able to exchange the XP Home for XP Pro which
will upgrade W2K Pro...


"Derry" > wrote in message
...
| Ive got windows 2000 pro and bought a copy of windows xp
| home upgrade. found out later that I cannot upgrade from
| win 2000, I did have an old copy of win 98 but lost the
| disk, but i still have the cd case and the product key.
| can I get a replacement disk from microsoft? or posably
| download one from some where and just use my cd key? Also
| once I get this problem resolved and actually do the
| upgrade is there an option to do a clean install with the
| upgrade version? you know format the drive before it loads
| xp. thanks.

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

How to Replace Lost, Broken, or Missing Microsoft Software or Hardware
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;en-us;326246

It is possible to perform a clean installation using an Upgrade
CD.

Simply boot from the WinXP Upgrade CD. You'll be offered the
opportunity to delete, create, and format partitions as part of the
installation process. The Upgrade CD checks to see if a qualifying OS
is installed, and, if it finds none, it asks you to insert the
installation media (CD) of that OS. Unfortunately, an OEM
"Recovery/Restore" CD will not work for this purpose; you must have a
true installation CD, complete with the "\Win98" folder and *.cab
files, or the "\i386" folder of WinNT/2K.

Alternatively, or especially if all you have is an OEM Recovery CD
for the earlier OS, you can even start the upgrade from within the
current Win98/Me/NT/2K installation, and still elect to perform a
clean installation, to include formatting the drive. In this case,
there's no further request for the qualifying OS's installation CD,
because the installation routing "remembers" that you started from
within the qualifying OS. This process is more time-consuming, but
you get the same results: a clean installation of WinXP.


Bruce Chambers

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----
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having both at once. -- RAH


"Derry" > wrote in message
...
> Ive got windows 2000 pro and bought a copy of windows xp
> home upgrade. found out later that I cannot upgrade from
> win 2000, I did have an old copy of win 98 but lost the
> disk, but i still have the cd case and the product key.
> can I get a replacement disk from microsoft? or posably
> download one from some where and just use my cd key? Also
> once I get this problem resolved and actually do the
> upgrade is there an option to do a clean install with the
> upgrade version? you know format the drive before it loads
> xp. thanks.