New Hard Drive, Win XP Pro Upgrade Disk

I'm replacing my hard drive on my notebook and want to take the opportunity
to have a fresh install of Win XP. I have the set of disks that came with the
last (warranty) disk replacement, and I also have the Windows XP Pro Upgrade
disk that I bought several years ago for an old ME desktop that is now a
doorstop.

I'd rather not use the disks supplied by the notebook manufacturer because
it installs a bunch of stuff I don't want and an annoying old ThinkPad
program that is difficult to remove (it no longer functions because IBM took
down the site it calls to). Can I use the Upgrade CD to install on the new
hard drive? If so, how do I 'prove' that I have a legal copy in the install
process - will one of the disks in the OEM set be recognized?

Thanks,

"ErnieNet" wrote in message
...
I'm replacing my hard drive on my notebook and want to take the
opportunity
to have a fresh install of Win XP. I have the set of disks that came with
the
last (warranty) disk replacement, and I also have the Windows XP Pro
Upgrade
disk that I bought several years ago for an old ME desktop that is now a
doorstop.

I'd rather not use the disks supplied by the notebook manufacturer because
it installs a bunch of stuff I don't want and an annoying old ThinkPad
program that is difficult to remove (it no longer functions because IBM
took
down the site it calls to). Can I use the Upgrade CD to install on the new
hard drive? If so, how do I 'prove' that I have a legal copy in the
install
process - will one of the disks in the OEM set be recognized?

Thanks,


XP upgrade will require a qualifying product...
but the OEM discs will not work.

Just go ahead and use the mfg's cd
then uninstall all the junk programs.

I do a lot of computer repair work
and it generally only takes 10 minutes to uninstall all that garbage!

Hi Philo,

Thanks for the quick response.

The OEM set installs Works (I have Office Pro 2003), and several utilities,
including something called "Access IBM", which no longer functions, but
incessantly pesters me because it can't connect (IBM dropped it, Lenovo never
picked it up). I don't remember how I finally disabled it, because I think it
was integrated with some other drivers.

There's really no way to do this 'clean'? The folks at the ThinkPads.com
forum recommended I go clean and download the latest drivers at Lenovo's site.

Thanks for your help!

Ernie

"philo" wrote:


"ErnieNet" wrote in message
...
I'm replacing my hard drive on my notebook and want to take the
opportunity
to have a fresh install of Win XP. I have the set of disks that came with
the
last (warranty) disk replacement, and I also have the Windows XP Pro
Upgrade
disk that I bought several years ago for an old ME desktop that is now a
doorstop.

I'd rather not use the disks supplied by the notebook manufacturer because
it installs a bunch of stuff I don't want and an annoying old ThinkPad
program that is difficult to remove (it no longer functions because IBM
took
down the site it calls to). Can I use the Upgrade CD to install on the new
hard drive? If so, how do I 'prove' that I have a legal copy in the
install
process - will one of the disks in the OEM set be recognized?

Thanks,


XP upgrade will require a qualifying product...
but the OEM discs will not work.

Just go ahead and use the mfg's cd
then uninstall all the junk programs.

I do a lot of computer repair work
and it generally only takes 10 minutes to uninstall all that garbage!

ErnieNet wrote:
I'm replacing my hard drive on my notebook and want to take the opportunity
to have a fresh install of Win XP. I have the set of disks that came with the
last (warranty) disk replacement, and I also have the Windows XP Pro Upgrade
disk that I bought several years ago for an old ME desktop that is now a
doorstop.

I'd rather not use the disks supplied by the notebook manufacturer because
it installs a bunch of stuff I don't want and an annoying old ThinkPad
program that is difficult to remove (it no longer functions because IBM took
down the site it calls to). Can I use the Upgrade CD to install on the new
hard drive? If so, how do I 'prove' that I have a legal copy in the install
process - will one of the disks in the OEM set be recognized?

Thanks,

Borrow a copy of 98 or Me if you don't have one to use a qualifying OS
to upgrade.

Alias

ErnieNet said this on 12/22/2008 7:24 PM:
I'm replacing my hard drive on my notebook and want to take the opportunity
to have a fresh install of Win XP. I have the set of disks that came with the
last (warranty) disk replacement, and I also have the Windows XP Pro Upgrade
disk that I bought several years ago for an old ME desktop that is now a
doorstop.

I'd rather not use the disks supplied by the notebook manufacturer because
it installs a bunch of stuff I don't want and an annoying old ThinkPad
program that is difficult to remove (it no longer functions because IBM took
down the site it calls to). Can I use the Upgrade CD to install on the new
hard drive? If so, how do I 'prove' that I have a legal copy in the install
process - will one of the disks in the OEM set be recognized?

Thanks,

What have you got to lose. Boot up the Pro upgrade CD and put your OEM
CD in when it wants to check. Its a 50/50 chance. If you win, you
keep going. But otherwise you're back to your original plan.

I'd download the drivers first as was suggested just in case you get the
retail to work.

You could dig into the OEM cd. I found reference to how the vendor
(Dell in my case) links into a batch file that loads their programs. I
was going to disable them one time but gave it up since there isn't much
they muck with and as others have said, it takes me 10 minutes to drop
their garbage.

"ErnieNet" wrote in message
...
I'm replacing my hard drive on my notebook and want to take the
opportunity
to have a fresh install of Win XP. I have the set of disks that came with
the
last (warranty) disk replacement, and I also have the Windows XP Pro
Upgrade
disk that I bought several years ago for an old ME desktop that is now a
doorstop.

I'd rather not use the disks supplied by the notebook manufacturer because
it installs a bunch of stuff I don't want and an annoying old ThinkPad
program that is difficult to remove (it no longer functions because IBM
took
down the site it calls to). Can I use the Upgrade CD to install on the new
hard drive? If so, how do I 'prove' that I have a legal copy in the
install
process - will one of the disks in the OEM set be recognized?

Thanks,

The main problem you will face is that the notebook won't quite function
when you finish the install with the Upgrade CD, because it won't include
key drivers, such as graphics and network adapters.

You must have those drivers on hand before you start, and they are likely an
inseparable part of the disks that came with the notebook.

I'd suggest doing the stock install and then immediately uninstalling the
stuff you don't want. That will give you the correct and complete driver
set.

And no, the OEM disks likely won't be accepted as qualifiers.

HTH
-pk