UPGRADE OR FULL VERSION

I have XP Pro Version 5.1 running but I do not have the original XP disk. I
tried to install the various upgrades via download as well as with a service
pack 2 disc. I get an error message that I have an unregistered copy of XP &
therefore can't do the upgrades. Can I purchase & install XP PRO as an
upgrade or do I have to buy the full program? Also, what if I want to but
a lower version of Windows rather than XP Pro.

You will need to by the FULL versions of either Pro or Home. You could a
repair reinstall of XP Pro over top of the "installed" version. As for
Home, you will need to do a clean install. This erases everything!


"MSS" wrote in message
news
I have XP Pro Version 5.1 running but I do not have the original XP disk.
I
tried to install the various upgrades via download as well as with a
service
pack 2 disc. I get an error message that I have an unregistered copy of
XP &
therefore can't do the upgrades. Can I purchase & install XP PRO as an
upgrade or do I have to buy the full program? Also, what if I want to
but
a lower version of Windows rather than XP Pro.

Sounds like someone has been a very bad boy (or girl as the case may be) and
has installed an illegal copy of XP. So, you won't be able to do an upgrade
as that would be stupid of Microsoft to allow illegal copies of their
operating system to be upgraded. You are free to purchase any version of XP
you want and install it. Unless you are in a corporate or small business
environment you will be happy with XP Home Edition and save some money as
well.

"MSS" wrote in message
news
I have XP Pro Version 5.1 running but I do not have the original XP disk.
I
tried to install the various upgrades via download as well as with a
service
pack 2 disc. I get an error message that I have an unregistered copy of
XP &
therefore can't do the upgrades. Can I purchase & install XP PRO as an
upgrade or do I have to buy the full program? Also, what if I want to
but
a lower version of Windows rather than XP Pro.

"MSS" wrote in message
news
I have XP Pro Version 5.1 running but I do not have the original XP disk.
I
tried to install the various upgrades via download as well as with a
service
pack 2 disc. I get an error message that I have an unregistered copy of
XP &
therefore can't do the upgrades. Can I purchase & install XP PRO as an
upgrade or do I have to buy the full program? Also, what if I want to
but
a lower version of Windows rather than XP Pro.

If you have Win98, or WinME that you bought in the past, just get the
upgrade XP version, then it'll ask you for the previous copy before it
installs.

Morituri-|-Max wrote:
"MSS" wrote in message
news
I have XP Pro Version 5.1 running but I do not have the original XP
disk. I
tried to install the various upgrades via download as well as with a
service
pack 2 disc. I get an error message that I have an unregistered
copy of XP &
therefore can't do the upgrades. Can I purchase & install XP PRO
as an upgrade or do I have to buy the full program? Also, what if
I want to but
a lower version of Windows rather than XP Pro.

If you have Win98, or WinME that you bought in the past, just get the
upgrade XP version, then it'll ask you for the previous copy before it
installs.

This is the best answer of the group. You can also use Win95 to qualify
for the upgrade.

Also, go for XP Pro Upgrade. XP Pro can't be repair installed with a XP
Home CD. And you can't downgrade to XP Home without doing a clean
install.

--
Peace!
Kurt
Self-anointed Moderator
microscum.pubic.windowsexp.gonorrhea
http://microscum.com/mscommunity
"Trustworthy Computing" is only another example of an Oxymoron!
"Produkt-Aktivierung macht frei"

In ,
Morituri-|-Max typed:

"MSS" wrote in message
news

I have XP Pro Version 5.1 running but I do not have the
original XP
disk. I
tried to install the various upgrades via download as well as
with a
service
pack 2 disc. I get an error message that I have an
unregistered
copy of XP &
therefore can't do the upgrades. Can I purchase & install XP
PRO
as an upgrade or do I have to buy the full program? Also,
what if
I want to but
a lower version of Windows rather than XP Pro.

If you have Win98, or WinME that you bought in the past, just
get the
upgrade XP version, then it'll ask you for the previous copy
before it
installs.


You're talking about doing a clean installation with an upgrade
version. What he clearly wants to to is an upgrade, preserving
his data and installed programs.

--
Ken Blake - Microsoft MVP Windows: Shell/User
Please reply to the newsgroup

"MSS" wrote

I have XP Pro Version 5.1 running but I do not have the original XP disk.
I
tried to install the various upgrades via download as well as with a
service
pack 2 disc. I get an error message that I have an unregistered copy of
XP &
therefore can't do the upgrades. Can I purchase & install XP PRO as an
upgrade or do I have to buy the full program? Also, what if I want to
but
a lower version of Windows rather than XP Pro.

Buy an OEM. They're cheaper.
--
Alias

Use the Reply to Sender feature of your news reader program to email me.
Utiliza Responder al Remitente para mandarme un mail.

Ken Blake wrote:
In ,
Morituri-|-Max typed:

"MSS" wrote in message
news

I have XP Pro Version 5.1 running but I do not have the
original XP
disk. I
tried to install the various upgrades via download as well as
with a
service
pack 2 disc. I get an error message that I have an
unregistered
copy of XP &
therefore can't do the upgrades. Can I purchase & install XP
PRO
as an upgrade or do I have to buy the full program? Also,
what if
I want to but
a lower version of Windows rather than XP Pro.

If you have Win98, or WinME that you bought in the past, just
get the
upgrade XP version, then it'll ask you for the previous copy
before it
installs.


You're talking about doing a clean installation with an upgrade
version. What he clearly wants to to is an upgrade, preserving
his data and installed programs.

Yeah, that may be necessary one day. The illegimate XP should qualify
for doing an upgrade with a legit upgrade XP CD. There is no need to
buy the full version, is one has qualifying media for the upgrade
version.

--
Peace!
Kurt
Self-anointed Moderator
microscum.pubic.windowsexp.gonorrhea
http://microscum.com/mscommunity
"Trustworthy Computing" is only another example of an Oxymoron!
"Produkt-Aktivierung macht frei"

However, no support will be given directly by Microsoft.


"Alias" wrote in message
...

"MSS" wrote

I have XP Pro Version 5.1 running but I do not have the original XP disk.
I
tried to install the various upgrades via download as well as with a
service
pack 2 disc. I get an error message that I have an unregistered copy of
XP &
therefore can't do the upgrades. Can I purchase & install XP PRO as an
upgrade or do I have to buy the full program? Also, what if I want to
but
a lower version of Windows rather than XP Pro.

Buy an OEM. They're cheaper.
--
Alias

Use the Reply to Sender feature of your news reader program to email me.
Utiliza Responder al Remitente para mandarme un mail.

And just as illegal as Devils Own.

OEM copies are not legal without hardware being purchased with it. "Original
Equipment Manufacturer".

Your best just buying a new copy out right.

HTH
--
"Alias" wrote in message
...

"MSS" wrote

I have XP Pro Version 5.1 running but I do not have the original XP disk.
I
tried to install the various upgrades via download as well as with a
service
pack 2 disc. I get an error message that I have an unregistered copy of
XP &
therefore can't do the upgrades. Can I purchase & install XP PRO as an
upgrade or do I have to buy the full program? Also, what if I want to
but
a lower version of Windows rather than XP Pro.

Buy an OEM. They're cheaper.
--
Alias

Use the Reply to Sender feature of your news reader program to email me.
Utiliza Responder al Remitente para mandarme un mail.

In ,
Yves Leclerc typed:

However, no support will be given directly by Microsoft.


Of the three disadvantages of an OEM version (no Microsoft
support, clean installation only, can never be moved to another
computer), you've picked the one that's in my view the least
significant by far.

There are lots of other ways to get good (and sometimes better)
support--for example, right here.

--
Ken Blake - Microsoft MVP Windows: Shell/User
Please reply to the newsgroup


"Alias" wrote in message
...

"MSS" wrote

I have XP Pro Version 5.1 running but I do not have the
original XP
disk. I
tried to install the various upgrades via download as well as
with a
service
pack 2 disc. I get an error message that I have an
unregistered
copy of XP &
therefore can't do the upgrades. Can I purchase & install
XP PRO
as an upgrade or do I have to buy the full program? Also,
what
if I want to but
a lower version of Windows rather than XP Pro.

Buy an OEM. They're cheaper.

In ,
Jason Marshall typed:

And just as illegal as Devils Own.

OEM copies are not legal without hardware being purchased with
it.
"Original Equipment Manufacturer".


Your second statement is true, but not necessarily the first.
Nobody said anything about buying it without hardware. Since
these days, almost any hardware qualifies, it's very easy and
inexpensive to buy an OEM version legally. It isn't necessarily
the right choice for everyone, but for some people it can be a
good one.

--
Ken Blake - Microsoft MVP Windows: Shell/User
Please reply to the newsgroup



"MSS" wrote

I have XP Pro Version 5.1 running but I do not have the
original XP
disk. I
tried to install the various upgrades via download as well as
with a
service
pack 2 disc. I get an error message that I have an
unregistered
copy of XP &
therefore can't do the upgrades. Can I purchase & install
XP PRO
as an upgrade or do I have to buy the full program? Also,
what
if I want to but
a lower version of Windows rather than XP Pro.

Buy an OEM. They're cheaper.
--
Alias

Jason Marshall wrote:
"MSS" wrote

I have XP Pro Version 5.1 running but I do not have the original XP
disk. I
tried to install the various upgrades via download as well as with a
service
pack 2 disc. I get an error message that I have an unregistered
copy of XP &
therefore can't do the upgrades. Can I purchase & install XP PRO
as an upgrade or do I have to buy the full program? Also, what
if I want to but
a lower version of Windows rather than XP Pro.

Buy an OEM. They're cheaper.

And just as illegal as Devils Own.

Really? Then there are a lot of illegal web retailers on the Web.
Let's start with Wal-Mart!


OEM copies are not legal without hardware being purchased with it.
"Original Equipment Manufacturer".

And what that equipment is very debatable. I've bought OEM software
with a power cord.


Your best just buying a new copy out right.

LOL! And your best bet is not to going around saying things are
"illegal," when you don't know what the hell you are talking about.

--
Peace!
Kurt
Self-anointed Moderator
microscum.pubic.windowsexp.gonorrhea
http://microscum.com/mscommunity
"Trustworthy Computing" is only another example of an Oxymoron!
"Produkt-Aktivierung macht frei"

In article ,
says...
I have XP Pro Version 5.1 running but I do not have the original XP disk. I
tried to install the various upgrades via download as well as with a service
pack 2 disc. I get an error message that I have an unregistered copy of XP &
therefore can't do the upgrades. Can I purchase & install XP PRO as an
upgrade or do I have to buy the full program? Also, what if I want to but
a lower version of Windows rather than XP Pro.

It is NOT necessary to purchase a FULL Retail CD. Why? Because it is
possible to do a clean install or upgrade using the UPGRADE Retail CD,
as long as you have a full version of a previous Windows (Win95-Win2k,
including all 9x versions of Windows.)

I have been checking prices for the Retail Upgrade CD for XP Pro. The
best price (and probably the safest merchant) I've found is through
Amazon.com. Their price is $159.00, which includes their SuperSaver
Shipping for free. 2-6 day delivery is only $7.95. All-in-all, this is
a very good deal. I'm sure Amazon will sell a bunch of these disks in
the next few weeks.

I intend to purchase this product, because for all intents and purposes,
my OEM copy of XP Pro is worthless since Microsoft disabled internet
activation for this disk. Why is it worthless? To my way of thinking,
I have no desire to spend my time on the phone trying to persuade some
person from Microsoft's Indian Call Center that I have a legal copy of
XP every time I want to reinstall my OS (I always reinstall clean every
few months, since I do a lot of software installation and testing, which
really cruds up the registry and my HD.)

Yeh, I know: I'm doing exactly what Microsoft wants me to do. But of
course, THEY would rather I purchased the "Full Retail" version.

--
Donald L McDaniel
Post all replies to the original
thread so that it may remain intact.
================================================== ==

In article ,
says...
However, no support will be given directly by Microsoft.


"Alias" wrote in message
...

"MSS" wrote

I have XP Pro Version 5.1 running but I do not have the original XP disk.
I
tried to install the various upgrades via download as well as with a
service
pack 2 disc. I get an error message that I have an unregistered copy of
XP &
therefore can't do the upgrades. Can I purchase & install XP PRO as an
upgrade or do I have to buy the full program? Also, what if I want to
but
a lower version of Windows rather than XP Pro.

Buy an OEM. They're cheaper.
--
Alias

Use the Reply to Sender feature of your news reader program to email me.
Utiliza Responder al Remitente para mandarme un mail.




Not only won't Microsoft support OEM copies of the OS, they have (as of
today) effectively disabled the ability to activate your OEM (whether it
is produced by a major system builder or purchased as a "FULL OEM") via
the Internet. This wil undoubtedly lead to millions of people having to
call over the phone to activate their OS, with the resulting feeling of
being some kind of criminal as they are forced to try to prove that they
have a legitimate copy of XP.

From my way of thinking, Microsoft has disavowed its EULA with its OEM
customers, effectively snatching away the hard-earned money its
customers have paid for their OS.

If I am wrong about this, I would really appreciate being set right,
since I really want to be able to continue activating my OS via the
Internet, and don't want to have to purchase it again. I live on a very
limited budget, and really don't have the money to put into Mr. Gates'
pocket again
--
Donald L McDaniel
Post all replies to the original
thread so that it may remain intact.
================================================== ==