Reformat with XP Home 'Upgrade'

[chopper]

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

I have a 3 year old Compaq Athlon 1.1 that I want to slick and start clean.
I don't have any disks that may have come with the rig originally. I
upgraded from ME to XP Home about a year ago and I do have XP Home 'Upgrade'
disk.
Is there a full, bootable OS on the disk that I can use to start from
scratch?
That is, does the upgrade disk also have a full OS on it?
Or, was the upgrade disk just enough to upgrade?
And, can anyone point me to any web sites with good discussion about
reformatting and starting over since this is the first time I'm going to
attempt it?
Thanks!
Chopper

 

[Guest]

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

You can do a clean install using the XP Upgrade CD but in order to do so you
must have qualifying media as during setup it will state this is an upgrade
version and requires proof of a previous OS in order to install and ask you
to insert the media. In other words, while you don't need WinMe installed
on the hard drive, you do need the CD for the purpose mentioned above. Any
qualifying media well do, if you don't have a WinME CD, if you have a
Windows 98 or even a Windows 95 CD, they can serve the purpose.

If not, you might want to check Ebay for inexpensive version of any of the
above to allow you to continue to use the upgrade version. Other than that,
you would need a full version of XP in order to install clean. The upgrade
CD installs the full version of XP but because you purchased an upgrade
version, either a previous OS is required to be installed on the hard drive
or you must have some qualifying media from a previous Windows setup.

--
Michael Solomon MS-MVP
Windows Shell/User
Backup is a PC User's Best Friend
DTS-L.Org: http://www.dts-l.org/

"Chopper" <Chopper@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:4A88565E-5089-4B02-9E59-CDD28A1BB2CE@microsoft.com...
>I have a 3 year old Compaq Athlon 1.1 that I want to slick and start clean.
> I don't have any disks that may have come with the rig originally. I
> upgraded from ME to XP Home about a year ago and I do have XP Home
> 'Upgrade'
> disk.
> Is there a full, bootable OS on the disk that I can use to start from
> scratch?
> That is, does the upgrade disk also have a full OS on it?
> Or, was the upgrade disk just enough to upgrade?
> And, can anyone point me to any web sites with good discussion about
> reformatting and starting over since this is the first time I'm going to
> attempt it?
> Thanks!
> Chopper

 

[chopper]

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

Great info, all!
Thank you very much.
I thought I at least had an old Win 95 disk (or maybe 3.1 floppies) around
here, but no joy. I should be able to scare up an old disk without too much
trouble. Thanks again.

 

[Guest]

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

Hi Chopper,

The WinXP Upgrade CD contains the exact same files as the full
version. The difference is the Upgrade version performs a compliance
check for proof of a qualifying version of Windows. As long as the
WinME CD is NOT a restore CD there should not be a problem performing
a clean install. If not WinME will have to be installed first then
upgraded with WinXP.

If instructions on performing a clean Install take a look at this
article.
http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

--
Regards,
Bert Kinney [MS-MVP DTS]
http://dts-l.org/


Chopper wrote:
> I have a 3 year old Compaq Athlon 1.1 that I want to
> slick and start clean. I don't have any disks that may
> have come with the rig originally. I upgraded from ME to
> XP Home about a year ago and I do have XP Home 'Upgrade'
> disk.
> Is there a full, bootable OS on the disk that I can use
> to start from scratch?
> That is, does the upgrade disk also have a full OS on it?
> Or, was the upgrade disk just enough to upgrade?
> And, can anyone point me to any web sites with good
> discussion about reformatting and starting over since
> this is the first time I'm going to attempt it?
> Thanks!
> Chopper

 

[Guest]

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

To start over again Chopper you will need your windows ME disc. The XP
upgrade is simply that, an upgrade. You would first need to format your hard
drive then install ME and then upgrade to xp using your upgrade disc.
There is nothing stopping you installing xp using your upgrade disc but, at
some point, it will ask for your windows ME disc. Without the ME disc you
will be unable to proceed any further.
As to formatting you could visit my website at:

http://freespace.virgin.net/john.freelanceit/index.htm

Click on the WinXPFaq button and take a look at question 7. You might also
like to take a look at question 85 'how do I install windows xp' This answer
does assume that you have a full retail version of xp but it will give you
an idea of what happens and what screens are available when you install the
operating system. Either way formatting and installing are not difficult
tasks so long as you have everything prepared before hand and you have any
necessary third party drivers available just in case the one supplied with
xp doesn't work. In particular modem drivers.

--
John Barnett MVP
Associate Expert
http://freespace.virgin.net/john.freelanceit/index.htm
"Chopper" <Chopper@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:4A88565E-5089-4B02-9E59-CDD28A1BB2CE@microsoft.com...
>I have a 3 year old Compaq Athlon 1.1 that I want to slick and start clean.
> I don't have any disks that may have come with the rig originally. I
> upgraded from ME to XP Home about a year ago and I do have XP Home
> 'Upgrade'
> disk.
> Is there a full, bootable OS on the disk that I can use to start from
> scratch?
> That is, does the upgrade disk also have a full OS on it?
> Or, was the upgrade disk just enough to upgrade?
> And, can anyone point me to any web sites with good discussion about
> reformatting and starting over since this is the first time I'm going to
> attempt it?
> Thanks!
> Chopper

 

[pop]

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

Umm, John, two things:
1. I don't think you need ME INSTALLED? Mine simply asked for
an earlier version of windows, I think it was. The only
confusing part was being sure when to put the CD in the drive,
but it worked first time. Zero problems.

2. He doesn't need ME specifically? Most any version of windows
will suffice, won't it? I've never heard of the upgrades being
version speciic, an dsince he doesn't have his ME CD,s well ...
he can use whatever he can get his hands on, right? He WILL have
to own one, in order to do any further installs, repairs, etc.,
so I don't see why ANY windows version wouldn't work. It's quite
possible he has 98 or 95 laying around. Me, I have the full
progression from pre3.1, whatever that was called, up to XP Pro
and Home, which both came with new machines AND a non-bastardized
CD of the OS's for my 2 most current machines. Hmm, wonder if
there's a market for an old 8 MHz hard-sectored Z89/ 90k floppy
with CP/M? <g>

Pop


"John Barnett MVP" <freelanceit@mvps.org.nospam> wrote in message
news:eckvPkX4EHA.3380@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
| To start over again Chopper you will need your windows ME disc.
The XP
| upgrade is simply that, an upgrade. You would first need to
format your hard
| drive then install ME and then upgrade to xp using your upgrade
disc.
| There is nothing stopping you installing xp using your upgrade
disc but, at
| some point, it will ask for your windows ME disc. Without the
ME disc you
| will be unable to proceed any further.
| As to formatting you could visit my website at:
|
| http://freespace.virgin.net/john.freelanceit/index.htm
|
| Click on the WinXPFaq button and take a look at question 7. You
might also
| like to take a look at question 85 'how do I install windows
xp' This answer
| does assume that you have a full retail version of xp but it
will give you
| an idea of what happens and what screens are available when you
install the
| operating system. Either way formatting and installing are not
difficult
| tasks so long as you have everything prepared before hand and
you have any
| necessary third party drivers available just in case the one
supplied with
| xp doesn't work. In particular modem drivers.
|
| --
| John Barnett MVP
| Associate Expert
| http://freespace.virgin.net/john.freelanceit/index.htm
| "Chopper" <Chopper@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
| news:4A88565E-5089-4B02-9E59-CDD28A1BB2CE@microsoft.com...
| >I have a 3 year old Compaq Athlon 1.1 that I want to slick and
start clean.
| > I don't have any disks that may have come with the rig
originally. I
| > upgraded from ME to XP Home about a year ago and I do have XP
Home
| > 'Upgrade'
| > disk.
| > Is there a full, bootable OS on the disk that I can use to
start from
| > scratch?
| > That is, does the upgrade disk also have a full OS on it?
| > Or, was the upgrade disk just enough to upgrade?
| > And, can anyone point me to any web sites with good
discussion about
| > reformatting and starting over since this is the first time
I'm going to
| > attempt it?
| > Thanks!
| > Chopper
|
|

 

[Guest]

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

Chopper wrote:
> I have a 3 year old Compaq Athlon 1.1 that I want to slick and start clean.
> I don't have any disks that may have come with the rig originally. I
> upgraded from ME to XP Home about a year ago and I do have XP Home 'Upgrade'
> disk.
> Is there a full, bootable OS on the disk that I can use to start from
> scratch?
> That is, does the upgrade disk also have a full OS on it?
> Or, was the upgrade disk just enough to upgrade?
> And, can anyone point me to any web sites with good discussion about
> reformatting and starting over since this is the first time I'm going to
> attempt it?
> Thanks!
> Chopper


It's quite possible to perform a clean installation using the
Upgrade CD, provided you have the true installation CD for the earlier
OS.

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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