is it possible to upgrade from windows 95 to windows XP service pack 1 (upgrade, not install disk) with a flash drive?

[xanderale]

I want to build a low power mini-itx pc and I don't know if I want to include an optical drive. All I want to know is if I can use my windows 95 disk and upgrade from a flash drive to windows XP. I want to do the cheapest option as I am on a budget.

 

[casper1973]

I know you can install/upgrade XP from a flash drive. One of the most popular tools being WinToFlash.

As for Windows 95 I doubt you can install from anything but an optical drive. Pre-XP Windows don't have generic USB drivers so I think you would have problems even getting it to recognise your USB.

Are you aware that support for XP ends in April 2014. It will no longer be updated by Microsoft and consequently most software/hardware vendors will also abandon it.

If you don't want to pay for a licence it may be worth looking into a Linux OS such as Ubuntu. Totally free and far more up to date.

 

[hang-the-9]

I want to build a low power mini-itx pc and I don't know if I want to include an optical drive. All I want to know is if I can use my windows 95 disk and upgrade from a flash drive to windows XP. I want to do the cheapest option as I am on a budget.

Depends on what you want to use the PC for, you can just run Linux on it. Low power usually means not a gaming, just about anything else you can use Widows for you can do on Linux. You can easily install Linux from a flash drive, heck some of them you can just RUN from the flash drive.

 

[xanderale]

I can do a linux distro as a main os, but I want XP to run windows programs. The reason for this is I have had trouble with emulating windows (wine + Sketch-up) on a ubuntu system. Could I use it in Virtualbox with KACE over the 95?