Install XP over OEM XP

  • Thread starter Thread starter Lynne
  • Start date Start date
L

Lynne

There seem to be features that are not available to me because I have the
OEM version of XP (backup and, a true Windows XP help system - I have Help,
but it's Compaq's version, not XP and it's not all that great. And, should
something happen, it makes me "nervous" to not have anything other than
mfgr's "Restore" program and restoration CDs that I burned. Can I simply buy
a copy of XP and install it over the existing OEM, or, would I have to
reformat, clean install?

Thanks.
Lynne
 
There seem to be features that are not available to me because I have the
OEM version of XP (backup and, a true Windows XP help system - I have
Help,
but it's Compaq's version, not XP and it's not all that great. And,
should
something happen, it makes me "nervous" to not have anything other than
mfgr's "Restore" program and restoration CDs that I burned. Can I simply
buy
a copy of XP and install it over the existing OEM, or, would I have to
reformat, clean install?

Thanks.
Lynne
Click to expand...

You can install over your current OS with a Windows XP CD, yes.
 
Lynne said:
There seem to be features that are not available to me because I have
the OEM version of XP (backup and, a true Windows XP help system - I
have Help, but it's Compaq's version, not XP and it's not all that
great. And, should something happen, it makes me "nervous" to not
have anything other than mfgr's "Restore" program and restoration CDs
that I burned. Can I simply buy a copy of XP and install it over the
existing OEM, or, would I have to reformat, clean install?

Thanks.
Lynne
Click to expand...

Not necessarily. For instance, if your current version of XP OEM is
Professional, you will not be able to downgrade to XP Home using an XP Home
retail CD. In that case, you would have to do a new "clean" install of XP
Home using an XP Home Retail CD(or a "FULL OEM" Home CD -- not necessarily
advisable).

Also, you would be unable to upgrade an existing version of XP Home OEM
using an XP Home Retail CD. Only XP Professional can upgrade XP Home. You
would be able to do an in-place installation (Repair) (over your existing XP
Home OEM) using an XP Home Retail CD. This would probably require you to
reinstall some of your application software (or repair their installations,
such as with Microsoft Office), although it shouldn't destroy your existing
data. I'm not sure, however, that it would replace Compaq's Help system.

I personally advise against doing an upgrade or in-place installation.
Clean installs are the best, since they do not carry over anything from the
former installation. More importantly, you would start fresh with a clean
Registry. However, you must be prepared to obtain and provide all necessary
device drivers for your new OS.

However, if you are not willing to back up your existing data, or not
willing to lose it, an in-place installation over the top of your existing
installation would be the best choice for you.


--
Donald L McDaniel
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Well, guess I'll live with this until the 1 year service warranty expires,
then dig in and set things up my way. In the past, with Win98 SE, I've
reformatted and done fresh installations of OS and programs on an annual
basis. So, that's what I'll do with this. Thanks for the replies. Lynne
 
The OEM and retail versions of XP are identical except in licensing. The
backup program is not installed by default in XP Home, but can be installed
from the cd. I'm not familiar with Compaq restore cd's, but the backup
program should reside on one of the disks. You should be able to uninstall
Compaq's proprietary help application and then be able to run XP's native
help. I'm not sure on this one, so maybe someone else can confirm or deny.
 
There is no disk - that's the problem. What Compaq has done is include the
OEM of XP. This is what is reinstalled if you activate the "system restore"
function - this is installed on a 5 GB partition of my hard drive. Compaq
refers to this as "the recovery partition." I also have a multiple disk set
that they suggest you make as a backup of the partition contents (they call
these "recovery disks"). The recovery partition restores the original
installation and setup - I don't know that the user has any control on
this - it seems to be an automatic process, and, this would simply put the
whole shebang back onto my hard drive. I popped in the recovery CDs, but the
only file named "backup" that I could find had a .jp extension. Thanks so
much for the help. As I said in my prior post, I can live with this for the
duration of the service warranty - then I'll re-do it to my liking, with my
own copy of the OS. Lynne
 
Yeah, I know how you feel. The fact that Compaq/HP don't supply an actual os
cd from which a clean install can be performed is complete crap and is the
main reason I will never purchase from them. The only work around is to
perform the restore and then remove all the garbage that is so
"thoughtfully" included with the system (except for getting a retail cd as
you plan).
 
I've always had my systems built, but this was such a good deal that I
decided to go with it, knowing full well that here would be things I
wouldn't have chosen, were it up to me. Lack of OS disk was just part of the
"good deal." So far, however, I'm really glad I did it - got the computer
and monitor for under $500. So, I can live with it as it, but once the year
is up, I'll upgrade to my specifications, not Compaq's. Lynne
 
Lynne said:
I've always had my systems built, but this was such a good deal that I
decided to go with it, knowing full well that here would be things I
wouldn't have chosen, were it up to me. Lack of OS disk was just part of the
"good deal." So far, however, I'm really glad I did it - got the computer
and monitor for under $500. So, I can live with it as it, but once the year
is up, I'll upgrade to my specifications, not Compaq's. Lynne
Click to expand...

I recently did the same thing, bought a Compaq because the features and
price were too good to pass on. Within a month I formatted and installed a
full version of XP. Sure felt good to get rid of all the BS that Compaq
packages together. I did create the recovery CDs and left the recovery
partiton intact for the time being, warranty period.
 
So, there is hope! (smile). How did you format the drive while leaving the
partition on D intact? And, leaving D intact but removing the OEM doesn't
void the warranty? I don't have Partition Magic or anything similar - I've
always let the hard drive's own setup software do the formatting when I've
done my annual "spring cleaning." Lynne
 
Lynne said:
So, there is hope! (smile). How did you format the drive while leaving the
partition on D intact? And, leaving D intact but removing the OEM doesn't
void the warranty? I don't have Partition Magic or anything similar - I've
always let the hard drive's own setup software do the formatting when I've
done my annual "spring cleaning." Lynne
Click to expand...

I used Partition Magic to resize c: partition. Then I booted from the XP CD
which at one point prompts for a choice of partition to use for the
installation. I think my choice at that point was to delete c: and then
select the same location (which is now shown as x amount of unallocated
space) to create a new partition for the Windows installation. Sorry I'm a
bit vague as this was a couple of months ago.

Installing to a partition of your choice leaves any other partitions
including the Compaq recovery partition intact.

As to voiding the warranty I did create the seven recovery CDs. If for some
reason there was a hardware problem I guess I could restore the hard drive
to how it was when I bought the computer (which was a mess of unwanted
software). These CDs probably restore the recovery partition as well so
there may be no real reason to save that partition in the first place. I've
still got 100GB free so I'll live with the recovery partition for the time
being.

The XP installation CD provides various options, many opportunities to
quit/cancel and confirmations before you do something not recommended or
irreversible. These CDs are handy tools. Unfortunate that the big computer
manufacturers don't seem to supply them.

Partition Magic is a great utility. It's the only one I've used so there
might be better ones out there.
 
Hello Donald,
Also, you would be unable to upgrade an existing version of XP Home OEM
using an XP Home Retail CD. Only XP Professional can upgrade XP Home
Click to expand...
Windows XP Home can upgrade Windows XP Home so yes you can go from Windows
XP Home OEM to Window XP Home Retail.
Thanks,
Darrell Gorter[MSFT]

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights
--------------------
From: "Donald McDaniel" <[email protected]>
Newsgroups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.customize
Subject: Re: Install XP over OEM XP
Date: Sat, 17 Apr 2004 14:38:47 -0700
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There seem to be features that are not available to me because I have
the OEM version of XP (backup and, a true Windows XP help system - I
have Help, but it's Compaq's version, not XP and it's not all that
great. And, should something happen, it makes me "nervous" to not
have anything other than mfgr's "Restore" program and restoration CDs
that I burned. Can I simply buy a copy of XP and install it over the
existing OEM, or, would I have to reformat, clean install?

Thanks.
Lynne
Click to expand...

Not necessarily. For instance, if your current version of XP OEM is
Professional, you will not be able to downgrade to XP Home using an XP Home
retail CD. In that case, you would have to do a new "clean" install of XP
Home using an XP Home Retail CD(or a "FULL OEM" Home CD -- not necessarily
advisable).

Also, you would be unable to upgrade an existing version of XP Home OEM
using an XP Home Retail CD. Only XP Professional can upgrade XP Home. You
would be able to do an in-place installation (Repair) (over your existing XP
Home OEM) using an XP Home Retail CD. This would probably require you to
reinstall some of your application software (or repair their installations,
such as with Microsoft Office), although it shouldn't destroy your existing
data. I'm not sure, however, that it would replace Compaq's Help system.

I personally advise against doing an upgrade or in-place installation.
Clean installs are the best, since they do not carry over anything from the
former installation. More importantly, you would start fresh with a clean
Registry. However, you must be prepared to obtain and provide all necessary
device drivers for your new OS.

However, if you are not willing to back up your existing data, or not
willing to lose it, an in-place installation over the top of your existing
installation would be the best choice for you.


--
Donald L McDaniel
Post all replies to the Newsgroup,
so that all may be informed.
Remove the obvious to reply by email.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Click to expand...
 
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