npcgeisel said:
installing Win XP Home ed. over Win 98ME without a 98 DIsk
There's no such thing as "Win 98ME." Is it Windows 98 or is it Windows Me?
Especially if it's Windows 98, be aware that your computer is old enough
that it either may not run Windows XP at all, or run it so slowly that you
may find it unusable. In particular, how fast is your CPU, how much RAM do
you have, and how big is the hard drive?
I just purchased Win XP Home ed (dual - either upgrade or full
install)
There's no such thing as "dual - either upgrade or full install."
There are three types of CD you can buy:
1. Full Retail
2. Upgrade Retail
3. OEM
OEM CDs can do only clean installations, and not upgrades.
Either type of Retail CD (Full or Upgrade) can do a clean installation or an
upgrade. The only difference between the two is that in order to do a clean
installation with the Upgrade version, you need a CD of a previous
qualifying version to show it as proof of ownership.
I was told when I purchased that with this program I can
upgrade Win 98 ME without a disk & not lose my programs etc. (my PC
came with 98 installed but no disk) is this true?
If it's a retail version (either Full or Upgrade), yes. If it's an OEM
version, no.
However (and it's a big however), be aware that there are never any
guarantees. Upgrades normally go well, but there are exceptions. It's
*always* possible for something to go wrong. If the worst happens, you could
conceivably lose everything on the drive, so it's prudent to be sure you
have a backup of anything you can't afford to lose before beginning. You
should also have the installation media for all your programs in case you
have to reinstall them.