In
Mich said:
This may sound very simple BUT it's so simple that we can't
find the
answer.... I have a friend that wants to go from Windows ME to
Windows XP Home Edition. Does she have to buy the Windows XP
full
version? Or just the Windows XP Home Edition Upgrade? Thanks
for any
information!

PS - Told you it was simple >>but not to us!
She can use either. Since she owns Windows Me, she qualifies for
the Upgrade version of XP, and that's what she should get, since
it's cheaper. Assuming that she wants to upgrade over the top of
Me, not do a clean installation, what she can *not* use is an OEM
version, since that can do only clean installations.
Note, by the way, that she can even do a clean installation with
the Upgrade CD (although I recommend that she at least try to
upgrade first.) The requirement to use an upgrade version is to
*own* a previous qualifying version's installation CD (with an
OEM restore CD, see below), not to have it installed. When setup
doesn't find a previous qualifying version installed, it will
prompt you to insert its CD as proof of ownership. Just insert
the previous version's CD, and follow the prompts. Everything
proceeds quite normally and quite legitimately.
You can also do a clean installation if you have an OEM restore
CD of a previous qualifying version. It's more complicated, but
it *can* be done. First restore from the Restore CD. Then run the
XP upgrade CD from within that restored system, and change from
Upgrade to New Install. When it asks where, press Esc to delete
the partition and start over.