XP professional questions, need some help, please.

  • Thread starter Thread starter Thomas Bunetta
  • Start date Start date
T

Thomas Bunetta

Hello,
I bought 3 copies of OEM Windows XP Professional (with hardware!), and am
about to install them on three machines at work...
(peer to peer LAN).
When I tried to run the compatibility check, I got the message Windows
couldn't upgrade this system and it shut down. Couldn't "upgrade this
version" (Win98SE).
Is there a way around this, or another way to check for compatibility issues
on the three machines?
Or am I doomed to wiping the drive and starting from scratch?
I have heard that the "import settings" feature sometimes leaves a lot to be
desired, are there other issues I should be aware of?
Thanks in advance,
Tom
 
OEM versions of Windows XP are not designed to upgrade
over a existing Windows installation. Only "retail versions" can upgrade.
You'll need to perform a "clean install".

Clean Install Windows XP
http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

[Courtesy of Michael Stevens, MS-MVP]

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

|
| Hello,
| I bought 3 copies of OEM Windows XP Professional (with hardware!), and am
| about to install them on three machines at work...
| (peer to peer LAN).
| When I tried to run the compatibility check, I got the message Windows
| couldn't upgrade this system and it shut down. Couldn't "upgrade this
| version" (Win98SE).
| Is there a way around this, or another way to check for compatibility issues
| on the three machines?
| Or am I doomed to wiping the drive and starting from scratch?
| I have heard that the "import settings" feature sometimes leaves a lot to be
| desired, are there other issues I should be aware of?
| Thanks in advance,
| Tom
|
|
|
 
You are doomed.

Testy

Thomas Bunetta said:
Hello,
I bought 3 copies of OEM Windows XP Professional (with hardware!), and am
about to install them on three machines at work...
(peer to peer LAN).
When I tried to run the compatibility check, I got the message Windows
couldn't upgrade this system and it shut down. Couldn't "upgrade this
version" (Win98SE).
Is there a way around this, or another way to check for compatibility issues
on the three machines?
Or am I doomed to wiping the drive and starting from scratch?
I have heard that the "import settings" feature sometimes leaves a lot to be
desired, are there other issues I should be aware of?
Thanks in advance,
Tom
Click to expand...
 
Thomas Bunetta said:
I bought 3 copies of OEM Windows XP Professional (with hardware!), and am
about to install them on three machines at work...
(peer to peer LAN).
When I tried to run the compatibility check, I got the message Windows
couldn't upgrade this system and it shut down. Couldn't "upgrade this
version" (Win98SE).
Is there a way around this, or another way to check for compatibility issues
on the three machines?
Or am I doomed to wiping the drive and starting from scratch?
Click to expand...

The OEM version is designed for a clean install (and this desirable from W98SE
anyway). However, there is a way to use the OEM version for upgrade, if you also
have an XP-Pro retail disk.
1) Use the retail CD and key to upgrade the PC but do not activate the OS.
2) Immediately perform a repair install on the PC using the OEM CD and key. See:
http://www.microsoft.com/WindowsXP/expertzone/tips/dougknox/doug92.asp
3) Activate the OS.

Using this method, you could re-use the retail CD for all three PCs (because it
is never activated), and you could then install and activate it on a fourth PC.

It will take twice as long (because you effectively run the upgrade process
twice) but it will preserve all applications and data. However many people feel
that XP performs better from a clean install.

Good luck!
 
Thomas Bunetta said:
Hello,
I bought 3 copies of OEM Windows XP Professional (with hardware!), and am
about to install them on three machines at work...
(peer to peer LAN).
When I tried to run the compatibility check, I got the message Windows
couldn't upgrade this system and it shut down. Couldn't "upgrade this
version" (Win98SE).
Is there a way around this, or another way to check for compatibility issues
on the three machines?
Or am I doomed to wiping the drive and starting from scratch?
I have heard that the "import settings" feature sometimes leaves a lot to be
desired, are there other issues I should be aware of?
Thanks in advance,
Tom
Click to expand...

What you can do is to use the Files And Settings Transfer Wizard from
Windows XP to save the user data and program configuration settings
for each machine to another hard drive partition, a network drive, or
a removable backup device.

The reformat the hard drive and install your OEM XP on the empty
drive. Next reinstall the application programs. After this you can
run FASTW again to import the saved data and configuration settings.

Not as fast or convenient as a straight forward upgrade install but
quite a bit better than having to do manual backups and restores, and
also manually reconfigure everything.

Good luck


Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

"The reason computer chips are so small is computers don't eat much."
 
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