Subject:XP-upgrade or full install?

Posted by: luces

Date:12/5/2002 1:46:57 PM

Sorry if this is a redundant question, but would it be better to upgrade from Win98 to XP or should I get the full XP version and completely reformat my drive? I would prefer to upgrade b/c of $$$$$, but if there is better stability with full install, I guess I'll have to save my pennies! Any comments are greatly appreciated! Luces

Subject:RE: XP-upgrade or full install?

Reply by: Iacobus

Date:12/5/2002 2:07:04 PM

The upgrade version can act as a brand new, full install, letting you format your hard drive if you want. The only difference is that the upgrade version will ask for your previous Windows version CD-ROM during the process.

HTH,
Iacobus

Subject:RE: XP-upgrade or full install?

Reply by: Jacose

Date:12/5/2002 11:05:03 PM

cool i didnt know this!

well, anywayz, I fresh install is always the besst...

Just remember to reformat the drive, and your good to go!

Subject:RE: XP-upgrade or full install?

Reply by: luces

Date:12/6/2002 2:51:51 AM

Way COOOOOLLL!!! Thanks for the info (mD)!!!!

Subject:RE: XP-upgrade or full install?

Reply by: inspector

Date:12/6/2002 8:42:33 AM

A co-worker of mine is taking some classes at an extention of Indiana Unversity got a copy of XP Professional (corporate edition - no activation required) from the school for $5.00. Know any students or faculty?

Steve

Subject:RE: XP-upgrade or full install?

Reply by: SonyNateM

Date:12/6/2002 9:25:22 AM

99.9998% of the time you hear anything about it, the "Corporate Edition" of Windows XP Professional is a pirated copy. It is not a standard XP Pro CD-ROM, and also will not allow you to install many current fixes and updates for the OS (including Service Pack 1). Chances are that your friend did not recieve a valid license for the software and it will probably give him nothing but trouble.

Nate

Subject:RE: XP-upgrade or full install?

Reply by: stusy

Date:12/6/2002 3:02:43 PM

I think a "clean install" from a techstore is your best bet...tried the xp upg last Oct and worked fine for 2 months, then all hell broke loose, reverted back to 98SE, and I'm really better for it, tho one is usually severely chastised to the hilt when admitting this in newsgroups, this one and the sonar...you become a pariah and are swiftly ostrasized; a slap in the face usually...I might look at a clean install (still have my homey xp collecting dust on the shelf) if I thot it made sense to me and the guys that built me a new compute...most people I talk with outside the newsgroups say stick with 98SE, IE5.5 sp2, etc...can you say payola...?

Subject:RE: XP-upgrade or full install?

Reply by: inspector

Date:12/6/2002 3:22:41 PM

Are you suggesting that Indiana University is is selling pirated software to its' students? I seriously doubt that they do.

I'll paraphrase some XP documentation.

"Corporations participating in the volume licensing plan can obtain a Corporate Edition of Windows XP that requires only a valid product key but not activation."

Obviously a company or university is not going to want to go through the activation process when they deploy XP to 1000 workstations. It is far from unusual for software companies, microsoft included, to give deep discounts to universities in particular.

respectfully,

Steve

Subject:RE: XP-upgrade or full install?

Reply by: inspector

Date:12/6/2002 3:30:22 PM

Some Additional Info:

There are/were pirated versions of XP professional circulating that all had the same product key. Microsoft became aware of this and SP1 checks for that key and will not install if it is present.

Steve

Subject:RE: XP-upgrade or full install?

Reply by: SonyNateM

Date:12/6/2002 4:43:06 PM

Sorry, I didn't mean to suggest that the school is pirating software (though, I have witnessed schools distibuting copies of software they shouldn't be a couple of times in the past). I was just suggesting that people not get hyped about finding "Corporate" copies of XP Pro for $5 (or other ridiculously low prices). If your friend recieved a valid license for the OS, more power to him! However, the deal he recieved was ridiculously low, and I think it highly unlikely that anyone else is going to find a similar deal for a valid license of the operating system. I know that there is no way for students (or faculty, for that matter) to purchase XP Pro through the UW here in Madison for anywhere near that price.

People should be aware that there are plenty of people out there (on eBay, through different mock-store websites, etc) who would be more than happy to sell them a copy of the pirated version for very low prices. The same thing happens to people with our software all the time, and often there isn't much we can do about it. If you are hunting for an amazing deal on a copy of XP Pro, be sure to check out your sources thoroughly before shelling out any cash.

Nate

Subject:RE: XP-upgrade or full install?

Reply by: Laurence

Date:12/6/2002 8:33:37 PM

When you buy Windows XP, what you want to do is go to a small computer store and buy an OEM version. That or get the OEM version from a computer parts reseller online for even less. These are only supposed to be sold with a new computer, but it is rarely enforced. The price is the same or less than the upgrade at stores like Best Buy or Circuit City, and is a full install version that doesn't check for an older install or disk. You won't get much in the way of packaging: just a shrinkwrapped disk and small booklet, but that's all you need. I just got Windows XP Pro this way for a new computer I'm assembling and it was $140.

Laurence Kingston

Subject:RE: XP-upgrade or full install?

Reply by: ibliss

Date:12/6/2002 9:07:54 PM

Don't know if it's the same where you are (US I presume?), but in the UK 99% of places selling OEM OS will only do so if you purchase it with a hardware component (the idea being that the OS 'stays' with that hardware. I bought a Lian Li case + XP OEM, but I've heard of people buying something cheaper like a NIC. If you are buying hardware it's a useful time to buy the OS to get the cheaper OEM version.

Mike K

Subject:RE: XP-upgrade or full install?

Reply by: salad

Date:12/6/2002 9:38:55 PM

"These are only supposed to be sold with a new computer, but it is rarely enforced"

I have an OEM version of XP Home on one PC, and I even spoke with a MS rep on the telephone about support options. The only thing they had to say was: "You will have to use the NON toll free phone or email support options".
I was however, allowed to use the toll free phone # to find out this info : ), oh, and to do a phone activation as well. They were VERY friendly.
Yep, they don't really care if it's OEM.........but your basically on your own for figuring out prob's, and you don't get a manual. You don't need one.
Unless there's something wrong with the actual OS installation CD, you should really never need to call them anyway. In my case, it turned out to be a bad stick of RAM, but just post your Windows OS troubles & questions at any PC Geak forum. Of course, the MS site has quite a large KB for troubleshooting. There's TONS of free support out there.

Don't install XP as an "upgrade" over 98. Use the XP CD to delete the 98 (C drive)partition, and create a new partition in it's place, then format as NTFS, and install.