Can I upgrade from 2000 to XP without formatting the HD?

[Guest Robert S]

We have 3 PCs in our office that are running Win2000. A number of

applications no longer run on Win2000 (eg PC-cillin). We wish to upgrade

these to XP. Is it possible to do this using the OEM XP installation disks

that came with the PCs? If not, is there any way that we can do this? I

tried it on a dummy installation of Win2000 and there was no upgrade option

when I booted off an XP disk.

 

--

[Guest Colin Barnhorst]

Re: Can I upgrade from 2000 to XP without formatting the HD?

 

No. An OEM cd does not offer upgrade functionality. That's why they are

marked "For use with a new computer or a computer without an operating

system." That's why you saw the message that upgrade is not an option. An

OEM cd can only do a clean install of Windows.

 

A retail XP Professional cd, either upgrade edition or full edition, can

upgrade a Windows 2000 Professional installation as you are wanting to do.

 

"Robert S" <robert_s@emailme.net.au> wrote in message

news:%23It2aE3dIHA.6092@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...

> We have 3 PCs in our office that are running Win2000. A number of

> applications no longer run on Win2000 (eg PC-cillin). We wish to upgrade

> these to XP. Is it possible to do this using the OEM XP installation

> disks that came with the PCs? If not, is there any way that we can do

> this? I tried it on a dummy installation of Win2000 and there was no

> upgrade option when I booted off an XP disk.

>

> --

>

>

>

[Guest Xandros]

Re: Can I upgrade from 2000 to XP without formatting the HD?

 

Purchase Windows XP Professional and do the upgrade from the Windows 2000

desktop. Remove antivirus and CD Writing software first. Check to ensure

there are XP specific drivers for the computer hardware if available.

 

--

 

Xandros

 

 

"Robert S" <robert_s@emailme.net.au> wrote in message

news:%23It2aE3dIHA.6092@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...

> We have 3 PCs in our office that are running Win2000. A number of

> applications no longer run on Win2000 (eg PC-cillin). We wish to upgrade

> these to XP. Is it possible to do this using the OEM XP installation

> disks that came with the PCs? If not, is there any way that we can do

> this? I tried it on a dummy installation of Win2000 and there was no

> upgrade option when I booted off an XP disk.

>

> --

>

>

>

[Guest Robert S]

Re: Can I upgrade from 2000 to XP without formatting the HD?

 

We do have genuine XP OEM licences for all machines. Is it possible (and

legal) to purchase ONE full version of XP, use the disk to do the upgrade on

all machines, but use the licence keys from the OEM disks?

 

We initially purchased the PCs with XP licences, but installed Win2000 on

them, because the whole office ran on 2000.

[Guest Colin Barnhorst]

Re: Can I upgrade from 2000 to XP without formatting the HD?

 

No. Regrettably, you cannot use the OEM product keys with a retail XP Pro

cd. Retail product keys are interchangeable between upgrade and full

editions of XP, but OEM pks are not usable with them.

 

Since you have only three computers in this scenario I suggest you purchase

three copies of XP Professional SP2 Upgrade Edition from your approved

vendor list (or whatever your organization calls it). You can also purchase

one copy from a supplier and two more licenses from MS, but the cost of an

additional license is nearly the MSRP of a retail copy so I suspect that you

will save money simply shopping around among your suppliers for the best

price for three retail copies.

 

It sounds like there are software issues that prevent you from just saving

the files and settings for each computer and then doing a clean install with

OEM copies of XP Pro but that would be your least expensive route. Not that

there is that much difference in expense between OEM and Upgrade Edition

copies, but a buck's a buck. On the other hand, the personnel time required

to do a migration for only three machines is probably more expensive than

just buying the upgrade editions. You'll have to make that call yourself.

 

If you do not have a volume license agreement with MS or a partner, consider

getting one for the future.

 

"Robert S" <robert.spam.me.senseless@gmail.com> wrote in message

news:OBNmnD$dIHA.5164@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...

> We do have genuine XP OEM licences for all machines. Is it possible (and

> legal) to purchase ONE full version of XP, use the disk to do the upgrade

> on all machines, but use the licence keys from the OEM disks?

>

> We initially purchased the PCs with XP licences, but installed Win2000 on

> them, because the whole office ran on 2000.

>

[Guest Xandros]

Re: Can I upgrade from 2000 to XP without formatting the HD?

 

No. Won't work. OEM Licenses don't satisfy XP Retail versions. While you

could do the upgrade when you went to swap keys they simply would not be

accepted. OEM versions are cheaper for a reason.

 

--

 

Xandros

 

 

"Robert S" <robert.spam.me.senseless@gmail.com> wrote in message

news:OBNmnD$dIHA.5164@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...

> We do have genuine XP OEM licences for all machines. Is it possible (and

> legal) to purchase ONE full version of XP, use the disk to do the upgrade

> on all machines, but use the licence keys from the OEM disks?

>

> We initially purchased the PCs with XP licences, but installed Win2000 on

> them, because the whole office ran on 2000.

>

[Guest Bruce Chambers]

Re: Can I upgrade from 2000 to XP without formatting the HD?

 

Robert S wrote:

> We have 3 PCs in our office that are running Win2000. A number of

> applications no longer run on Win2000 (eg PC-cillin). We wish to upgrade

> these to XP. Is it possible to do this using the OEM XP installation disks

> that came with the PCs?

 

 

 

No. OEM CDs cannot, by designed, perform in-place upgrades.

 

> If not, is there any way that we can do this?

 

 

Purchase one WinXP Pro Upgrade license for each computer and use the

Upgrade CD.

 

 

--

 

Bruce Chambers

 

Help us help you:

http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

 

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/555375

 

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary

safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. ~Benjamin Franklin

 

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. ~Bertrand Russell

 

The philosopher has never killed any priests, whereas the priest has

killed a great many philosophers.

~ Denis Diderot

[Guest Bruce Chambers]

Re: Can I upgrade from 2000 to XP without formatting the HD?

 

Robert S wrote:

> We do have genuine XP OEM licences for all machines. Is it possible (and

> legal) to purchase ONE full version of XP, use the disk to do the upgrade on

> all machines, but use the licence keys from the OEM disks?

>

 

 

Not possible. Product Keys are bound to the specific type and language

of CD/license (OEM, Volume, retail, full, or Upgrade) with which they

are purchased. For example, a WinXP Home OEM Product Key won't work for

any retail version of WinXP Home, or for any version of WinXP Pro, and

vice versa. An upgrade's Product Key cannot be used with a full version

CD, and vice versa. An OEM Product Key will not work to install a

retail product. An Italian Product Key will not work with an English

CD. Bottom line: Product Keys and CD/license types cannot be mixed &

matched.

 

 

 

--

 

Bruce Chambers

 

Help us help you:

http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

 

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/555375

 

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary

safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. ~Benjamin Franklin

 

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. ~Bertrand Russell

 

The philosopher has never killed any priests, whereas the priest has

killed a great many philosophers.

~ Denis Diderot

[Guest Colin Barnhorst]

Re: Can I upgrade from 2000 to XP without formatting the HD?

 

I have used upgrade and full edition XP product keys interchangeably with

upgrade edition cd's. Since an upgrade cd does the shiny media validation

prior to entry of the pk anyway, it makes sense. I never knew that worked

until just recently myself.

 

"Bruce Chambers" <bchambers@cable0ne.n3t> wrote in message

news:eA6WIvBeIHA.4140@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...

> Robert S wrote:

>> We do have genuine XP OEM licences for all machines. Is it possible (and

>> legal) to purchase ONE full version of XP, use the disk to do the upgrade

>> on all machines, but use the licence keys from the OEM disks?

>>

>

>

> Not possible. Product Keys are bound to the specific type and language of

> CD/license (OEM, Volume, retail, full, or Upgrade) with which they are

> purchased. For example, a WinXP Home OEM Product Key won't work for any

> retail version of WinXP Home, or for any version of WinXP Pro, and vice

> versa. An upgrade's Product Key cannot be used with a full version CD,

> and vice versa. An OEM Product Key will not work to install a retail

> product. An Italian Product Key will not work with an English CD. Bottom

> line: Product Keys and CD/license types cannot be mixed & matched.

>

>

>

> --

>

> Bruce Chambers

>

> Help us help you:

> http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

>

> http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/555375

>

> They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary

> safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. ~Benjamin Franklin

>

> Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. ~Bertrand

> Russell

>

> The philosopher has never killed any priests, whereas the priest has

> killed a great many philosophers.

> ~ Denis Diderot

[Guest Bruce Chambers]

Re: Can I upgrade from 2000 to XP without formatting the HD?

 

Colin Barnhorst wrote:

> I have used upgrade and full edition XP product keys interchangeably

> with upgrade edition cd's. Since an upgrade cd does the shiny media

> validation prior to entry of the pk anyway, it makes sense. I never

> knew that worked until just recently myself.

>

 

 

Interesting. Now, the $64 question: Was this a one time fluke, or can

it be repeated with any retail key and any retail media (same edition)?

 

 

--

 

Bruce Chambers

 

Help us help you:

http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

 

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/555375

 

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary

safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. ~Benjamin Franklin

 

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. ~Bertrand Russell

 

The philosopher has never killed any priests, whereas the priest has

killed a great many philosophers.

~ Denis Diderot

[Guest Colin Barnhorst]

Re: Can I upgrade from 2000 to XP without formatting the HD?

 

I've played around with it in connection SP3 here in the last few weeks

testing the new product key functionality. I got curious about how things

really worked with pre-SP3 systems so I tried it with two XP SP2 cd's

(hologrammed) and clean installs on new hard drives just to be sure. I

satisfied myself that a full edition product key worked (why not since the

shiny media check comes before the pk is entered anyway). Then I tried with

a full edition cd and the upgrade edition pks (and why not there too since

you can't get to the point where the pk is entered unless you are using a

full edition cd or the shiny media check has already been done). I didn't

install SP3 during any of these tests. If you have some cd's try it in a

virtual machine.

 

"Bruce Chambers" <bchambers@cable0ne.n3t> wrote in message

news:eJ%23AXWOeIHA.6136@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...

> Colin Barnhorst wrote:

>> I have used upgrade and full edition XP product keys interchangeably with

>> upgrade edition cd's. Since an upgrade cd does the shiny media

>> validation prior to entry of the pk anyway, it makes sense. I never knew

>> that worked until just recently myself.

>>

>

>

> Interesting. Now, the $64 question: Was this a one time fluke, or can it

> be repeated with any retail key and any retail media (same edition)?

>

>

> --

>

> Bruce Chambers

>

> Help us help you:

> http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

>

> http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/555375

>

> They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary

> safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. ~Benjamin Franklin

>

> Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. ~Bertrand

> Russell

>

> The philosopher has never killed any priests, whereas the priest has

> killed a great many philosophers.

> ~ Denis Diderot