Windows XP Professional Install
Mark
Rather than install XP over the existing 2000, my preference is for a
"clean" install by reformatting the hard drive and loading XP from
scratch. My question: Will the install of the "upgrade" version of
XP allow for a reformat, or is that an option only with the full
version?
Thanks!
Bruce Chambers
It's quite possible to perform a clean installation using an
Upgrade CD. You'll be offered the opportunity to delete, create, and
format partitions as part of the installation process.
Simply boot from the WinXP Upgrade CD. The Upgrade CD checks to
see if a qualifying OS is installed, and, if it finds none, it asks
you to insert the installation media (CD) of that OS. Unfortunately,
an OEM "Recovery/Restore" CD will not work for this purpose; you must
have a true installation CD, complete with the "\Win98" folder and
*.cab files, or the "\i386" folder of WinNT/2K.
Alternatively, or especially if all you have is an OEM Recovery CD
for the earlier OS, you can even start the upgrade from within the
current Win98/Me/NT/2K installation, and still elect to perform a
clean installation, to include formatting the drive. In this case,
there's no further request for the qualifying OS's installation CD,
because the installation routing "remembers" that you started from
within the qualifying OS. This process is more time-consuming, but
you get the same results: a clean installation of WinXP.
However, you'd probably save a lot of time by upgrading your Win2K
to WinXP Pro, rather than performing a clean installation,
particularly if you've no hardware or software incompatibilities.
Microsoft has greatly improved (over earlier versions of Windows)
WinXP's ability to smoothly upgrade an earlier OS. WinXP is designed
to install and upgrade the existing operating system while
simultaneously preserving your applications and data, and translating
as many personalized settings as possible. The process is designed to
be, and normally is, quite painless. That said, things can go wrong,
in a small number of cases. If your data is at all important to you,
back it up before proceeding.
And if the upgrade doesn't perform up to your expectations, you
can always perform the clean installation later.
Bruce Chambers
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"Mark" <himile...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:5e55e3c8.04010...@posting.google.com...
relic
Yes. The options for Formatting and Partitioning will appear at the bottom
when you select the drive/partition to install to.
--
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They call it PMS because Mad Cow Disease was already taken.
Mark
That will save some money buying the upgrade rather than the complete install.
Thanks again!
"Bruce Chambers" <bcha...@nospamcableone.net> wrote in message news:<vvb7j5n...@corp.supernews.com>...