windows xp home on old system

[Butuz]

Yeh in my experience ring up talk to someone you can barely understand and who can barely understand you (mind you i am welsh so ill give them that one).

Butuz

[directhex]

product activation. it's 30 days, i'm afraid.

setup generates a 1-way code based on your cd key & spec (they cannot read either back from the code given, but can tell if the same key has been used on different hardware without knowing what that key was).

ring up, type in the 45 digit code, get back a 45 digit unlock code. if the typed code doesn't match, get a human on the other end who gets bored & gives you the unlock before you've repeated the first 2 numbers.

[chris123]

cheers directhex,

what about with the OEM version. i can buy this as a stand alone product from cpucity. will microsoft try and tell me that i can't reinstall (ie get a new key) as it should have come pre-installed on another machine?

sorry for all the questions just want to get it right before i part with £70!

Thanks

[directhex]

nah - if, say, your store-bought pc broke down, and they swapped the mobo, then you'd still be allowed to use your copy of windows.

oem has non tech support, that's about it

[chris123]

upgrade versions do not require an existing os. start an install by booting off the cd. if you haven't formatted yet, it'll detect the existing os on the disk and allow you to do a from scratch (i.e. full format) install no problem. if there's no existing os on the disk, it'll prompt you to insert an original cd from an approved upgradeable os, scan it, then say "kk" & continue.

hmmm...so are you saying that there is actually no difference in what is installed if you buy the upgrade. they just need proof that you have the disk for 98 (or whatever)?

[directhex]

indeed. make sure your version of windows is covered by your desired version on the upgrade matrix

[chris123]

indeed. make sure your version of windows is covered by your desired version on the upgrade matrix

ok i have 98se.

what do you recomend...go for the retail upgrade version, or the OEM full version? the oem version is 25 squid cheaper. is it worth the extra for the manuel and support etc?

Cheers

[Spud1]

i managed to get XP Pro running on my old laptop..specs were p233, 64meg ram, 2meg video. It installed fine, and actaully booted and worked...slow as ever tho, i only installed it cos i was bored but i was amazed that it worked =)

i would reccomend that you buy a full or OEM version of windows, if you ever lose ur 98se disk ur in trouble ;/

[rc55]

One thing I must mention is you can get XP running on all sorts of low spec machines, and very fast too! I've done this on a few older machines, P3-450's etc.

Basically - if the system is for your own use it's well worth disabling almost every service in the Services applet. There are a few that you shouldn't, like Windows Audio and Plug and Play - but anyone with a bit of experience will know what to use at not use. I used the guides at www.blackviper.com, and after that, Windows Updated it, defragged it, moved the swapfile to another drive and ran Bootvis and boot times (complete, until hourglass disappears on the desktop) was consistantly under a minute - and usage wasn't too sluggish either.

The only thing is - if you find some things aren't working, enable the relevant services and try again (for example, Cryptography services are needed to authenticate MSI installer packages). Try them on just Manual, then Automatic. It'll take a few days to get used to whats needed but you'll enjoy the speed burst associated with it.

XP truely is Windows NT with knobs on, and also they have done a ton of optimising - so give it a bash.

Ruairi

[Moonshade]

I think it will go fine, okay it can be a bit slow though..my friend did the same thing, she upgraded her computer from windows 98 to Windows XP Home Edition..her computer is doing fine. But it's a bit slow.

And about the RAM, I've got 248 and I run WinXP Professional.
Okay my computer is new..but the RAM's below 256

Well, good luck!

[Howard]

I've had XP running on a K6-3 400MHz machine with 64MB of RAM

It was rather slow, but usable. I upgraded the RAM to 224MB and it was fine

[chris123]

ok. cheers for all the advice. the blackviper link is really usefull, thanks.

Just one other thing.

i've just formatted my Hard disk and reinstalled win 98 (xp home OEM full on it's way from ebuyer ). i noticed i was asked for my registration key again. if i reformat when XP is installed will i need to ring up microsoft and request a new key, or can i just use the same one i was originally given?

thanks

[directhex]

cd keys are separate & distinct from activation keys.

you always use the cd key supplied with the cd, the activation key changes from format to format.

[chris123]

cd keys are separate & distinct from activation keys.

you always use the cd key supplied with the cd, the activation key changes from format to format.

ahh! now i see, that was confusing me!

so what do you reckon the chances are of being able to request a new activation key from microsoft each time i format with OEM xp installed. would quite like the freedom to be able to reformat my drive (when i want) , without running the risk of not being able to run XP again?

Cheers. just tell me too stop if i'm worrying too much

ps. directhex, you're teaching me new things all the time, thank you for the help, much apreciated.

[directhex]

i've never heard of problems from RELIABLE sources (pleanty of people who have never installed a non-pirate version of windows in their lives have invented stores) with it, and i certainly installed my copy of windows 20-odd times

OEM machines b0rk frequently enough to need reformatting, they can't risk completely alienating people.