Upgrade Win2k to WinXP question

[elroy]

I don't know much about XP since I've stayed with Win2k.

I have a system that has Win2k [NTFS] and I want to upgrade it to WinXP Pro.

I have a full version WinXP Pro Corp disc, will it upgrade this system or do I need a WinXP Upgrade cd?

[stroyal]

As I recall no XP disk will upgrade 2000 to XP in the way previous versions of windows did.

Even though they both can use NT file system the programs are completely different, so XP requires a clean install.
It's been a while, but as I remember any XP disk can upgrade, so to speak, and will ask if you want to save your files.
It will then save all your personal files and reinstall them after it formats and installs XP.

The XP disks that are called upgrade are the same as the regular version, but because they are cheaper they will ask you to put your previous version in the CD ROM just for a second or two to verify you have a previous version. As I recall any 98, ME or 2000 disk will work for the verification. That's the only difference between the two. Your corporate disk will upgrade in the new way.

A word of caution, the saving and reinstalling thing didn't always work, so back up everything first.

[cksboy15]

Why not just back up everything install XP then use your backup to put everything on?

[stroyal]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cksboy15

Why not just back up everything install XP then use your backup to put everything on?

That's what I have always done, because of the unreliability of the new upgrade method.

I was just explaining the new difference between an "upgrade disk" and "upgrading to XP".

[elroy]

I connected an old drive and copied over the important items before proceeding.

The WinXP Pro Corp disc did not offer any choice of upgrade or saving previous settings, info, data etc.

It installed ok and runs fine but I had to copy all of the data back onto the drive.

At least this way I don't have to worry about importing any problems from the previous install of Win2k.