The upgrade CD's allow you to install fresh, but typically you need the
original install CD from the previous OS you are upgrading. Part of the
fresh install asks you to insert the previous CD and it will check for
validity before proceeding. If you only have the installed image on another
hard disk, I am not sure if it will scan this as a valid upgrade media or
not. I have not tried it. It couldn't hurt to try.

All you would need to do is boot from the XP CD, and follow the directions.
Point to your new disk as the install location, and choose to do a new
install (since it will likely detect your existing OS and want to upgrade
that in place by default.

At 08:41 AM 8/31/2005, you wrote:
>Since you are not upgrading, but building a new machine, I suggest you get
>an OEM copy of XP - the price
>is comparable to an upgrade.  OEM versions are available at places like
>Newegg.com, but you usually have
>to buy hardware with them - a mouse will do.  (YOU are the OEM.)
>
>Dean Kukral
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: Peter Elliman
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Sent: Tuesday, August 30, 2005 4:26 PM
>Subject: [PCBUILD] upgrade Windows OS - different machine/ drive?
>
>
>I've looked at different posts on upgrading to Windows XP and could not
>validate whether what I want to do will work as expected.  I currently have
>Windows98 on an old P3 machine.  I am building a new machine and want to place
>a clean version of XP Pro on this machine.
>
>1) Can I use an Windows XP upgrade CD to install XP on a clean drive on
>the new
>PC?  If this is possible, it would entail creating a Win98 boot disk for the
>new machine and then running the XP upgrade, correct?
>
>2) Does the XP upgrade install all of the approriate files on the new HD?
>I do not want XP to live on the same, small drive used on current Win98
>machine
>and I prefer a clean install of XP.
>
>4) Is this possible (and recommended) or should I simply install a full
>copy XP
>on the new machine?
>
>Thanks,
>Peter

Russ Poffenberger
[log in to unmask]

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