What’s the difference between upgrading an OS and new full version OS?

[eskimo2]

It looks like its time to upgrade my machine from Win ME to XP. I am installing a new HD as well.  

Is an upgrade in OS the same as installing a full version?  Does it basically just look to see that your system has a legal copy of the older OS, wipe it out and then install a full XP OS?  

Or, is it basically just a big patch that installs the newer stuff but could leave some corrupt ME kootie files?  

Will It always ask for the ME disk and the XP disk when it wants to look at the windows disk for drivers, etc?

eskimo

[blackfalcon4]

Personally,
I'd do a fresh install.
Upgrades can be a PITA.

[acetnt367th]

Please do a fresh install - it is much better then the upgrade.

[MOIL]

If upgrading to WinXP be sure to format the HDD to NTFS and not FAT32. Lot of people have made this simple mistake.

This is very important!

[zmeg]

You can't install an upgrade from me in ntsf. Get the full version.

[Thorns]

I heard a while back, you can do a full install with the upgrade version.  Anyone know how to do it?

Thorns

[beet1e]

Originally posted by eskimo2
Is an upgrade in OS the same as installing a full version?  Does it basically just look to see that your system has a legal copy of the older OS, wipe it out and then install a full XP OS?

I think MS pricing worked in such a way that if you were an existing user of XYZ operating syetem, you qualified for an "upgrade", and did not need the "full" version. If shopping for XP, you might notice that the upgrade version is much cheaper than the upgrade version.

At install time, the upgrade would verify that you were entitled to the upgrade, ie. that you already had a "qualifying product", eg. that you already have a MS OS, in your case W-ME. But in some cases, the check made was so Mickey Mouse as to be laughable. Eg. Upgrading from W3.1 to W95, a check was made to verify the existence of a file called win.ini -

Upgrading will at least mean that your existing OS settings would be carried over, eg your screen saver, the time elapsed before it pops up - that sort of thing.

But I'm like the others here, and prefer to begin with the full version. Be sure to download the relevant service pack(s).

[SNO]

You can do a clean install from scratch with the upgrade version of XP. During the install a prompt will come up asking you to put your previous version of windows in the cd drive to verify that this in fact an upgrade. I have done it with winme and it works fine. Make sure your boot setup boots to the cd first before the hd.

[Thorns]

Thanks SNO.

Thorns

[eskimo2]

Thanks guys.

I went for the upgrade because it was $100 and the full was $200.  All is well except my CH gear won't work.

eskimo

[RDSaustinTX]

Clean installs can be a PITA with either arrangement. If you re-install very much, Microshaft will not 'activate' the install until you call them. Then they record you promising you're not violating the EULA. I have done this 4-5 times in the last couple of years.
 
Technically, if you upgrade motherboard or sell the machine OEM software is supposed to be replaced. I get retail versions at newegg.
 
Mullah