Upgrade from Win98 to XP

Here is my sad tale. I moved my Gateway PC that was
operating beautifully about two miles to a new home. I
lovingly and carefully packed the computer in the
original box using the styrofoam insert. When I got
everything hooked up and pushed Start, I got this god-
awful noise that I instantly recognized as a HD failure.
Luckily, I had already purchased a new HD. So, I
proceeded to install the XP upgrade that I had purchased
about two months ago to replace the OEM version of Win98
that came with the system. The HD formatted perfectly and
I was given instructions to reboot. That's when it all
started to fall apart. First I got the message that XP
couldn't complete installation because I had an upgrade
version of XP. So I proceeded to install using the Win98
CD that shipped with PC. Again, all is going well until I
reached a screen that asked me for the Win98 Product Key.
OOPS! Can't find it. So I contacted Gateway for some help
and (not to anyone's surprise but mine) was told that I'd
have to purchase Win98 (but the tech support guy couldn't
tell me how). So, I contact Microsoft Online Support to
ask the question how I can get the XP software to
complete the installation and once more I get stuck on a
page that asks me for the XP Product Identification. Well
I have the XP CD in hand, including the CD package that
has the XP Product Key, but I can't figure out what the
XP Product Identification is. Of course, I'm given
instructions on how to look it up using XP Help and
Support but of course I CAN'T LOOK IT UP ON MY PC BECAUSE
THERE IS NO OPERATING SYSTEM. Can someone out there
suggest what I can do at this point. I have a perfectly
good Gateway system, a new hard drive, and it's only good
as a doorstop or boat anchor at this point.
Thanks,
Don Callihan

XP questions should be asked in an XP newsgroup. Be sure to quote the exact
message you are receiving, not a paraphrase. It should not be necessary to
install W98 in order to use the upgrade version of XP - yo will be asked to
insert the W98 disk in order to confirm your eligibility for the upgrade.
However, some OEM disks might not be usable as a qualifying product.

Since you have a failed W98 installation on the hard drive you should
re-format the disk before attempting the XP install. Gateway should be able
to provide an installation code for W98 based on your machine serial number,
but you may have to struggle to get past the technician who only understands
XP.
--
Jeff Richards
MS MVP (Windows - Shell/User)
"donihan" wrote in message
...
Here is my sad tale. I moved my Gateway PC that was
operating beautifully about two miles to a new home. I
lovingly and carefully packed the computer in the
original box using the styrofoam insert. When I got
everything hooked up and pushed Start, I got this god-
awful noise that I instantly recognized as a HD failure.
Luckily, I had already purchased a new HD. So, I
proceeded to install the XP upgrade that I had purchased
about two months ago to replace the OEM version of Win98
that came with the system. The HD formatted perfectly and
I was given instructions to reboot. That's when it all
started to fall apart. First I got the message that XP
couldn't complete installation because I had an upgrade
version of XP. So I proceeded to install using the Win98
CD that shipped with PC. Again, all is going well until I
reached a screen that asked me for the Win98 Product Key.
OOPS! Can't find it. So I contacted Gateway for some help
and (not to anyone's surprise but mine) was told that I'd
have to purchase Win98 (but the tech support guy couldn't
tell me how). So, I contact Microsoft Online Support to
ask the question how I can get the XP software to
complete the installation and once more I get stuck on a
page that asks me for the XP Product Identification. Well
I have the XP CD in hand, including the CD package that
has the XP Product Key, but I can't figure out what the
XP Product Identification is. Of course, I'm given
instructions on how to look it up using XP Help and
Support but of course I CAN'T LOOK IT UP ON MY PC BECAUSE
THERE IS NO OPERATING SYSTEM. Can someone out there
suggest what I can do at this point. I have a perfectly
good Gateway system, a new hard drive, and it's only good
as a doorstop or boat anchor at this point.
Thanks,
Don Callihan

Thanks for the quick reply. I'll try the XP newsgroup.

-----Original Message-----
XP questions should be asked in an XP newsgroup. Be
sure to quote the exact
message you are receiving, not a paraphrase. It should
not be necessary to
install W98 in order to use the upgrade version of XP -
yo will be asked to
insert the W98 disk in order to confirm your eligibility
for the upgrade.
However, some OEM disks might not be usable as a
qualifying product.

Since you have a failed W98 installation on the hard
drive you should
re-format the disk before attempting the XP install.
Gateway should be able
to provide an installation code for W98 based on your
machine serial number,
but you may have to struggle to get past the technician
who only understands
XP.
--
Jeff Richards
MS MVP (Windows - Shell/User)
"donihan" wrote in
message
...
Here is my sad tale. I moved my Gateway PC that was
operating beautifully about two miles to a new home. I
lovingly and carefully packed the computer in the
original box using the styrofoam insert. When I got
everything hooked up and pushed Start, I got this god-
awful noise that I instantly recognized as a HD
failure.
Luckily, I had already purchased a new HD. So, I
proceeded to install the XP upgrade that I had
purchased
about two months ago to replace the OEM version of
Win98
that came with the system. The HD formatted perfectly
and
I was given instructions to reboot. That's when it all
started to fall apart. First I got the message that XP
couldn't complete installation because I had an upgrade
version of XP. So I proceeded to install using the
Win98
CD that shipped with PC. Again, all is going well
until I
reached a screen that asked me for the Win98 Product
Key.
OOPS! Can't find it. So I contacted Gateway for some
help
and (not to anyone's surprise but mine) was told that
I'd
have to purchase Win98 (but the tech support guy
couldn't
tell me how). So, I contact Microsoft Online Support to
ask the question how I can get the XP software to
complete the installation and once more I get stuck
on a
page that asks me for the XP Product Identification.
Well
I have the XP CD in hand, including the CD package that
has the XP Product Key, but I can't figure out what the
XP Product Identification is. Of course, I'm given
instructions on how to look it up using XP Help and
Support but of course I CAN'T LOOK IT UP ON MY PC
BECAUSE
THERE IS NO OPERATING SYSTEM. Can someone out there
suggest what I can do at this point. I have a perfectly
good Gateway system, a new hard drive, and it's only
good
as a doorstop or boat anchor at this point.
Thanks,
Don Callihan



.

Several years ago, I attempted to purchase a Win98-NT upgrade but to obtain
the upgrade I had to threaten to sue an OEM for false advertising. The OEM's
O/S installation disk was not usable as a qualifying product for an upgrade
yet in their sales literature and ads they had stated that the computer came
with "Microsoft Windows(tm)". They did not say "with an OEM version of
Microsoft Windows" nor did they reveal that the bundled version of Windows
was in any respect not the equivalent of the full retail version. The OEM
sent me a brand new retail version of NT.
Timo

"Jeff Richards" wrote in message
...
[snip]
However, some OEM disks might not be usable as a qualifying product.
[snip]