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Upgrading Motherboard - What Issues Can I Expect? RRS feed

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    I have a 10 year old Sony VAIO that originally came with Windows 95 installed. Over the years, I have dutifully upgraded the machine with legitimate copies of Windows 98 and finally Windows XP, even though XP doesn't claim to support that machine anymore, it does run, and up until recently, it was satisfactory for my purposes.

     

    I finally decided to upgrade the motherboard along with a newer processor and more RAM. The original machine was built before WGA had been invented, so I do not know how my copy of XP Home does validation. I still have the original Certificate of Authenticity, but I don't have my upgrade of Windows 98 anymore (with XP, who needs it?).

     

    Does the WGA software recognize a COA number from an old Windows 95 installation? Can anyone tell me what I can expect vis-a-vis WGA that I might run into before I attempt to modify my machine?

    Sunday, July 22, 2007 1:44 AM

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    KarlUp,

    Assuming you have a retail upgrade license for XP, you WILL NEED the W98 CD in order to do an upgrade installation of XP.  XP will not accept W95 as a qualifying upgrade media or path from which you can upgrade to XP.

     

    If you cannot locate or borrow a W98 CD, then you will have to use a full retail or sysetmbuilder/OEM license to install XP.

    Monday, July 23, 2007 1:59 PM
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    KarlUp,

     

    Yes, a repair reinstallation (aka in-place upgrade) will work, since the XP CD will be "upgrading itself."  If your XP CD is not at SP2 level (assuming the installation of XP is), you will have to make a working installation CD with SP2 integrated.

     

    If you ever want to do a clean installation (almost always preferred over a repair if the situation permits), you'll need "qualifying  media" from a previous Windows OS.  A W98 CD will support both XP Home and Pro upgrades; a WMe CD will only support an XP Home upgrade; WNT and W2K CDs will support only XP Pro upgrades.

    Monday, July 23, 2007 4:08 PM

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    KarlUp,

    Assuming you have a retail upgrade license for XP, you WILL NEED the W98 CD in order to do an upgrade installation of XP.  XP will not accept W95 as a qualifying upgrade media or path from which you can upgrade to XP.

     

    If you cannot locate or borrow a W98 CD, then you will have to use a full retail or sysetmbuilder/OEM license to install XP.

    Monday, July 23, 2007 1:59 PM
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    What if I just move the HDD to the new MOBO with Windows XP intact? I assume I will need to do a repair install, to get the right drivers installed, but the upgrade requirements should be intact, right?
    Monday, July 23, 2007 3:44 PM
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    KarlUp,

     

    Yes, a repair reinstallation (aka in-place upgrade) will work, since the XP CD will be "upgrading itself."  If your XP CD is not at SP2 level (assuming the installation of XP is), you will have to make a working installation CD with SP2 integrated.

     

    If you ever want to do a clean installation (almost always preferred over a repair if the situation permits), you'll need "qualifying  media" from a previous Windows OS.  A W98 CD will support both XP Home and Pro upgrades; a WMe CD will only support an XP Home upgrade; WNT and W2K CDs will support only XP Pro upgrades.

    Monday, July 23, 2007 4:08 PM