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I've wiped an old PC and would like to put a copy of XP Pro upgrade edition on it. However, I no longer have my old XP Home and Windows 98 discs for when it asks for a previous version's disc.

Any way to get around this?

Thanks

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2 Answers

up vote 4 down vote accepted

It's a bit tricky but it can be done.

When Windows Setup is checking for proof of eligibility on a Windows 98 CD, it doesn’t necessarily look at the contents of the files in the win98 directory, it just looks at the names.

Use the directory listing below to create a bunch of zero byte files with the proper file names and extensions, copy them into a folder called win98 (nevermind the other files and folders of the original windows 98 CD), burn this folder onto a CD and insert this disk when prompted.

You can even create a FULL Windows XP Installation CD with this little 'trick', here's a tutorial:

Making An XP Full Install Disc From An XP Upgrade Disc

and while you're at it, i recommend to slipstream service pack 3 into the installation CD.

Contents of the Win98 Folder (from a Microsoft Windows 98 SE CDROM)

Base4      cab       168,448  4/23/1999    10:22p
Base5      cab     1,802,240  4/23/1999    10:22p
Base6      cab       192,259  4/23/1999    10:22p
Catalog3   cab       274,470  4/23/1999    10:22p
Chl99      cab        14,451  4/23/1999    10:22p
Deltemp    com           496  4/23/1999    10:22p
Dossetup   bin       168,096  4/23/1999    10:22p
Driver11   cab     1,461,760  4/23/1999    10:22p
Driver12   cab     1,802,240  4/23/1999    10:22p
Driver13   cab     1,802,240  4/23/1999    10:22p
Driver14   cab     1,802,240  4/23/1999    10:22p
Driver15   cab     1,802,240  4/23/1999    10:22p
Driver16   cab     1,802,240  4/23/1999    10:22p
Driver17   cab     1,802,240  4/23/1999    10:22p
Driver18   cab     1,802,240  4/23/1999    10:22p
Driver19   cab     1,802,240  4/23/1999    10:22p
Driver20   cab     1,796,920  4/23/1999    10:22p
Extract    exe        93,242  4/23/1999    10:22p
Intl       txt         6,594  4/23/1999    10:22p
Mini       cab       686,042  4/23/1999    10:22p
Net10      cab       339,985  4/23/1999    10:22p
Net7       cab     1,609,728  4/23/1999    10:22p
Net8       cab     1,802,240  4/23/1999    10:22p
Net9       cab     1,802,240  4/23/1999    10:22p
Ols       <dir>   37,222,546  4/23/1999    10:22p
Precopy1   cab     1,331,200  4/23/1999    10:22p
Precopy2   cab     1,351,645  4/23/1999    10:22p
Save32     com           920  4/23/1999    10:22p
Scandisk   exe       143,818  4/23/1999    10:22p
Scandisk   pif           995  4/23/1999    10:22p
Scanprog   exe         4,438  4/23/1999    10:22p
Scanreg    exe       165,502  4/23/1999    10:22p
Setup      exe         5,712  4/23/1999    10:22p
Setup      txt        37,299  4/23/1999    10:22p
Setup0     wav       439,824  4/23/1999    10:22p
Setup1     wav        14,924  4/23/1999    10:22p
Setup2     wav        14,992  4/23/1999    10:22p
Smartdrv   exe        45,379  4/23/1999    10:22p
Suback     bin       229,680  4/23/1999    10:22p
Sucatreg   exe        77,824  4/23/1999    10:22p
Suhelper   bin         1,472  4/23/1999    10:22p
Tour      <dir>   17,098,410  4/23/1999    10:22P
W98setup   bin       168,096  4/23/1999    10:22p
Wb16off    exe           537  4/23/1999    10:22p
Win98_21   cab         5,120  4/23/1999    10:22p
Win98_22   cab     1,802,240  4/23/1999    10:22p
Win98_23   cab     1,802,240  4/23/1999    10:22p
Win98_24   cab     1,802,240  4/23/1999    10:22p
Win98_25   cab     1,802,240  4/23/1999    10:22p
Win98_26   cab     1,802,240  4/23/1999    10:22p
Win98_27   cab     1,802,240  4/23/1999    10:22p
Win98_28   cab     1,802,240  4/23/1999    10:22p
Win98_29   cab     1,802,240  4/23/1999    10:22p
Win98_30   cab     1,802,240  4/23/1999    10:22p
Win98_31   cab     1,802,240  4/23/1999    10:22p
Win98_32   cab     1,802,240  4/23/1999    10:22p
Win98_33   cab     1,802,240  4/23/1999    10:22p
Win98_34   cab     1,802,240  4/23/1999    10:22p
Win98_35   cab     1,802,240  4/23/1999    10:22p
Win98_36   cab     1,802,240  4/23/1999    10:22p
Win98_37   cab     1,802,240  4/23/1999    10:22p
Win98_38   cab     1,802,240  4/23/1999    10:22p
Win98_39   cab     1,802,240  4/23/1999    10:22p
Win98_40   cab     1,802,240  4/23/1999    10:22p
Win98_41   cab     1,802,240  4/23/1999    10:22p
Win98_42   cab     1,802,240  4/23/1999    10:22p
Win98_43   cab     1,802,240  4/23/1999    10:22p
Win98_44   cab     1,802,240  4/23/1999    10:22p
Win98_45   cab     1,802,240  4/23/1999    10:22p
Win98_46   cab     1,802,240  4/23/1999    10:22p
Win98_47   cab     1,802,240  4/23/1999    10:22p
Win98_48   cab     1,802,240  4/23/1999    10:22p
Win98_49   cab     1,802,240  4/23/1999    10:22p
Win98_50   cab     1,802,240  4/23/1999    10:22p
Win98_51   cab     1,802,240  4/23/1999    10:22p
Win98_52   cab     1,802,240  4/23/1999    10:22p
Win98_53   cab     1,802,240  4/23/1999    10:22p
Win98_54   cab     1,802,240  4/23/1999    10:22p
Win98_55   cab     1,802,240  4/23/1999    10:22p
Win98_56   cab     1,802,240  4/23/1999    10:22p
Win98_57   cab     1,802,240  4/23/1999    10:22p
Win98_58   cab     1,802,240  4/23/1999    10:22p
Win98_59   cab     1,802,240  4/23/1999    10:22p
Win98_60   cab     1,802,240  4/23/1999    10:22p
Win98_61   cab     1,802,240  4/23/1999    10:22p
Win98_62   cab     1,802,240  4/23/1999    10:22p
Win98_63   cab     1,802,240  4/23/1999    10:22p
Win98_64   cab     1,802,240  4/23/1999    10:22p
Win98_65   cab     1,802,240  4/23/1999    10:22p
Win98_66   cab     1,802,240  4/23/1999    10:22p
Win98_67   cab     1,802,240  4/23/1999    10:22p
Win98_68   cab     1,802,240  4/23/1999    10:22p
Win98_69   cab     1,802,240  4/23/1999    10:22p
Win98_70   cab     1,802,240  4/23/1999    10:22p
Win98_71   cab     1,802,240  4/23/1999    10:22p
Win98_72   cab     1,802,240  4/23/1999    10:22p
Win98_73   cab     1,802,240  4/23/1999    10:22p
Win98_74   cab       771,436  4/23/1999    10:22p
Win98_ol   cab     1,708,985  4/23/1999    10:22p
Xmsmmgr    exe        14,144  4/23/1999    10:22p
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The link to "Making An XP Full Install Disc From An XP Upgrade Disc" is broken; here's a working one: tzs108.wordpress.com/2006/04/05/… – Ed Brannin Sep 23 '11 at 0:04
up vote 1 down vote

Aside from downloading a copy of the OS from the internet (which is illegal, so don't do it), I don't know a workaround. If you have a restore disc for that PC, what you can do is restore the PC. Then when booted into that OS (whether it is 98 or ME, or XP Home), put in the disc and choose to do an upgrade. I believe you can actually boot of the CD and this will still work but I'm not 100% positive. Since the CD sees that a previous version of the OS is already installed on the hard drive, you don't actually need a disc to prove that you have a previous version.

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Yea, I'm definitely not looking for anything illegal, thanks for the response, but I don't have the disc. – th3dude Jan 17 '10 at 20:51
Actually, I found a restore disc for another machine, so I'm using that and doing as you suggested. Marked as correct answer since you saying 'restore disc' made me realize that I had another one :) Thanks! – th3dude Jan 17 '10 at 20:54
Nice, glad I could help :) – Marcin Jan 17 '10 at 20:55

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