Clean Install Using XP UPGRADE and OEM supplied Prior Verisi

[Flaggingred]

I tried to do a clean install using my Gateway supplied version of W98 and the XP upgrade cd. I knew it would ask for the old cd, but didn't think it would be a problem- I have it, it's mine, it's registered, it's clean.

About 45 seconds into the procedure it asked for the prior version CD, I popped it in, XP said there was nothing on there. Tried again. Tried again from scratch. Same result. MS tech Support said I just had to enter my key. I asked where. Thirty minutes on hold he comes back and says he was wrong, I needed a CD, and get this: I should get another copy from Gateway! They offered to send me a copy of W98SE, but it would take two weeks.

Hey folks here's the bottom line- to do a "clean install," you probably have to reinstall your prior (OEM) version before you can use the XP Upgrade package.

Hello Microsoft- isn't that just about the entire population? Hello Microsoft why can't Windows XP EXPLORE a cd? Hello Microsoft why can't I enter my old key anywhere? Hello Microsoft, ever hear of Overnight Delivery?

[MSNwar]

Actually, Gateway distributes a "custom" MS OEM CD with all of its computers. Dell, Compaq, and Packard Bell also do the same. The four manufacturers create a seperate partition on your hard drive (at the outter edge of the hard drive platter) that is read during setup of a new Windows OS. A user usually cannot change/upgrade the Windows OS when a new edition is released, even a retail edition. The purpose is to keep inexperienced users from mucking up the OS. This does not apply to "all" models - just select models.

You have three choices:

One. Wait for the CD from Gateway, recommended.

Two. Examine the CD, and look for a win98 folder. Within the folder is oemsetup.exe or setup.exe. (This is not the same as the setup.exe in the root of the CD). Run oemsetup.exe or setup.exe from the win98 folder to perform a clean install. This 'will not' remove the partition I mentioned in paragraph one. However, your system will have a clean installation of your version of Windows. Be advised that this method will not always install any hardware and software drivers and at times will not install any nice software that came with the PC. For that you have to navigate the directories of the CD and run each installation seperately. This method may (or) may not allow you to install WinXP! That depends on how clever Gateway was when they created the CD.

Three. This will always work but takes a lot-of-work on your part. And you don't have to wait for a CD from Gateway. This is a two step process not for the faint of heart.

Step One. If you have a CD Writer you can burn a copy of your OEM CD. The trick is to substitute the setup.exe found in the root with setup.exe from the win98 folder. There have been instances where a call to the sys.ini aborts the installation at some point. Again, depends on how Gateway created the file structure of the original. In this case a 0 Fill of the hard drive must be accomplished to remove the partition I discussed earlier. Thats step Two.

Step Two. Obtain a 0 Fill utility from the hard drive manufacturer and select 0 Fill, delete all partitions, recreate new partitions and new master boot records. Now you have a clean hard drive. Important that you follow 0 Fill instructins to the letter or you will end up with a very unuseable hard drive!!! Then use the OEM Copy and install your OS. Then install XP.

Method three is tricky and can again leave your hard drive unuseable. I have a moto. If you want to run with the the big dogs you have to get off the porch.

MSNwar - The Fat Man

[XPerties]

Well basically if you have a high speed connection go grab you a warez copy of 98 or 2000 and burn the iso. Then when it ask pop it in. Promblem is the "OEM disk you got with your gateway" has a bunch of other stuff on so its fowling it up.

-XPerties

[Guest LouCypher]

Well basically if you have a high speed connection go grab you a warez copy of 98 or 2000 and burn the iso. Then when it ask pop it in. Promblem is the "OEM disk you got with your gateway" has a bunch of other stuff on so its fowling it up.[/quote:3706889d39]

He doesn't even have to burn it. Just a copy of the WIN9X or I386 directories on his HD would be enough, as long as it can look for the files it needs. He can extract those w/ ISOBuster or WinISO, or mount he image in Daemon Tools and copy the files manually.

[Niebelung]

Okay, not sure if this will be helpful or just plain confusing, but here goes. I am a trainer for a company who takes outsourced Gateway TS calls. Unfortunately, Gateway has not identifed this as a known issue yet, but every tech who corners me in the hallways at work has taken 20 of these calls per day or more. While teaching two classes simultaneously, there hasn't been much time for research, so I had been telling them to transfer the calls to MS until further word from GW, but apparently that's not the way to go, hmm?

I do know one thing. GW's OEM XP upgrade will only work w/ GW's OEM version of ME, not 98 or 98SE.

Also, GW (in their infinite wisdom) will not ship out older versions of Windows: they MIGHT sell you one (if they're even still in stock), but they will not send you a free windows OS.

Some of the techs had said that if you write zeroes to the HDD, then load ME, then load the upgrade immediately afterwards, that it works. I haven't tested it myself yet, but doesn't that sound like a typical solution to a GW/MS issue?

~ Niebelung