how to upgrade from 98 to XP

[alisaalthaus]

I have a computer with windows 98, It came with xp but, due to the preferences of my mother, she had 98 put on it. I have a CD with XP on it from a previous computer. I was told that I cannot put xp from this disc onto another computer but that I could try. Sometimes, it works. I managed to get the CD to take but then it came up with a screen that said it was going to install it to the Cartition. The problem is, the Cartition contains win98. It stated that it could not share that partition with win98. I would have to uninstall it. The other problem is what to uninstall. In my add/remove programs, I have the following:
Adobe Acrobat 5.0
Adobe Flash Player ActiveX
Card Reader v1.14e049
Intel(R) 536EP modem drivers and utilities
Internet Explorer Q916281
Microsoft.NET Framework 1.1
Microsoft Data Access Components KB870669
Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 SP1 and Internet Tools
Microsoft Outlook Express 6
Microsoft Windows Critical Update Notification
Nero OEM
Outlook Express Q837009
S3 S3Display
S3 S3Gamma 2
S3 S3Info 2
S3 S3Overlay
Security Update for Windows 98 Ver 1.15
VIA Rhine-Family Fast Ethernet Adapter
VIA Vinyl Audio Codecs Driver Setup Program
Windows 98 KB891711 Update
Windows 98 KB896358 Update
Windows 98 KB908519 Update
Windows 98 KB918547 Update
Windows 98 Q823559 Update
Windows 98 Q840315 Update
Windows 98 Q888113 Update
Windows 98 Q890175 Update
Windows Media Player System update (9 Series)
WinZip
I need to get this 98 completely transferred to xp. If anyone can help, please let me know. There isn't much of anything I need to backup. So this shouldn't be an issue.

 

[carnageX]

Firstly, backup what data you want to keep onto an external source (CD, flash drive, different HDD, etc). Then you'll have to put the XP disc in and choose to reformat the partition that Win98 is on. One question though, do you have a valid/unused serial for XP that you can use to put XP on this machine?

 

[alisaalthaus]

My problem is, at this point, I have 3 choices to pick when I put the CD in. It asks me if I want to : set up windows on the selected item press enter, create a partition in the unpartitioned space press C, or delete the selected partition press D. Under all this is a box that shows Cartition1 (Windows 98) (Fat32) 131067 MB (129789 MB free)

I do have an unused key

 

[zmatt]

Why do you need to keep win98 at all? Get an external hard drive an back up her files. Wipe the drive, install xp and put the files back on. You don't need to worry about the programs because you should have all the discs for them laying around, just reinstall when you have xp on it.

Of course this could all be remedied by buying a new pc. Even the most budget computers on the market today are way faster than that pc.

 

[alisaalthaus]

I don't want 98 at all. I need to figure out how to get XP on the computer. I hit enter and it tells me I have to remove 98. But it doesn't tell me how. That is why I gave the list of options I have. Should I select delete the selected partition or should I create a partiton for XP. I am not a computer whiz so I don't want to mess something up when I do this.

 

[patonb]

Delete and reformat as ntfs

 

[alisaalthaus]

I just pressed that I wanted to delete the selected partition, it came up with the following "Setup is unable to perform the requested operation on the selected partition. This partition contains temporary Setup files that are required to complete the installation." When I press enter, it takes me back to the previous screen. I tried to uninstall 98 from add remove programs. That did not work. Where to go from here....

 

[oldskool]

My problem is, at this point, I have 3 choices to pick when I put the CD in. It asks me if I want to : set up windows on the selected item press enter, create a partition in the unpartitioned space press C, or delete the selected partition press D. Under all this is a box that shows C: Partition1 (Windows 98) (Fat32) 131067 MB (129789 MB free)

I do have an unused key

Highlight the partition that has Windows 98 on it and delete it (press D). You can't remove operating systems from Add/Remove Hardware as you found out, because those procedures are contained withing the operating system itself, in this case Windows 98.

It can't delete itself from inside itself, if that makes any sense. But the screen you came to is the one where you want to delete the unwanted operating system, Win 98, and then it will prompt you from there.

Like Zmatt mentioned, buying a new PC, if it is an option for your mom, would make a lot of sense, since even XP itself is on the way out in terms of Microsoft support for home users that is.

 

[alisaalthaus]

This is where my problem lies. I press D. It then comes up with the following: "Setup is unable to perform the requested operation on the selected partition. This partition contains temporary Setup files that are required to complete the installation." When I press enter, it takes me back to the previous screen.

 

[oldskool]

Did you back up your files yet ? Just format it and start from scratch, have your XP installation CD handy with driver disks handy as well. Format as NTFS file format as PatonB mentioned. XP Setup should guide you through it all.