The Typical Upgrade Installation

The upgrade installation is the easiest way to convert an old PC to Windows XP. Not every previous version of Windows has the same upgrade path, however. Check Table A.1 to see if and how you can upgrade from your current operating system.

Table A.1. Upgrade Options for Windows XP

If you have this version of Windows	You can upgrade to this version of Windows XP
Windows 3.1	No upgrade possible; clean install required
Windows 95	No upgrade possible; clean install required
Windows 98 (first edition)	Windows XP Home Edition or Windows XP Professional
Windows 98 Special Edition (SE)	Windows XP Home Edition or Windows XP Professional
Windows Millennium Edition (Me)	Windows XP Home Edition or Windows XP Professional
Windows NT 3.51 Workstation	No upgrade possible; clean install required
Windows NT 4 Workstation	Windows XP Professional
Windows 2000 Professional	Windows XP Professional

In addition, you can easily upgrade from Windows XP Home Edition to Windows XP Professional.

Before You Upgrade

Before you upgrade, make the effort to download the latest version of all your key hardware drivers. Go to the manufacturer's Web site, or to DriverGuide.com, and grab the Windows 2000 or Windows NT version of all your drivers. (Because XP is based on Windows NT/2000, it uses those drivers not the drivers used in Windows 9X/Me.) Store these drivers in a handy folder on your hard drive, in case you need to install those drivers post-installation. (Trust me on this one. The only problems I ran into during numerous XP upgrades were with 9X/Me drivers that had to be upgraded to 2000/NT versions.)

When you first start the Windows XP installation program, it runs a utility called the Windows Upgrade Advisor. This little program analyzes all the hardware and software on your system and prepares a report that lists any items that might cause problems under Windows XP.

TIP

It's always a good idea to close all running programs before attempting any new software installation. In addition, be sure to turn off any antivirus program that may be running in the background.

Examine this report carefully before proceeding with the installation. If you see a critical component that Windows thinks might cause problems, cancel the installation and download any new drivers that might alleviate the problem. (Remember to get the Windows 2000 or NT drivers unless specific Windows XP drivers are already available.) If it looks like there will be more problems than you can deal with, delay the installation until you can discuss your situation with Microsoft technical support.

During the Installation

When you've prepared yourself as best you can for any potential problems, then you can proceed with the installation.

After running the Windows Update Advisor, the Windows XP installation program makes a backup copy of your previous operating system. This way if the installation goes bad, you can uninstall XP and reinstall your previous version of Windows.

From here on out, the installation proceeds automatically. It's slow and plodding, but rather solid. You shouldn't run into too many (if any) problems. Just be patient and wait for the entire operation to finish. Then you'll be up-and-running and ready to start using Windows XP.