What is Installing Windows XP

I purchased my current system at a garage sale - it contained Windows XP Pro. When I attempt to upgrade it Microsoft tells me it is an invalid Product Key - I have now purchased a valid Winodws XP Pro CD - and would like to replace the existing OS without loosing any of the other programs or data (I don't want to Fdisk or format)

Please advise what I can do.

Thank you.

This question was answered on September 2, 2003. Much of the information contained herein may have changed since posting.

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Hello..

Wow this is kind of complicated here.

See what happens is with XP when you upgrade new hardware in a computer it ask you for your product key because it see's it as a whole new computer together Now since you purchased a new Windows XP CD everything should be okay when you install that one because you will know the product key Only thing, this is where it gets tricky, you dont want to loose your information during install Well only option you have from what i can see is back up all your information on to a CD ROM Via cd burner or you can back it up to a zip disk Once all of your information is backed up then you can proceed to install windows XP Thats the only option with windows xp either you install on a serperate partition or you install it over the whole hard drive Either way it formats it and erases all data

So overall i suggest you backing it up and then installing XP

I hope this has helped you

Good Luck

- Stanley Alexander

About the author

Posted by Student of Katharine Gibbs School - New York on September 2, 2003

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