1: Installing a Client Operating System

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Attended Installation
3. Setup Program (Text Mode)
4. Setup Wizard (Graphical Mode)
5. Install Windows Networking
6. Post Installation
7. Installing over a network
8. Unattended Installation
9. Upgrades
   1. Performing the Upgrade
   2. Uninstalling Windows XP
   3. Dynamic Update
   4. Dual-Booting Windows XP
   5. Migrating User Settings
   6. User State Migration Tool (USMT)
   7. Preparing a Server for USMT
   8. Product Activation
   9. Upgrading SAQs
10. Post-Installation Updates
11. Troubleshooting Failed Installations
12. Troubleshooting SAQs

Performing the Upgrade

Insert the XP product CD and run winnt32.exe from the \i386 directory to upgrade from a previous version of Windows or select Upgrade to Windows XP Professional (Recommended) from the autorun dialog that may appear after the CD is inserted.

Upgrade installations from a network file share are not supported in Windows XP. You must either do a CD-based upgrade or perform a clean installation of Windows XP and re-install needed applications.

Because of registry and program differences between Win95/98 and XP, upgrade packs (or migration DLLs) might be needed. Setup checks for these in the \i386\Win9xmig folder on the Windows XP CD-ROM or in a user specified location.

Run winnt32 /checkupgradeonly to check for compatible hardware and software without starting the installation process. This generates a report indicating which system components are Windows XP compatible.

You will be presented with two upgrade options, Express and Custom.

1. Express upgrade: upgrades Windows installation using current system folder (eg: c:\winnt) and maintains all current settings. MS recommends using the Express upgrade.

2. Custom upgrade: allows you to modify the installation folder, language options, and gives you an opportunity to upgrade file systems formatted with FAT or FAT32 to NTFS.

With Windows 98/ME upgrades, Windows XP provides you with an opportunity to uninstall the new operating system and revert to the old one, but only if you maintain the current FAT or FAT32 file systems. Converting your file system to NTFS will remove this uninstall option.

You will receive an Upgrade Report as part of the upgrade process. Most warnings will involve specific software programs. You will probably be able to run these programs using Compatibility Mode and can safely continue with the upgrade in most instances.

The version of the NTFS file system used by Windows NT 4 is automatically upgraded to the version of NTFS used by Windows XP.

Custom filters created for the older version of NTFS (used by some anti-virus software) may stop working under Windows XP.

Next: Uninstalling Windows XP