XP Upgrade Compatibility
Although Windows XP replaces Windows 98 and Windows 2000 certain specialist drivers like video capture drivers are not compatible with Windows XP and you may have to replace these devices with compatible ones. To assist you in this Microsoft has made available an Upgradeadvisor, which can be downloaded from the Microsoft website. You can use this to verify that a system is ready to be upgraded to Windows XP. It checks the hardware and software for compatibility. If you run this tool while connected to the Internet, the tool also checks Windowsupdate for any software updates that need to be applied prior to upgrading to Windows XP.
Not all versions of Windows can be upgraded to Windows XP and you should use the following table to see whether it is possible. You cannot upgrade an evaluation or server version of Windows to Windows XP.
| Version | Professional | Home |
|---|---|---|
| Any Windows 95 version | No | No |
| Windows 98/98SE | Yes | Yes |
| Windows Me | Yes | Yes |
| Windows NT Workstation 3.51 | No | No |
| Windows NT Workstation 4.0 | Yes | No |
| Windows 2000 Professional | Yes | No |
| Windows XP Home | Yes | N/A |
| Windows XP Professional | N/A | No |
