You can install XP from the upgrade CD without having to install ME.
See the snip from the microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics newsgroup that I
have pasted below.
No, you don't have to and shouldn't install Me first. Just
install XP cleanly. The requirement to use an upgrade version is
to *own* a previous qualifying version's installation CD (with an
OEM restore CD, see below), not to have it installed. When setup
doesn't find a previous qualifying version installed, it will
prompt you to insert its CD as proof of ownership. Just insert
the previous version's CD, and follow the prompts. Everything
proceeds quite normally and quite legitimately.
You can also do a clean installation if you have an OEM restore
CD of a previous qualifying version. It's more complicated, but
it *can* be done. First restore from the Restore CD. Then run the
XP upgrade CD from within that restored system, and change from
Upgrade to New Install. When it asks where, press Esc to delete
the partition and start over.
Just boot from the Windows XP CD (change the BIOS boot order if
necessary to accomplish this) and follow the prompts for a clean
installation (delete the existing partition by pressing "D" when
prompted, then create a new one).
You can find detailed instructions here:
http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html
or here
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/XPClean.htm
or here
http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/clean_install.htm
--
Ken Blake - Microsoft MVP Windows: Shell/User
Please reply to the newsgroup
Ken is one of the "old-timers" in these groups and is also a Microsoft MVP.
Credit to him for helping you by helping others.
"Amy12345" <> wrote in message
news:6A6F5A38-BBF1-45C0-B1F3-...
> Please Help!!
>
> I told my brother that I could clean up his computer by rebooting his
> computer with a startup disk and it should alleviate all his problems.
> However, he was running XP home but had the XP home edition "upgrade" CD
> only. I did not notice before the reboot that he did not have the
> original
> startup CD of Windows ME. I made a major mistake of installing windows xp
> pro from one of my computers and I was going to use his registry and
> activation keys from his computer. Now that I have installed the XP
> prof.,
> of course it will not accept the registry/activation key on the side of
> his
> computer for the XP home upgrade.
>
> Now that i have confused you just as much as i am confused, maybe i can
> attempt and tell you what i think i need. I need a way to install this
> computer's original OS of Windows ME (which I do not have the disk for)
> and
> use the registry key on the side of the computer for ME. Then I need to
> install WindowsXp home edition upgrade disk (which I do have the disk) and
> use the registry key on the side of the computer for XP upgrade.
> Currently,
> I have XP Pro installed and I can not activate it. So it should shut down
> on
> me in 30 days.
>
> Also, im curious, is the activation key the same thing as the registry key
> on the side of the computer?
>
> Please Help!!
>
> Thaks in advance
>
>
Linear Mode
