Re: How do I get Microsoft to fulfil their legal obligation to provide
- From: "Shenan Stanley" <newshelper@xxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 27 Dec 2005 10:45:33 -0600
Tony wrote:
> I am having great difficulity finding a way of getting some
> support out of Microsoft !!!!. I have purchased a "full" edition
> of Microsoft Windows XP which I intend to use to upgrade my old
> Windows 98 operating system ... The best I can get it to do is a
> dual boot sytem with Windows 98 and Windows XP !. I have tried
> every possible combination to get this to work, but to no avail
> !!!. Why on earth anybody would want a a dual boot system with two
> flavours of Windows is beyound me. Obviously if I stick the
> Windows XP instalation disk in my Windows 98 box, I am going to
> want to upgrade my old operating system ... Why can't I get it to
> do this ?. Is my "full" version not a full version ???. What do I
> need to do to get it to do an upgrade from 98 to XP ???. Why is
> it that there is no way of emailing Microsoft from their website
> for basic support, such as they are legally obliged to provide for
> their products ???.
I must ask a simple question.. What do you mean by "Full" edition of
Microsoft Windows XP?
There are several flavors of "Full" editions of Windows XP.
In general for the public - there are:
- Retail Edition (nice box, usually a CD Case, usually the sticker that has
the CD key is on the CD case or the Certificate of Authenticity.)
- Upgrade edition (similar to retail edition - less expensive.)
- OEM edition (no box - maybe a flat piece of cardboard wrapped in
cellophane and the certificate of authenticity and a sticker containing the
CD key - so it can be stuck on the machine in question.)
If you have either of the first two - you are in luck. Here is how you
"upgrade" your Windows 98 machine. Start the machine in Windows 98. Log
in. My opinion is that you should do some preparation.. Uninstall
applications you do not need/use, run a full antivirus scan and antispyware
scan, scandisk and then defragment. Then - in general - you are ready to
insert the Windows XP CD - while in Windows. Follow the prompts and it
should lead you through an UPGRADE - you have to remember that you want to
do an UPGRADE - not a parallel install (some people would prefer the
parallel install because of old software that will not function under
Windows XP or that they believe functions better under Windows 98.)
If you have the latter - you are unlucky (actually - you didn't do your
research and that is what you ended up with by 'saving money' on the
purchase.) An OEM version can only be used to do a fresh install. It
cannot "upgrade" a current install. Also - you do not get support direct
from Microsoft with an OEM - the people you purchased the OEM from and the
person who installs it are your support.
As for getting help from Microsoft - you should learn to search more
effectively. If you go to http://www.microsoft.com/ and look at the options
at the bottom of the page (where most web pages keep their contact info) -
you will see a link to : "Contact Us" - which if followed takes you to:
http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/?ws=mscom
Which has different sections pretty clearly labeled. You probably want
"Product Help and Support", and then "Contact a support professional by
phone or e-mail for help if you purchased the product separately." which
gets you here:
http://support.microsoft.com/gp/assistsupport
Where you would choose "Windows XP" and then have to choose your country,
your exact product (version of XP), and then which support you want/are
eligible for.
--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
.
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