Upgrade From XP To Windows 8?

The Governor

We currently have a family PC running XP. We'd like to upgrade to Windows 8. I'm just wondering what's the cheapest way to upgrade? Can the W8 disk be got for under €100? Or maybe an upgrade install is the way to go?

I was looking on the Microsoft store and they offer digital download upgrades for €60 for students, it's Windows 8 Pro N, is that any good?

Here's the link: http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/mseea/en_IE/list/Software-for-Students/categoryID.67793400

If we got that upgrade could it actually be burned to a disk and used for clean installs of 8 in the future? I would ideally like a disk as our connection is slow so large downloads are a pain.

pogcica

You cannot upgrade from XP to win 8 you need to do a clean install so that means backing up your important files,pictures, etc.
If you get a retail version of win 8 you can use it again on another computer in the future should you upgrade.
An OEM version will be tied to the first computer you activate it on.

200motels

An OEM version will be tied to the first computer you activate it on.[/QUOTE]Technically true but most of the time a OEM key will activate windows on another machine as long as the first machine is not using it.

Capt'n Midnight

200motels wrote: »

An OEM version will be tied to the first computer you activate it on.

Technically true but most of the time a OEM key will activate windows on another machine as long as the first machine is not using it.[/QUOTE]And that makes it legal somehow ?

200motels

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

Technically true but most of the time a OEM key will activate windows on another machine as long as the first machine is not using it.

And that makes it legal somehow ?[/QUOTE] I know it's not legal but it's loophole with Microsoft.

yoyo

200motels wrote: »

And that makes it legal somehow ?

I know it's not legal but it's loophole with Microsoft.[/QUOTE]

It's against the Microsoft terms and it's possible a computer activated in such a manner will be blacklisted and go "non-genuine" at some point

Nick

200motels

yoyo wrote: »

I know it's not legal but it's loophole with Microsoft.

It's against the Microsoft terms and it's possible a computer activated in such a manner will be blacklisted and go "non-genuine" at some point

Nick[/QUOTE] I've never know it to happen but then again it could as you say.

PropJoe10

Before you go and buy anything, make sure to run the Microsoft Upgrade Advisor, to make sure your XP machine is capable of running Win 8.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-ie/windows-8/upgrade-from-windows-vista-xp-tutorial

Arsenium

Hi there,

I'm trying to do a clean install of 8.1 on a machine running XP now. Booting from the DVD it starts to copy the installation files over. I have the BIOS set up to boot from the DVD.
After copying the files it reboots. If I boot again from the DVD it just repeats the procedure. If I dont boot from the DVD it goes back into XP.

Any ideas what to do? I presume it should copy the temp files and start the installation?

PropJoe10

Start the process again, select Custom Install when prompted, and when you see the disk to install it to, delete the partitions so you just have one unpartitioned space. Make sure to note that you will lose XP and all files on the PC by doing this, but it'll do a completely fresh install for you. It sounds as if you havent deleted the old XP partition so the computer is still booting into XP instead of continuing with the Windows 8 install.

Arsenium

Thanks Joe. The PC is still running XP. I thought I would be able to put in the windows 8 disk, boot from it and when prompted just pick the option to wipe the XP partition. I have saved all the data off it. The Windows 8 disk boots, puts up a message saying "Loading Files" then it reboots. So I get the "Press any key to boot from the disc". If I choose to boot from the disc, it repeats the process. If I dont choose to boot from the disc it boots to XP.

I guess the best thing is to somehow wipe the XP partition completely before trying to install. I thought I would be able to do it via the Windows 8 disc?

PropJoe10

Arsenium wrote: »

Thanks Joe. The PC is still running XP. I thought I would be able to put in the windows 8 disk, boot from it and when prompted just pick the option to wipe the XP partition. I have saved all the data off it. The Windows 8 disk boots, puts up a message saying "Loading Files" then it reboots. So I get the "Press any key to boot from the disc". If I choose to boot from the disc, it repeats the process. If I dont choose to boot from the disc it boots to XP.

I guess the best thing is to somehow wipe the XP partition completely before trying to install. I thought I would be able to do it via the Windows 8 disc?

Yep you can, but its not all that clear. After you select Custom Installation (which should be the only one you can choose, you cant upgrade directly from XP to 8) you should arrive at a screen where it lists your hard drive partitions. You need to click on Drive Options, and then delete the partitions manually, so you have your drive as unallocated space. Then start the installation. I suspect what you are doing is trying to install Windows 8 on an existing partition, so its basically installing alongside XP. Once you delete the existing partitions, its easy from there.

Arsenium

Arsenium wrote: »

The Windows 8 disk boots, puts up a message saying "Loading Files" then it reboots. So I get the "Press any key to boot from the disc". If I choose to boot from the disc, it repeats the process.

You may have to enable NX in the BIOS to get the disc to boot; this is a required processor function for Windows 8. Might also be listed as XD, No Execute Memory Protection or Execute Disable bit.