Do I need every version of every Windows product?

[JosephLeo]

Hey guys, as some of you know I am going to soon turn my hobby into a career and I would like to know something that I just really can't google.

You see, I haven't really had to many system restore projects. I think I'm lucky I guess because I've only done 3 system restores in my entire lifetime out of the 100's of PC's I have succesfully repaired.

Now, I know it's a very noobish question but I still feel I need to ask it. Do I need EVERY version of EVERY windows product to properly do a system restore on a computer?

For example, can a Windows XP Pro cd automatically determine if the code I entered is a 64 or 32-bit edition, international edition, XP home edition, Tablet edition, OEM edition, etc.? Does the same apply to a Windows 95 disk? How about 98, ME, 2000, Vista and 7? Is there a way I can buy these CD's? And finally, Can you do me the favor of not bashing on me too hard? Like I said before I've been lucky enough to only have to do a system restore only 3 times in my life and all 3 times the "customer" (family members) had the restore cd's off hand.

 

[basic]

I don't think you need to have everything under the sun from the get-go. It's more like something you build up over time as customers bring their restore discs to you. I'd say for now you need the different versions of XP and Vista at the minimum.

 

[JosephLeo]

I have lots of friends and family who are still running Windows ME (Ugh, I know!) and Windows 2000. My uncle in fact still runs Windows 98! So if my family and friends often have extremely dated software, wouldn't that mean that the general public also has the same give or take a percentage or two?

 

[bagellad]

No, id just get XP home, and pro, vista ultimate.. nlite them. anyone with ME or whatever, just sell them an update typically if you cant fix the issue.... an me cd or win 98 cd will probably cost like 5 dollars.

 

[JosephLeo]

Thanks. But what about the main issue.

Is there a difference between

• Windows XP Home
  • 32-Bit
  • 64-Bit
  • OEM Edition
  • Tablet Edition
  • Etc.
• Windows XP Pro
  • 32-Bit
  • 64-Bit
  • OEM Edition
  • Tablet Edition
  • Etc.

Or can I just use the two disk?

 

[Blues]

The question of how far back with version to go is dependant on area so feel out the market and see what you can tell about what people use. The real trouble is with XP, and Vista too I think, and getting the OEM flavors for different manufacturers.

 

[NickCat11]

No some of those are quite different, especially Tablet Edition and 64 bit versions.

You can convert some of the other versions into each other in terms of accepting keys. E.g. you can convert XP Professional Retail in XP Professional OEM quite easily so it will accept OEM keys.

You just change a code in the setupp.ini file: h(ttp://wiki.lunarsoft.net/wiki/Product_IDs) which will allow you to enter the relevant class of product key.

The easiest way I found was to copy the installation disk to your harddrive, change the code and use nlite to rebuild the bootable disk. Supposedly best to use the correct volume label too.

You can't convert 32 to 64 obviously. And you can't convert Home to Professional etc.

Search for posts on the 9-in-1 disks too.

Nlite and Vlite are good programs to use in conjunction with this.