The only difference is in the price. The Upgrade is cheaper, but it will check your cd and/or hard drive to make sure you own a copy of Windows 98 or another version of Windows. The Full is about $100 more, and it will not check to see if you have an earlier version of windows. Only buy the upgrade if you have the Windows 98 CD. If you start the installation from Windows, you won't need the CD. if you don't, you may be asked for the CD of windows 98. This 98 cd CANNOT be a restore disk from the manufacturer; it must be a Microsoft Windows 98 CD from microsoft.

"it must be a Microsoft Windows 98 CD from microsoft"

 

No, that's not accurated. It can certainly be an OEM (Retail, Dell, or any other OEM) version. It does NOT HAVE TO BE a retail version from Microsoft.

Thanks. I'll go for the upgrade. I wasn't sure that I could jump from Win 98 to XP. Sounds like I can.

I agree with elevator expert,

Upgrade versions are cheaper. But I'd prefer to use a full version instead, why, it doesn't need a previous installation of Windows to be installed... Benefits? You can clean install Windows, without having to install a previous version. So basically time.

 

Depending on what concerns you, you can take your decision

I thought the decision was simple (for me). I went to Amazon to get the upgrade and, once again, came up with questions.This should not be brain surgery. They had various prices from various sellers. That was ok,but Amazon then specified "platforms". I took this as meaning the platform I would be converting FROM. That limited my choice down to a full install (no saving money there). They had XP and 95 and others. Nothing that specified 98. I have a legal 98 operating system, and I think I can find a legal disk. What do you suggest?

there's only one english upgrade that I'm aware of. Any of them should work. Just buy any of them. I'm not sure but i think you can just buy any xp upgrade product. I cannot guarantee anything will work, though, but I believe any upgrade version will work.

 

If in doubt, just buy the full version of windows xp.

You've been told a few times now that an upgrade version is perfectly OK. You're absolutely right - "This should not be brain surgery". If you want to waste the extra money, then by all means go ahead and purchase a full version.