Hi, I found some references to StepUp installation in Windows XP. Is it possible to get it by some setupreg.hiv modification? For people doesn't know what is an upgrade media: Microsoft released three versions of Windows installation media for Windows 98 SE/Windows ME. 1. Full installation disc: It supports clean installation normally. It also can upgrade the OS when possible. 2. Upgrade installation disc: It doesn't support clean installation normally. And is sold for cheaper than Full installation discs. It can only upgrade OSes. It's pretty much useless for empty machines. It can upgrade from any possible Windows versions. 3. StepUp installation disc: Like Upgrade installation discs, it doesn't support clean installing normally. However, upgrading processes are restricted unlike normal Upgrade installation discs. I want to give examples on the references I've found:
Win9x upgrade disk did check exclusively for the presence of win.com, all you had to do was to create a windows directory, with a file named win.com inside, to start a fresh install in a blank disk. On the opposite side of the fence OEM ISOs did not support in place upgrades, in that case all you had to do was to rename win.com to something else (no matter if you launched the in place upgrade from DOS or from Windows itself. Maybe in the XP era they improved a bit that "thorough" check.
Here is the reference I found it. It's inside the setupdd key when hive is mounted. There're these values: I'm taking Windows XP Professional SP3 as example. 1. EvalTime (Controls expiration date after installation.) [00 00 00 00] by default. 2. StepUp (This is what I'm trying to do.) [00] by default. 3. CPUs (Restricts CPU as I now.) [00 00 00 00] by default. 4. ProductSuite (Contains edition info.) [00 00 00 00] by default. 5. It's currently unknown. I don't know what it is used for. [00 00 00] by default. Here is what we'll see on Windows XP Professional ISO normally: Code: [00 00 00 00] [00] [00 00 00 00] [00 00 00 00] [00 00 00] EvalTime StepUp CPUs ProductSuite Unknown I tried to set the StepUp value to 01 and 02. It didn't make any difference. I'm trying to make in place upgrade disc. I don't know if I need to edit something else too.