Save software when updating o/s

[fourlanded]

Hello

This is probably a bit of a blonde question, but, I got my son a computer from school when they udated their machines and it has loads of educational software loaded, that he enjoys using. Is it possible to upgrade to XP without losing the software? He doesn't have a suitable cd drive for burning copies of the software, and I wouldn't know how to ensure I had copied all the right files anyway?

[Miz]

If you install XP over top of the current Windows 98 (which is not recommended due to the almost endless supply of problems possible), some of the software may still work, some may not. There are older programs out there that just don't play well with XP.

Backing up programs by copying their files to another location almost always fails. That is, I've never known it to succeed except with the rare program that installs itself entirely in one folder.

When software is installed, it puts files all over the drive and makes registry entries. While finding all those files and registry entries, backing them up and then getting them restored in exactly the right places may not be impossible, it's got to be pretty close to impossible.

I suggest you download and run Windows XP Upgrade Advisor (http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/upgrading/advisor.mspx) before proceeding.

[fourlanded]

Thanks for that. It confirms that I am wanting to do something that is just about impossible!