As far as the clean install from Upgrade:
I did a clean install using the upgrade disk, and when I tried to verify my key after installation, it told me that it recognized it as an upgrade key, and so it wasn't valid for use after a clean installation. :/
I can run a custom install, and see if it works any better, though.
I got the link, checked the download for the 64bit .iso, and found that that's the same .iso I've been using for my bootable USB. I've been refreshing the programming on my bootable USB over this past week -since I've been attempting to debug this for a week now, with no success- and I've used that .iso to make the USB bootable fresh every couple days or so, including last night, which was my most recent install.
Regardless of which .iso I'm using, though, Windows Update tells me that I'm missing SP1, and that I need to download it.
Similarly, My Computer->Properties / Winver.exe confirms that I don't have SP1 installed, so I'm not sure why it's not recognizing it. If I have it, I mean.
Am I confused that this is XP? No.
Do I think I need to install a bunch of
drivers? I'm not sure, honestly. I've installed pretty much nothing aside from MSE, DirectX, and my graphics drivers, and I can't even manage to get my browsers to work properly.
Pardon the tone of frustration here, but it's hardly as if I haven't been reading around and trying to solve this problem for a while now. The Windows 7 install can be as
driver-complete as you think, but when I boot up, install my internet, and find out that there's 96 different updates that I need to grab through Windows Update, it doesn't
seem to be nearly as complete as people like to say it is.
96 recommended updates, that is. I had 50-60 optional updates to install, too.