Upgrading XP Home to Pro

[Veiva]

Do I have to have a Windows XP Home Disc to upgrade to Pro? Or just my pruduct key? My computer came pre-installed with Home, and that is why I have no CD.

Also, do I have to have XP Home installed then to upgrade to XP Pro? Or could I do a fresh format?

Thanks.

[bsquirle]

I suppose you'll be able to preform a clean install.

(it was possible when installing windows ME upgrade edition, so I don't think they changed that)

And in that case, you'll only need yout product key.

But you can always do like I did.

Copy a Windows XP home disc from somebody else.

(but don't copy the product key)

That way you're sure you can reinstall your old windows, and since you have a legal product key, i think it's legal to copy the CD.

(correct me if I'm wrong.)

GREETZ

[Veiva]

Could I posibly just burn the i386 folder to a CD too if it asks for a CD? OR would that not work and I'd have to be (rather expesive) XP Pro Full?

[bsquirle]

the i386 folder would be enough I think.

I already preformed an install from just that folder.

But if the folder was pre-installed, make sure it has all the files, my laptop's I386 folder from Acer did miss some files.

If you have windows XP home, I think you don't have to by the expensive windows XP pro full.

[Veiva]

How would I find all the files that are supposed to be in the folder?

[bsquirle]

Either you try to install windows from that folder, or you wait a couple of minutes and I'll create a list with the files.

[dreamthief]

what are you two talking bout?

If you have the Windows XP Pro disc, just put it in and install. It will upgrade from Home to Pro if you have Home installed. Key in your Pro product key ID and activate. That's it.

For fresh install, you dont need Home, just straight away install Pro.

Note that the situation above changes when, you have the Pro upgrade version and not the full version. If it's an upgrade version, then you require Home,98, ME or any OS the upgrade pack allows upgrading from installed.

Just FYI, MS doesn't allow Pro -> Home, only Home -> Pro.

[Joel]

For fresh install, you dont need Home, just straight away install Pro.

You do if you want to do a fresh install using an upgrade disk. You would need the original full version of something in the Pro upgrade path to justify the use of the upgrade disk, otherwise Windows will stop.

[bsquirle]

what are you two talking bout?

If you have the Windows XP Pro disc, just put it in and install. It will upgrade from Home to Pro if you have Home installed. Key in your Pro product key ID and activate. That's it.

For fresh install, you dont need Home, just straight away install Pro.

Note that the situation above changes when, you have the Pro upgrade version and not the full version. If it's an upgrade version, then you require Home,98, ME or any OS the upgrade pack allows upgrading from installed.

Just FYI, MS doesn't allow Pro -> Home, only Home -> Pro.

I think he uses an UPGRADE version of windows XP pro.

AND

he asked if he could do a CLEAN install.

(no upgrade)

(that's what I understanded)

EDIT: forgot to add those file lists.

(this is the one of the preinstalled (working) i386 dir)

i386.txt

[bsquirle]

Isn't there a way to upload 2 files in 1 post?

Anyway, second one

This one is from the install disk I copied from a friend (it was originally supplied by Medion).

i386cd.txt

[Joel]

Isn't there a way to upload 2 files in 1 post?

Not yet, wait for IPB 2.0