Upgrading Windows XP home edtion to Windows XP Professional

I need to upgrade from Windows XP home editon to XP professional. I have a
full verison of XP professional. Can I use the full version to upgrade--does
the full version automatically detect the home version and then just proceeds
with an "in-place" upgrade (meaning it keeps all my current software and
settings while upgrading)?? Do I need to update the BIOS on my machine
before doing this? What else should/need I to do? I was hoping that I could
just throw the CD in and let it upgrade without any hassles. . .

THanks!

Patrick

semiotic wrote:
> I need to upgrade from Windows XP home editon to XP professional. I have a
> full verison of XP professional. Can I use the full version to upgrade--does
> the full version automatically detect the home version and then just proceeds
> with an "in-place" upgrade (meaning it keeps all my current software and
> settings while upgrading)??


WinXP is designed to install and upgrade the existing operating
system while simultaneously preserving your applications and data, and
translating as many personalized settings as possible. The process is
designed to be, and normally is, quite painless. That said, things can
go wrong, in a small number of cases. If your data is at all important
to you, back it up before proceeding.

Normally, the upgrade from WinXP Home to WinXP Pro, in particular,
almost always goes smoothly, as both operating systems use the same kernel.



> Do I need to update the BIOS on my machine
> before doing this?


No, of course not. Why would such a question even arise? The WinXP
Home and WinXP Pro versions are _identical_ when it
comes to performance, stability, and device driver and software
application compatibility.


> What else should/need I to do?


If your data is at all important to you, back it up before proceeding;
things can go wrong, in a small number of cases.


> I was hoping that I could
> just throw the CD in and let it upgrade without any hassles. . .
>

Other than the precautionary backup of important data, that's pretty
much it.


--

Bruce Chambers

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semiotic wrote:

> I need to upgrade from Windows XP home editon to XP professional.


Can you explain why you *need* to do this? Very few home users need to.


> I
> have a full verison of XP professional. Can I use the full version
> to upgrade--does the full version automatically detect the home
> version and then just proceeds with an "in-place" upgrade (meaning it
> keeps all my current software and settings while upgrading)??


Yes. However, be aware of the following:

1. The OEM version, which many people unfortunately confuse with the Full
Retail version, can *not* do upgrades--only clean installations. Make sure
yours is a Full Retail version, not an OEM one.

2. Although it's the easiest and most-likely successful of all possible
upgrades, there are no guarantees that it always works perfectly. However
unlikely, it's always possible that something might go wrong. For that
reason it's prudent to be sure you have a backup of anything you can't
afford to lose before beginning.



> Do I
> need to update the BIOS on my machine before doing this?


No.


> What else
> should/need I to do? I was hoping that I could just throw the CD in
> and let it upgrade without any hassles. . .


As I said, be sure you have a backup before beginning.

--
Ken Blake - Microsoft MVP Windows: Shell/User
Please reply to the newsgroup

And the other problem you may have is if the "full" version
of XP Pro is pre SP2 and you have Home with SP 2 installed.
If so your in-place upgrade would result in an error that
says that your are attempting to install an older version
than currently installed. The fix here would be to either
uninstall SP2 and then upgrade and reinstall SP2 or
slip-stream the SP 2 onto the Pro install (which I
recommend) See autostreamer here:
http://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=223562,
scroll down to the downloads and then use the top of the two
sites. The first site should automatically start the
download. The second site takes you to ebay.\

For other information on slip-streaming updates onto a
install cd, Google for it.


"semiotic" <semiotic@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
message
news:64A0E7D5-8171-42A4-8C5E-E2B851FDBAAD@microsoft.com...
>I need to upgrade from Windows XP home editon to XP
>professional. I have a
> full verison of XP professional. Can I use the full
> version to upgrade--does
> the full version automatically detect the home version and
> then just proceeds
> with an "in-place" upgrade (meaning it keeps all my
> current software and
> settings while upgrading)?? Do I need to update the BIOS
> on my machine
> before doing this? What else should/need I to do? I was
> hoping that I could
> just throw the CD in and let it upgrade without any
> hassles. . .
>
> THanks!
>
> Patrick

check here http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/upgrade_tips.htm

Xandros

semiotic wrote:
> I need to upgrade from Windows XP home editon to XP professional. I have a
> full verison of XP professional. Can I use the full version to upgrade--does
> the full version automatically detect the home version and then just proceeds
> with an "in-place" upgrade (meaning it keeps all my current software and
> settings while upgrading)?? Do I need to update the BIOS on my machine
> before doing this? What else should/need I to do? I was hoping that I could
> just throw the CD in and let it upgrade without any hassles. . .
>
> THanks!
>
> Patrick