Home or Pro?

[Mikey]

One of the people at work brought in kid's computer, saying it
wouldn't boot.
After BIOS messages, I just get a black screen, so I thought a repair
install would do the trick.
Now the fun starts, they think it's running XP, & don't know if it's
home or pro, much less SP1 or SP2!
I booted off of 2 different Pro disks, SP1 & SP2, but wasn't given the
option of chosing which XP installation I wanted to repair.
Should I take this as an indicator that it's running Home? I would
just try booting from a Home disk, but I don't have one of them.
I can boot off a Knoppix CD & see the HD & all its contents.
Is there a way to get the product key when accessing from another
computer, whether booting from Knoppix disk, or putting into working
computer as a slave drive?
Thanks for any advice.

 

[LVTravel]

Are you getting any error message on the screen about can't find NTLDR or
any other error messages at all or does the XP screen show? What is the last
line on the screen before it goes blank if in fact it does go blank?

There should be something after the bios has finished displaying.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

One of the people at work brought in kid's computer, saying it
wouldn't boot.
After BIOS messages, I just get a black screen, so I thought a repair
install would do the trick.
Now the fun starts, they think it's running XP, & don't know if it's
home or pro, much less SP1 or SP2!
I booted off of 2 different Pro disks, SP1 & SP2, but wasn't given the
option of chosing which XP installation I wanted to repair.
Should I take this as an indicator that it's running Home?

No, not necessarily.

I would
just try booting from a Home disk, but I don't have one of them.
I can boot off a Knoppix CD & see the HD & all its contents.
Is there a way to get the product key when accessing from another
computer, whether booting from Knoppix disk, or putting into working
computer as a slave drive?
Thanks for any advice.

Why not just have the computer's owner provide you with the disk that
they got with the computer?


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. -Bertrand Russell

 

[Mikey]

Nothing.
After BIOS message, screen goes black, like right before XP splash
screen comes up, but never gets to that point.

 

[Mike]

No, not necessarily.



Why not just have the computer's owner provide you with the disk that they
got with the computer?


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. -Bertrand
Russell

I tried that & got a cd case full of games!

 

[Bruce Chambers]

I tried that & got a cd case full of games!

Try Again. Or ask the computer's owner to look on the original invoice
(which he surely would have retained for warranty purposes) to see which
OS license was purchased. Also, if the computer had an OEM OS
installation, the CoA label affixed to the computer will clearly state
the specific WinXP edition, as well as the Product Key.


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. -Bertrand Russell

 

[LVTravel]

Try this, Go into the bios (the key or key combination will appear on the
screen for a second or so during the bios scan. If you press the key you
should go into the bios setup.

If you get into the bios successfully look for something that says default
settings (normally under the exit menu option but depending on the bios can
be almost anywhere). Click on that and then Save & Exit.

 

[Peter Foldes]

You will not have an indicator which version to Repair when doing what you did.

What you can try and hopefully it can work is to follow the link from MS below. This fix for the Registry is the same for all Windows XP versions.

See if you do this if the computer will boot after. You will do no harm and if it is not his issue then look somewhere else

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;q307545