XP Pro or Home, how to determine which is installed

[Retiree]

Hello, I'm trying to repair a desktop computer that was home built and will
not boot up. It has a fault that goes to a BSOD but the BIOS cannot be set to
not restart on crash. I only know that the system is Windows XP but not the
version "Home or Pro". I will be booting with a Windows XP to the recovery
console using a XP Pro original CD. Can a Windows XP Home have a repair
install using a Windows Pro disk and if not is there a way I can determine
which version, Home or Pro, installed on the defective computer?

 

[Alias]

Hello, I'm trying to repair a desktop computer that was home built and will
not boot up. It has a fault that goes to a BSOD but the BIOS cannot be set to
not restart on crash. I only know that the system is Windows XP but not the
version "Home or Pro". I will be booting with a Windows XP to the recovery
console using a XP Pro original CD. Can a Windows XP Home have a repair
install using a Windows Pro disk and if not is there a way I can determine
which version, Home or Pro, installed on the defective computer?

If it's home built, doesn't the builder have the XP CD?

Alias

 

[Retiree]

I'm sorry to say that he doesn't and he has no idea of which version was
installed. The computer was built for him on order and the builder is no
longer available to query.

Thanks for the supper fast response Alias.

 

[Alias]

I'm sorry to say that he doesn't and he has no idea of which version was
installed. The computer was built for him on order and the builder is no
longer available to query.

Thanks for the supper fast response Alias.

Not sure this would work, but have you tried putting the client's hard
drive in another computer as a slave?

Alias

 

[riprap]

Hello, I'm trying to repair a desktop computer that was home built and will
not boot up. It has a fault that goes to a BSOD but the BIOS cannot be set to
not restart on crash. I only know that the system is Windows XP but not the
version "Home or Pro". I will be booting with a Windows XP to the recovery
console using a XP Pro original CD. Can a Windows XP Home have a repair
install using a Windows Pro disk and if not is there a way I can determine
which version, Home or Pro, installed on the defective computer?

Hello, Retiree::
After firing up the Recovery Console, change directory to C:
[ "cd c:"]
then enter "type boot.ini" [without the quotes];
at that point the contents of the boot.ini file will be displayed,
listing the available operating systems.
riprap
living under the bridge eating digital leftovers

 

[Retiree]

Thanks Alias, but I believe riprap has answered my question.

 

[Retiree]

Hi riprap,

Thanks for the info. I'm at home and the computer is at work so I'll try
your suggestion first thing Monday morning.
--
Retiree

Hello, I'm trying to repair a desktop computer that was home built and will
not boot up. It has a fault that goes to a BSOD but the BIOS cannot be set to
not restart on crash. I only know that the system is Windows XP but not the
version "Home or Pro". I will be booting with a Windows XP to the recovery
console using a XP Pro original CD. Can a Windows XP Home have a repair
install using a Windows Pro disk and if not is there a way I can determine
which version, Home or Pro, installed on the defective computer?

Hello, Retiree::
After firing up the Recovery Console, change directory to C:
[ "cd c:"]
then enter "type boot.ini" [without the quotes];
at that point the contents of the boot.ini file will be displayed,
listing the available operating systems.
riprap
living under the bridge eating digital leftovers

 

[Alias]

Thanks Alias, but I believe riprap has answered my question.

Yes, his suggestion is a good one.

Alias

 

[Don Phillipson]

Hello, I'm trying to repair a desktop computer that was home built and will
not boot up. It has a fault that goes to a BSOD but the BIOS cannot be set to
not restart on crash.

Is this not a hint that the CMOS battery has died (thus
will not maintain custom BIOS settings)? This is cheap
and easy to replace. It is usually type CR2032, a disk-type battery,
the size of a quarter, usually flat on the motherboard, held in place
by some sort of a clip. (CR2032s are sold in hardware stores as
well as PC stores, and I have found hardware store CR2032s
more reliable than cheap PC store batteries.)

 

[John John (MVP)]

Did you try booting to the Last Known Good Configuration or in to
Safe-Mode? To get to these boot options tap the F8 key when the
computer is booting, at the same place you will see an option to disable
system restart on failure, that will cause the boot process to halt on
the BSOD.

John

 

[Gary Brandenburg]

Did you try booting to the Last Known Good Configuration or in to Safe-Mode? To
get to these boot options tap the F8 key when the computer is booting, at the same
place you will see an option to disable system restart on failure, that will cause
the boot process to halt on the BSOD.

John

Also, to add to John's info-If you do get it to the safe mode options,before you
proceed any further,it will highlight the operating system, before you hit Enter.


~Gary

 

[Alias]

Also, to add to John's info-If you do get it to the safe mode options,before you
proceed any further,it will highlight the operating system, before you hit Enter.


~Gary

Good point!

Alias