downgrade

[thorlo]

I am trying to downgrade from Windows xp pro to Home
Edition OEM. How do I do this without losing data,
programs,etc.

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

No, you cannot simply install XP Home over XP Pro.

An upgrade to XP Pro is a one-way ticket with no uninstall option.
Backup your important files and documents to a CD, then perform a
"clean install" of XP Home:

The Windows XP CD is bootable and contains all the tools necessary
to partition and format your drive. Follow this procedure and allow
Windows XP to partition and format your drive:

NOTE: It would be best to physically disconnect all your peripheral hardware
devices, except for the monitor, mouse and keyboard, before installing XP.

1. Open your BIOS and set your CD Drive as the first bootable device.

===> Accessing Motherboard BIOS
===> http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/bios_manufacturer.htm

2. Insert your Windows XP CD in the CD Drive and reboot your computer.
3. You'll see a message to boot to the CD....follow the instructions.
4. The setup menu will appear and you should elect to delete the existing
Windows partitions, then create a new partition, then format the primary
partition (preferably NTFS) and proceed to install Windows XP.

5. Clean Install Windows XP
http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

[Courtesy of Michael Stevens, MS-MVP]

6. After Windows XP is installed, visit the Windows Update website
and download the available "Critical Updates".

7. After installing the critical updates, be sure and visit the support website
of the manufacturer of the computer to download and install any
available Windows XP compatible drivers, such as video adapter
and audio drivers.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

Be Smart! Protect your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


| I am trying to downgrade from Windows xp pro to Home
| Edition OEM. How do I do this without losing data,
| programs,etc.

 

[Yves Leclerc]

You can not! You need to re-format the hard drive and re-install the XP you
want.

BTW: Why install XP Home? XP Pro has all the things Home does and also
allows more configuration for networks.

Y.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

I am trying to downgrade from Windows xp pro to Home
Edition OEM. How do I do this without losing data,
programs,etc.

You can't. You need to reinstall XP Home cleanly, thus losing
everything.

But why do you want to do this? Are you aware that XP Home is a
subset of Professional? There's nothing in Home that's not also
in professional, and no possible advantage to having it instead
of Professional.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

The only way to change from WinXP Pro to WinXP Home is to format
the drive and start over. There is no supported downgrade path or
technique.

Simply boot from the WinXP Home installation CD. You'll be
offered the opportunity to delete, create, and format partitions as
part of the installation process. (You may need to re-arrange the
order of boot devices in the PC's BIOS to boot from the CD.)

HOW TO Install Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;en-us;316941

http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/clean_install.htm

http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/windowsxp_sg_clean.asp


Bruce Chambers

--
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having both at once. -- RAH

 

[Alex Nichol]

I am trying to downgrade from Windows xp pro to Home
Edition OEM. How do I do this without losing data,
programs,etc.

Can only be done as part of a clean installation. To help in
transferring data and settings, read Gary Woodruff's article on Files
and settings Transfer at http://aumha.org/win5/a/fast.htm