Downgrading to XP Home

  • Thread starter Thread starter Howard Brazee
  • Start date Start date
H

Howard Brazee

I'd like to downgrade one of my computers from XP Pro to XP home. I
have extra XP home CDs available. What is the best way to downgrade
the computer without changing anything else?
 
Hi

You won't be able to install XP Home instead of XP Pro without performing a
'clean' install which will remove everything from the hard disk/partition.
So you'll have to back-up all the data files that you will need later.

--


Will Denny
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User
Please reply to the News Groups
 
Yup, there isn't an official "upgrade" path from Pro to Home so it pretty
much necessitates a clean install. The CD ROM disc is bootable, by the way,
and can do disk work [partitioning, formatting etc.].

Before doing anything though back up to removable media or someplace off
computer all and anything one wants to preserve in terms of data, docs,
files, music, vid and address books etc.

Good practice is to take stock and arrange to have all drivers lined up and
burned to disc and product CDs and product keys handy. Also, if need be,
make sure one's Internet connection settings are written down or available
etc. etc.

Also make sure either the Home disc already includes SP2 or that SP2 is
downloaded and burn to disc beforehand for immediate application. DO NOT
connect to the Internet if the installation of Home does not already have
SP2 either integrated or applied. Why? Versions of Home that are pre-SP2 are
extremely vulnerable to compromise when connected to the Internet .. they
can be compromised within minutes, well before you have a chance to get
Windows Update to apply the service packs and patches.
 
Howard said:
I'd like to downgrade one of my computers from XP Pro to XP home. I
have extra XP home CDs available. What is the best way to downgrade
the computer without changing anything else?
Click to expand...

Why would you want to go back? The two versions are the same in their
core, just some extra features in PRO which if you don't want to use
them, then don't.

There is no downgrade path from Pro to Home. A clean install is
required. http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html
 
Howard said:
I'd like to downgrade one of my computers from XP Pro to XP home. I
have extra XP home CDs available. What is the best way to downgrade
the computer without changing anything else?
Click to expand...


It's not a question of "best" way. There is *no* way to do this. Downgrades
aren't supported and the only way to get XP Home is by clean installing it.

Why do you want to do this? Are you aware that XP Home is a subset of XP
Professional? There are things in Professional not in Home, but not vice
versa, and there's no possible benefit to be gained by doing this. If you
don't need all of Professional extra features, just don't use them.
 
Why would you want to go back? The two versions are the same in their
core, just some extra features in PRO which if you don't want to use
them, then don't.
Click to expand...

I have a product which is not supported under Windows XP Pro. The
maker says XP Home and XP Pro are two different operating systems, and
he doesn't have enough market to produce it for anything but XP home
and Apple.
 
It's not a question of "best" way. There is *no* way to do this. Downgrades
aren't supported and the only way to get XP Home is by clean installing it.

Why do you want to do this? Are you aware that XP Home is a subset of XP
Professional? There are things in Professional not in Home, but not vice
versa, and there's no possible benefit to be gained by doing this. If you
don't need all of Professional extra features, just don't use them.
Click to expand...
Exactly and with XP Pro. you will get a longer amount of time that the
operating system is supported by Microsoft. (I think it is 5 years of
extended support that Home will not get --- this gives you security
updates and such)
 
Howard said:
I have a product which is not supported under Windows XP Pro. The
maker says XP Home and XP Pro are two different operating systems, and
he doesn't have enough market to produce it for anything but XP home
and Apple.
Click to expand...

Giggle.

He produces it for APPLE (~9% of the market), but not for XP Home (~25%) of
the market.

Have you TRIED it on your XP-Pro machine?
 
Howard said:
I have a product which is not supported under Windows XP Pro. The
maker says XP Home and XP Pro are two different operating systems, and
he doesn't have enough market to produce it for anything but XP home
and Apple.
Click to expand...

Would you mind sharing what product that is?
 
Howard said:
I have a product which is not supported under Windows XP Pro. The
maker says XP Home and XP Pro are two different operating systems, and
he doesn't have enough market to produce it for anything but XP home
and Apple.
Click to expand...

Sorry but that makes no sense. Home and Pro are the same core system.
 
Giggle.

He produces it for APPLE (~9% of the market), but not for XP Home (~25%) of
the market.

Have you TRIED it on your XP-Pro machine?
Click to expand...

I've used it for years on my XP-Pro machine. But when I asked for
support, he said he only supported Mac and XP-Home. He says XP-Pro
is a completely different operating system and he doesn't have it at
his shop.
 
Howard said:
I'd like to downgrade one of my computers from XP Pro to XP home. I
have extra XP home CDs available. What is the best way to downgrade
the computer without changing anything else?
Click to expand...


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.

After backing up any data you wish to preserve, 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


--

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
 
Howard said:
I have a product which is not supported under Windows XP Pro. The
maker says XP Home and XP Pro are two different operating systems, and
he doesn't have enough market to produce it for anything but XP home
and Apple.
Click to expand...


Sounds like that maker is either dishonest, or completely unfamiliar
with computers. The WinXP Home and WinXP Pro versions are _identical_
when it comes to performance, stability, and device driver and software
application compatibility, but are intended to meet different
functionality, networking, security, and ease-of-use needs, in different
environments.


--

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
 
Howard said:
I have a product which is not supported under Windows XP Pro. The
maker says XP Home and XP Pro are two different operating systems, and
he doesn't have enough market to produce it for anything but XP home
and Apple.
Click to expand...


What's the name of the product? It's highly unlikely--in fact, I'd bet
against it, and I'm not a betting man--that it will work under Home but not
Professional.

When he says they are "two different operating systems" he is very much
incorrect.

Why not simply try it under XP Professional? Despite what the maker says,
it's almost sure to work.
 
Howard said:
I've used it for years on my XP-Pro machine. But when I asked for
support, he said he only supported Mac and XP-Home. He says XP-Pro
is a completely different operating system and he doesn't have it at
his shop.
Click to expand...

Well, ask him what could be done in a similar situation if you were
running XP-Home and then see if you can apply that solution to XP-Pro. I
would not waste my money on a downgrade from XP Pro. to XP Home if I
could help it.
 
Well, ask him what could be done in a similar situation if you were
running XP-Home and then see if you can apply that solution to XP-Pro. I
would not waste my money on a downgrade from XP Pro. to XP Home if I
could help it.
Click to expand...

I've got the XP Home. If a downgrade was possible, I would have done
it. A reinstall costs me too much (not in money though).
 
Why not simply try it under XP Professional? Despite what the maker says,
it's almost sure to work.
Click to expand...

It worked for years with XP Pro, but when I lost my computer and
reinstalled XP Pro and then this product, it did not work correctly.
So I e-mailed tech support and was told XP Pro was an unsupported OS.
 
Howard said:
It worked for years with XP Pro, but when I lost my computer and
reinstalled XP Pro and then this product, it did not work correctly.
So I e-mailed tech support and was told XP Pro was an unsupported OS.
Click to expand...

Ask tech support what the procedure would be to fix the problem(s) in XP
Home. I would think that if the problem(s) occur in XP Pro. then these
problems could occur in XP Home too.
 
That's all fine and la la but nevertheless, if the software manufacturer
says Win XP Pro is not supported ..
 
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