help to install xp pro

[Guest]

Hi

I am currently using xp home and have just purchased xp pro. I have a laptop
running xp home and was wondering if I can install xp pro over xp home or do
I have to format the hard drive ?? I really dont want to lose or back up any
of the data currently on this hard drive

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Hi

I am currently using xp home and have just purchased xp pro. I have a laptop
running xp home and was wondering if I can install xp pro over xp home or do
I have to format the hard drive ?? I really dont want to lose or back up any
of the data currently on this hard drive

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.

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


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on having
both at once. - RAH

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

An upgrade to Windows XP Pro is a smooth transition and will not affect your
current programs, files or settings if you use the following procedure:

1. Purchase a conventional "Retail Upgrade Version" [boxed] of Windows XP Professional.
2. Uninstall your antivirus program.
3. Perform a backup of your important documents and files to a CD, DVD, or other backup media.
4. Disconnect all hardware peripheral devices, except the monitor, keyboard and mouse.
5. While running Windows XP Home, insert the Windows XP Pro CD in the drive and select
the default "Upgrade" setup option. [Do not select "New Installation"]
6. Visit the Windows Update site to download all the critical updates.
7. Reinstall your antivirus program, then defrag your hard drive.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows - Shell/User
Microsoft Community Newsgroups
news://msnews.microsoft.com/

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:

| Hi
|
| I am currently using xp home and have just purchased xp pro. I have a laptop
| running xp home and was wondering if I can install xp pro over xp home or do
| I have to format the hard drive ?? I really dont want to lose or back up any
| of the data currently on this hard drive

 

[Saucy Lemon]

Hi

I am currently using xp home and have just purchased xp pro. I have a
laptop running xp home and was wondering if I can install xp pro over
xp home or do I have to format the hard drive ?? I really dont want
to lose or back up any of the data currently on this hard drive

You don't want to back up your data? Then it really cannot be of much value
to you. Read the "Upgraded and lost it all" post just a few post later than
yours in this newsgroup. See where "no backup" can get you.

 

[Tim Slattery]

Hi

I am currently using xp home and have just purchased xp pro. I have a laptop
running xp home and was wondering if I can install xp pro over xp home or do
I have to format the hard drive ?? I really dont want to lose or back up any
of the data currently on this hard drive

Assuming it's a full retail CD or an upgrade CD, it will upgrade your
existing OS without losing any data, programs, or settings. That said,
it's *always* a good idea to backup anything you don't want to lose
before doing something this drastic to your OS.

An OEM CD will *not* upgrade an existing OS. The only way to install
that is to delete your existing OS and install fresh. Then you can
reinstall all your programs, and reconfigure them. Data *might*
survive such a proceeding.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

I am currently using xp home and have just purchased xp pro. I have a
laptop running xp home and was wondering if I can install xp pro over
xp home or do I have to format the hard drive ??

If your copy of XP Professional is a retail version (Full or Upgrade) you
can do an upgrade. If it's an OEM version, it can't do an upgrade and a
clean installation, formatting the drive, is required.

I really dont want
to lose or back up any of the data currently on this hard drive

If you don't want to lose your data, you should make a backup before doing
even an upgrade. There are no guarantees that it always works perfectly.
However unlikely, it's always possible that something might go wrong and
every gets lost..

Moreover, even if you were to stay with XP Home and do nothing, you should
be making backups regularly. You are always vulnerable to losing everything
due to hard drive crashes, virus attacks, nearby lightning strikes, user
error, theft of the computer, etc. As has often been said, it's not a matter
of whether you wil lose your data, but when.

One more point: are you sure you want to do this? Are you aware that XP Home
and Professional are identical except that Professional includes a few
features (mostly related to security and networking) missing from Home? Most
home users don't need and would never use these extra features and will see
no benefits by upgrading.

For details go to

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

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/whichxp.asp>

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/howtobuy/choosing2.asp

Also note another point, not included in any of the above: Professional
allows ten concurrent network connections, and Home only five.

 

[Rock]

Hi

I am currently using xp home and have just purchased xp pro. I have a laptop
running xp home and was wondering if I can install xp pro over xp home or do
I have to format the hard drive ?? I really dont want to lose or back up any
of the data currently on this hard drive

Having a full and complete backup is essential, independent of doing an
upgrade. Data loss is a question of when not if. If you don't backup
you'll be posting here some time saying help me, something went wrong,
the system crashed, I lost data, and I don't have a backup.