Install XP Home over XP Pro?

[Peggy]

A number of trouble-shooting scenarios have been tried
with MS support and the laptop manufacturer, but no go to
fixing problems with XP Pro on my laptop. I am down to
repairing my XP Pro installation or reinstalling. I have a
recent backup of data files, templates, etc.

The CDs that came with my laptop contain XP Pro files plus
other material proprietary to the hardware manufacturer
for installation. The only thing the CDs will do is
reformat and reimage the HD to out-of-the box
configuration. I have tried using the CDs that came with
my laptop to wipe the HD and install the CD contents. I
get an error message "Wrong Machine", which according to
the hardware manufacturer is due to replacement of the OEM
HD about 4 months ago. The correction for this problem is
to have the DIM table updated at an authorized service
center, the closest being 2 hr away.

So - can XP Home, which is on sale in my area, be used to
repair an XP Pro installation or to install XP Home over
XP Pro? There is a big difference in the price of XP Home
and XP Pro. If I can use XP Home, should I use the upgrade
or the full version?

Thanks!

 

[Robert Moir]

A number of trouble-shooting scenarios have been tried
with MS support and the laptop manufacturer, but no go to
fixing problems with XP Pro on my laptop. I am down to
repairing my XP Pro installation or reinstalling. I have a
recent backup of data files, templates, etc.

The CDs that came with my laptop contain XP Pro files plus
other material proprietary to the hardware manufacturer
for installation. The only thing the CDs will do is
reformat and reimage the HD to out-of-the box
configuration. I have tried using the CDs that came with
my laptop to wipe the HD and install the CD contents. I
get an error message "Wrong Machine", which according to
the hardware manufacturer is due to replacement of the OEM
HD about 4 months ago. The correction for this problem is
to have the DIM table updated at an authorized service
center, the closest being 2 hr away.

So - can XP Home, which is on sale in my area, be used to
repair an XP Pro installation or to install XP Home over
XP Pro? There is a big difference in the price of XP Home
and XP Pro. If I can use XP Home, should I use the upgrade
or the full version?

Sadly, Peggy, you can't use XP Home to upgrade or repair a copy of XP Pro as
this is seen as a "Downgrade". Not sure what else to suggest here that isn't
going to cost you a clean install, or a fair bit of money.

 

[Ron Martell]

A number of trouble-shooting scenarios have been tried
with MS support and the laptop manufacturer, but no go to
fixing problems with XP Pro on my laptop. I am down to
repairing my XP Pro installation or reinstalling. I have a
recent backup of data files, templates, etc.

The CDs that came with my laptop contain XP Pro files plus
other material proprietary to the hardware manufacturer
for installation. The only thing the CDs will do is
reformat and reimage the HD to out-of-the box
configuration. I have tried using the CDs that came with
my laptop to wipe the HD and install the CD contents. I
get an error message "Wrong Machine", which according to
the hardware manufacturer is due to replacement of the OEM
HD about 4 months ago. The correction for this problem is
to have the DIM table updated at an authorized service
center, the closest being 2 hr away.

So - can XP Home, which is on sale in my area, be used to
repair an XP Pro installation or to install XP Home over
XP Pro? There is a big difference in the price of XP Home
and XP Pro. If I can use XP Home, should I use the upgrade
or the full version?

Do you have the Windows XP Pro product key for the preinstalled
version of XP Pro that came with the laptop?

Can you borrow a copy of the generic Windows XP Pro CD from somewhere?

If so then you may be able to install XP Pro using the generic OEM CD
and the original XP Pro product key that came with your machine.

Good luck


Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

"The reason computer chips are so small is computers don't eat much."