Install XP Pro SP2 on top of XP Pro and keep settings?

[Bo Berglund]

My mother has a Compac desktop PC that she bought a couple of years
ago at a garage sale. It came with XP-Pro already on (no service
packs).
I helped her to configure the Outlook Express mail client and all was
working Ok in her setup using a dialup modem to send/get email.

Last week she got cable Internet and the PC is now networked 24/7 and
I wanted to help her set up Windows Messenger so that she could chat
with her grandchildren.
But the messenger would not log in (requiring some kind of "passport")
and it failed to install said passport. Next I tried to install a new
MSN Messenger, but thta also failed. It claimed the operating system
was too old. So I decided to try Windows update to get it a bit better
updated.

Big surprise!
After a rather long time of getting extra update software the system
said it could not continue because the license key had been blocked!
Apparently the XP-Pro on that PC was not legitimate, even though I
believe that the Compac was shipped with Windows installed....

Anyway, now I would like to know if I can install XP-Pro SP2 from a
legitimate CD on top of the existig installation and keep all of the
settings we have set up?

Will there be issues because the underlying XP is unlicensed (I am
bringing in an unused license).
I would not like it to install a different system and lose the
existing installation we have done (even though it is basically just
OE 6 with the mail archive).

Any ideas?

 

[Rich Barry]

Bo, if it mostly the OE 6 mail archive just go to
C:\Documents and Settings\Mother's Name\Local Settings\Application
Data\Identities\{4E85F254-B49A-4A8D-A192-98A2EC7C3EFA}\Microsoft\Outlook
Express Folder. Copy the Folder to a CD or different Partition. Do a clean
install
of WinXP SP2 and then Copy and Paste the OE Folder in the same location
overriding the OE Folder that is there.
Do the same procedure for the C:\ProgramFiles\OE Folder. This folder
has the address book. More info on Clean Install.
http://www.theeldergeek.com/xp_home_install_-_graphic.htm

 

[Andrew E.]

Youre pc was/is probably registered to the original owner,one must obtain
a new license & register it with microsoft.Without it,little areas such as
..NET
passport will not be available,or instant-messaging thru windows messenger,
why not purchase a copy of xp,then reset the product key & live legally.Get
the
utility
at:http://www.microsoft.com/genuine/se...en&sGuid=0bbd2fd8-d9e9-4d79-9de2-c1ec6608afb9
After you purchase the retail copy of xp,with its key numbers/letters.