Registering XP / Replacing XP?

[DSL-Dave]

I just built a new system as a gift for my Father-in-Law. In order to test
all the hardware, I temporarily installed my legal copy of XP pro, but did
not attempt to register it. I would now like to put a legal copy on his
system, preferably XP Home. What is the most expeditious way to accomplish
this? Can I "downgrade" to XP Home without starting from scratch? If not,
can I overwrite the existing copy of XP Pro, and retain all the settings,
drivers, etc., or must I wipe everything and start from scratch?

Thanks in advance.

Dave

 

[Bruce Chambers]

I just built a new system as a gift for my Father-in-Law. In order to test
all the hardware, I temporarily installed my legal copy of XP pro, but did
not attempt to register it. I would now like to put a legal copy on his
system, preferably XP Home. What is the most expeditious way to accomplish
this? Can I "downgrade" to XP Home without starting from scratch? If not,
can I overwrite the existing copy of XP Pro, and retain all the settings,
drivers, etc., or must I wipe everything and start from scratch?

Thanks in advance.

Dave

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

--

Bruce Chambers

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[DSL-Dave]

Thanks Bruce,

OK on the "downgrade", but how about making the newly installed XP Pro
version legal?

Thanks again,

Dave

 

[Timothy Daniels]

but how about making the newly installed XP Pro
version legal?

If it has been more than 120 days since it was last
activated, it can be activated over the Internet without
human involvement. If it has been less than 120 days
(4 months), you'll have to tell the Microsoft rep on the
telephone that you've uninstalled your old WinXP Pro.
Then go out and buy another WinXP Pro CD to ease
your guilt.

*TimDaniels*

 

[DSL-Dave]

Hi Tim,

No guilt here. My original copy is licensed, and the test install has not
been registered (and won't be!)
What I'm trying to find out is if it is possible to pay for a license, and
use it to register the already installed copy, rather than wiping out
everything, including updated drivers, SP2, etc.

Since he will not be using this system on the internet, I may just revert to
his old, licensed copy of Win98se.
Although it is a new, powerful machine, all he really uses it for is word
processing, record keeping, and a few ancient games!

Dave

 

[Timothy Daniels]

What I'm trying to find out is if it is possible to pay
for a license, and use it to register the already installed
copy, rather than wiping out everything, including
updated drivers, SP2, etc.

Well, you installed a Pro copy, so you'll have to pay
for a Pro copy to satisfy Microsoft. A very fine point
is whether the 2nd activated OS (your father-in-law's)
can have the same Product Key of an existing installation
(yours). But if you want to be that strict, you deserve
to sit on the head of the pin where all the fairy's are
dancing. Just buy a Pro CD and be done with it.
Or, just buy a Home CD, and tell your father-in-law
to not run a server or file encryption on his Pro, and
he'll not be using the Pro's major enhancements.

*TimDaniels*

 

[DSL-Dave]

Hi Tim,

Well, dancing with fairies is not my cup of tea, so I think I will just
scrap everything and do a fresh install.
It's just too bad that there is no easy way of just buying the second copy
and using it's product key/sn in place of the existing copy. Next time, I
won't rush in so quickly... that's what I get for starting that project at 3
A.M!

Dave