Upgrade or Install from XP Home to XP Pro

[Guest]

I just purchased a Dell Inspiron 8600 notebook with XP
Home on it. I have a full version of XP Professional I got
as a gift but haven't used. Here are my questions:

-- Besides security issues (which don't really concern me
as far as an O.S. goes) -- are there any advantages and/or
features to using Professional instead of Home Edition?

-- If so, is there an 'upgrade' option on the Pro disk
that will let me keep all my driver settings and still
upgrade to Pro from the Home Edition -- or do I need to do
a full install?

-- If I have to do a full install, do I simply re-install
all my drivers on the driver CD that came with the
computer? Will everything automatically work properly then?

-- Finally, after I upgrade and/or install XP Pro, I want
to upgrade my desktop (T-Bird 1.33 Athlon processor with
512 GB Ram) from my ancient Windows 98 (original edition!)
to the second XP Pro full edition I also purchased. Will I
have to wipe my hard drive to do that install, or is there
an upgrade option that will work and let me keep the data
on my hard drive? And if I *can* 'upgrade' to Pro on my
desktop, will I still be able to 'see' into my notebook
via the wireless home network we have if the notebook only
has Home XP on it?

Sorry for asking such a lot of questions, but I'd like to
know what I'm facing before loading my new notebook with
all my programs, etc.

Thanks!

Lisa

 

[Andrew E]

For most users,home runs as pro does,pro has encrypting
features home doesnt have,pro can run software like
microsoft enterprise,in all theres no benifit.Save it
for the new computer,or something.Reformatting the hd
would be of benifit if all you have in mind gets started.
Around 1999/2000-present,motherboards mfg.thought more
of upgrades and capabilitys,chk to see if yours can
handle the faster speeds first,go to mfg web site.

 

[Ron Martell]

I just purchased a Dell Inspiron 8600 notebook with XP
Home on it. I have a full version of XP Professional I got
as a gift but haven't used. Here are my questions:

-- Besides security issues (which don't really concern me
as far as an O.S. goes) -- are there any advantages and/or
features to using Professional instead of Home Edition?

-- If so, is there an 'upgrade' option on the Pro disk
that will let me keep all my driver settings and still
upgrade to Pro from the Home Edition -- or do I need to do
a full install?

-- If I have to do a full install, do I simply re-install
all my drivers on the driver CD that came with the
computer? Will everything automatically work properly then?

-- Finally, after I upgrade and/or install XP Pro, I want
to upgrade my desktop (T-Bird 1.33 Athlon processor with
512 GB Ram) from my ancient Windows 98 (original edition!)
to the second XP Pro full edition I also purchased. Will I
have to wipe my hard drive to do that install, or is there
an upgrade option that will work and let me keep the data
on my hard drive? And if I *can* 'upgrade' to Pro on my
desktop, will I still be able to 'see' into my notebook
via the wireless home network we have if the notebook only
has Home XP on it?

Sorry for asking such a lot of questions, but I'd like to
know what I'm facing before loading my new notebook with
all my programs, etc.

Is your XP Pro disk a Retail Full Install version (comes in a blue
Microsoft box) or is it an OEM version (usually comes in a shrink-wrap
package)?

If it is an OEM version then you will need to wipe out the existing XP
Home and install your XP Pro on the now-empty hard drive. Doing so
will create several problems, the most important of which is the
probability that it will render your computer's warranty null and
void. Another major concern is that all notebooks contain propietary
components that are unique to that manufacturer and which require
special drivers that are almost certain not going to be included on
the OEM CD unless it is from that specific manufacturer.

If it is a retail version of XP then it will install as an upgrade and
the necessary drivers will already exist on the computer so that
complication is avoided. However the manufacturer may be reluctant to
offer technical or warranty support because of the change in operating
system.

As for the merits of installing XP Pro compared to Home, there are not
that many differences between the two versions and most of these have
to do with networking. There is absolutely zero difference in
performance or reliability between the two versions. They are both
produced from the same source code base. XP Pro is basically a
superset of XP Home, incorporating some additional features and
functions. These differences are described on the following web
sites:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/whichxp.asp
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/howtobuy/choosing2.asp
http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/windowsxp_home_pro.asp
One additional difference that is not emphasized on any of the above
sites is that in a peer-to-peer network sharing configuration XP Pro
allows 10 logins to a shared resources whereas XP Home only allows 5.

Hope this explains the situation.

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."

 

[Guest]

Is your XP Pro disk a Retail Full Install version (comes
in a blue Microsoft box)?

Yes. It's the Full Install Retail version.

If it is a retail version of XP then it will install as

an upgrade and the necessary drivers will already exist on
the computer so that complication is avoided. However the
manufacturer may be reluctant to offer technical or
warranty support because of the change in operating system.

I'm not concerned about getting OS or software support -
Dell's help in that regard is fairly useless, and I'm not
a novice user. I built my desktop myself. My only concern
about the warranty is that it continue to cover the
hardware.

However, you've given me some hope that I can take
my 'month tryout' while adding all my software, like WORD,
and then, if I decide to keep the notebook at the end of
the month, I 'upgrade' it to XP Pro without disturbing
anything.

And I can even test Pro first by 'upgrading' from 98 to XP
Pro on my desktop, again without having to wipe my hard
drive first, if I'm understanding you correctly. If I
think it's better than the Home Version, I can upgrade the
notebook too. This is correct, yes?

As for the merits of installing XP Pro compared to Home,

there are not that many differences between the two
versions and most of these have to do with networking.
These differences are described on the following web

sites:

www.winsupersite.com/showcase/windowsxp_home_pro.asp

This was especially helpful, thank you. There are two
things that I immediately noticed there:

"Software Installation and Maintenance - automatically
install, configure, repair, or remove software apps."

This seems like a rather handy tool to have, which is
apparently not on the Home version.

"Note that Microsoft is offering a less-expensive
Professional "Step-Up" upgrade for Home users that wish to
move to XP Pro."

Is this correct? Would it be better, if in the case I
decide to upgrade, for me to try and find this item (any
ideas where I could find it?) rather than use my Blue
Retail Full Version box -- or will it do exactly the same
thing?

Again, thanks for all the very useful help!

Best,

Lisa

 

[Ron Martell]

"Note that Microsoft is offering a less-expensive
Professional "Step-Up" upgrade for Home users that wish to
move to XP Pro."

Is this correct? Would it be better, if in the case I
decide to upgrade, for me to try and find this item (any
ideas where I could find it?) rather than use my Blue
Retail Full Version box -- or will it do exactly the same
thing?

That special Home-to-Pro stepup product was only available for a brief
time shortly after the first release of Windows XP and is no longer
available, at least insofar as I am aware.


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."