Upgrade window XP home edition to XP Professional

[Guest]

Hi,

I've window XP home edition sp2 and wish to upgrade to XP professional as
one of my assg need "IIS" as well. (I'm in plan to learn ASP.NET)

But, i do need to have some hits or advices from your guys before i process
to do so. My question:

1) How can I make sure my existing applications are compatible with Windows
XP professiona1??
2) What caution should i take upgrade to XP professional?
3) Can I upgrade without losing all my current settings/documents?

Please help.

Thanks
Chris

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

An upgrade to Windows XP Pro is a smooth transition and will not affect your
current programs or files 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

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

:

| Hi,
|
| I've window XP home edition sp2 and wish to upgrade to XP professional as
| one of my assg need "IIS" as well. (I'm in plan to learn ASP.NET)
|
| But, i do need to have some hits or advices from your guys before i process
| to do so. My question:
|
| 1) How can I make sure my existing applications are compatible with Windows
| XP professiona1??
| 2) What caution should i take upgrade to XP professional?
| 3) Can I upgrade without losing all my current settings/documents?
|
| Please help.
|
| Thanks
| Chris

 

[Rich Barry]

Chris, try the WinXP Pro Upgrade Advisor. If your Apps work fine on WinXP
Home there should be no problem
on XP Pro. You can keep all your current settings/documents.
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/upgrading/advisor.mspx
Be advised there's always a slight risk when upgrading. So backup all
your important data.

 

[Kerry Brown]

Hi,

I've window XP home edition sp2 and wish to upgrade to XP
professional as one of my assg need "IIS" as well. (I'm in plan to
learn ASP.NET)

But, i do need to have some hits or advices from your guys before i
process to do so. My question:

Make sure you purchase either a retail upgrade or a retail full version of
XP Pro. An OEM version will not work to upgrade your existing installation.
Make sure it already includes SP2 or you will have to create a slipstreamed
CD to install the upgrade.

1) How can I make sure my existing applications are compatible with
Windows XP professiona1??

I can't think of any programs that will run in Home that won't run in Pro.
You shouldn't have a problem here but I could be proved wrong.

2) What caution should i take upgrade to XP professional?

Backup your data first. Murphy's law always applies. You shouldn't lose
anything but something can always go wrong.

3) Can I upgrade without losing all my current settings/documents?

Yes, but see my answer to #2. I recommend you use a disk imaging program and
make an image before you upgrade. If anything goes wrong you can always get
back to this point. As someone else has already mentioned it is a good idea
to uninstall any anti-virus, anti-spyware, or security applications then
reinstall them after the upgrade. Some of these programs may interfere with
the upgrade and not allow system files and registry settings to be changed
during the upgrade.

Kerry

 

[Steve]

Hi there,

Just a question on point 4.
I have a laptop with just the basic WinXP home on it (no other
programs as yet) but obviously I can only disconnect external hardware
(mouse etc) as it is brand new and under warranty,

So the DVD re-writer, card readers etc are still in place.
It night be a silly question, but in the case of my laptop is it still
OK to upgrade ?

Thanks in advance,

Steve

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Hi,

I've window XP home edition sp2 and wish to upgrade to XP professional as
one of my assg need "IIS" as well. (I'm in plan to learn ASP.NET)

But, i do need to have some hits or advices from your guys before i process
to do so. My question:

1) How can I make sure my existing applications are compatible with Windows
XP professiona1??

If the applications work on WinXP Home, they'll work on WinXP Pro. The
WinXP Home and WinXP Pro versions are _identical_ when it comes to
performance, stability, and device driver and software application
compatibility, but are intended to meet different functionality,
networking, security, and ease-of-use needs, in different environments.

2) What caution should i take upgrade to XP professional?

Back up any important data before starting.

3) Can I upgrade without losing all my current settings/documents?

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:



They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin

Is life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of
chains and slavery? .... I know not what course others may take, but as
for me, give me liberty, or give me death! -Patrick Henry

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Hi there,

Just a question on point 4.
I have a laptop with just the basic WinXP home on it (no other
programs as yet) but obviously I can only disconnect external hardware
(mouse etc) as it is brand new and under warranty,

So the DVD re-writer, card readers etc are still in place.
It night be a silly question, but in the case of my laptop is it still
OK to upgrade ?

Certainly. None of those items are peripherals, anyway. (Peripherals
are items like printers, scanners, web cams, etc., that are external to
the computer.)


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin

Is life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of
chains and slavery? .... I know not what course others may take, but as
for me, give me liberty, or give me death! -Patrick Henry

 

[Kerry Brown]

Hi there,

Just a question on point 4.
I have a laptop with just the basic WinXP home on it (no other
programs as yet) but obviously I can only disconnect external hardware
(mouse etc) as it is brand new and under warranty,

So the DVD re-writer, card readers etc are still in place.
It night be a silly question, but in the case of my laptop is it still
OK to upgrade ?

Thanks in advance,

Internal card readers can cause problems with how drive letters get
assigned. If they can't be disconnected make sure there are no memory cards
in the reader during the upgrade or install.

Kerry