Upgrading XP Home to XP Pro

[Guest]

Hello. I bought a new laptop that came pre-installed with WinXP Home. However
I also have a licensed copy of WinXP Pro. Is there a way to upgrade without
reinstalling everything from scratch? Like a repair installation or
something? thanks. -christos

 

[philo]

Hello. I bought a new laptop that came pre-installed with WinXP Home. However
I also have a licensed copy of WinXP Pro. Is there a way to upgrade without
reinstalling everything from scratch? Like a repair installation or
something? thanks. -christos

just bootup
and then put in the cd...
you should get an option to upgrade

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Hello. I bought a new laptop that came pre-installed with WinXP Home.
However I also have a licensed copy of WinXP Pro. Is there a way to
upgrade without reinstalling everything from scratch? Like a repair
installation or something? thanks. -christos

Assuming that your copy of XP Professional is not in use on another
computer, and further assuming that it's a retail copy (either Full or
Upgrade), not an OEM one, yes you can do a direct upgrade. Do not do a
repair installation.

Are you sure you want to do this? Are you aware that XP Home and
Professional are identical except that Professional includes a few features
(mostly related to security and networking) missing from Home? Most home
users don't need and would never use these extra features and will see no
benefits by upgrading.

For details go to


http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/windowsxp_home_pro.asp


http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/whichxp.asp>


http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/howtobuy/choosing2.asp


Also note another point, not included in any of the above: Professional
allows ten concurrent network connections, and Home only five.

 

[Guest]

Not sure where k.blake mvp gets his info from (defiently not from microsoft)
because you can search it thruout and you'll get the same response "thier is
no upgrade from xp home to xp pro"...The upgrade is for older windows OS,to
install pro from home,a clean install is a must....

 

[Guest]

Hi Ken, thanks for the great info. My main concern is to make sure that I
will not have to reinstall the applications. The laptop already came loaded
with a bunch of applications. Will the direct upgrade preserve those?

thanks
christos

 

[Guest]

Hi Andrew. I know it is probably a "hack" but what will happen if I boot off
the WinXP Pro CD and do a repair installation on top of WinXP Home?

-ck

 

[bbunny]

Assuming that your copy of XP Professional is not in use on another
computer, and further assuming that it's a retail copy (either Full or
Upgrade), not an OEM one, yes you can do a direct upgrade. Do not do a
repair installation.

Are you sure you want to do this? Are you aware that XP Home and
Professional are identical except that Professional includes a few
features (mostly related to security and networking) missing from Home?
Most home users don't need and would never use these extra features and
will see no benefits by upgrading.

Also note another point, not included in any of the above: Professional
allows ten concurrent network connections, and Home only five.

XP Home is not even near being identical to XP Professional. Expecially
as far as security is concerned. And many more.

 

[bbunny]

just bootup
and then put in the cd...
you should get an option to upgrade

There you go....

 

[Kerry Brown]

Ignore Andrew E. He gives very bad advice. A lot of his advice will actually
cause more harm than good. This is one of those cases.

An upgrade version or a full retail version of XP Pro will upgrade an XP
Home installation. It will leave all the programs and data in place. An OEM
version cannot do an upgrade although you can upgrade from an OEM version if
that makes sense. Insert the XP Pro CD and follow the instructions. Things
will go smoother if you do a bit of preparation first though. Uninstall or
at least disable any antivirus and antispyware programs. Make sure all
external USB devices are disconnected, Make sure any card readers don't have
cards in them. You should backup any important data just in case something
does go wrong but normally there is no problem.

 

[Og]

Hi Andrew. I know it is probably a "hack" but what will happen if I boot
off
the WinXP Pro CD and do a repair installation on top of WinXP Home?

-ck

Please ignore Andrew E.
The institution where he resides allows him to access the Internet while he
is receiving his electro-shock therapy.
Steve

 

[SAM-R]

If he uses a Full Install of XP Pro instead of XP Pro Upgrade, won't that
install over write both Program Files and Windows ? If so, then he would
loose all of his Apps.

 

[Og]

If he uses a Full Install of XP Pro instead of XP Pro Upgrade, won't that
install over write both Program Files and Windows ? If so, then he would
loose all of his Apps.

Neither philo, nor Ken Blake, nor Kerry Brown directed the OP to boot from
the CD disk -- they ALL told him to place the CD disk in the CD drive while
booted into Windows XP. Using that method, the ONLY options the OP will be
presented with are:
1. Upgrade
2. Cancel
If the OP places a Full version CD disk in the CD-Drive and boots from that
drive, he will have the choice of installing a SECOND version of Windows XP
along side the current install (thus preserving access to all programs and
data), or of formatting the drive and performing a clean install.
Again, note that the OP was not directed to boot from a Windows CD.
Steve

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Not sure where k.blake mvp gets his info from (defiently not from microsoft)

Yes, Ken definitely gets his information directly from Microsoft, as
well as many years first-hand experience (something you clearly lack)
maintaining computers.

because you can search it thruout and you'll get the same response "thier is
no upgrade from xp home to xp pro"...The upgrade is for older windows OS,to
install pro from home,a clean install is a must....

Those assertions, of course, are outright, deliberate lies. Why else
would Microsoft prominently list WinXP Home as a qualifying product and
path for the upgrade to WinXP Home?

Upgrading to WinXP from Previous Versions of Windows
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/upgrading/matrix.mspx


--

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

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. -Bertrand Russell

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Hello. I bought a new laptop that came pre-installed with WinXP Home. However
I also have a licensed copy of WinXP Pro. Is there a way to upgrade without
reinstalling everything from scratch? Like a repair installation or
something? thanks. -christos

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

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. -Bertrand Russell

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Hi Andrew. I know it is probably a "hack" but what will happen if I boot off
the WinXP Pro CD and do a repair installation on top of WinXP Home?

You mean, an upgrade? Nothing will happen, other than the upgrade.
And it's most definitely not a "hack;" WinXP Pro is designed to upgrade
WinXP Home.

FYI: Never, ever, take any of Andrew's "advice." He's nothing but an
inept troll who deliberately gives incorrect, and often harmful, advice.
(He's inadvertently come close to being correct a couple of times in
the past few months, much in the same manner that a broken clock is
correct twice a day.)


--

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

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. -Bertrand Russell

 

[Bruce Chambers]

If he uses a Full Install of XP Pro instead of XP Pro Upgrade, won't that
install over write both Program Files and Windows ? If so, then he would
loose all of his Apps.

That could happen only if the OP were to deliberately (or carelessly)
choose the option to perform a clean installation, rather than the
Upgrade (Recommended) option. (And then also "accidentally" choose to
format the target partition.)


--

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

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. -Bertrand Russell

 

[Guest]

First of all million thanks to all of you that have provided so much
information. Just to clarify, in order to upgrade from XP Home to XP Pro
should I
a. Boot into XP Home, insert XP Pro CD Full Version while inside Windows, do
"Upgrade"
or
b. Boot using XP Pro Installation CD, do "Upgrade" through the blue setup
screens

thanks
christos

 

[Bruce Chambers]

First of all million thanks to all of you that have provided so much
information. Just to clarify, in order to upgrade from XP Home to XP Pro
should I
a. Boot into XP Home, insert XP Pro CD Full Version while inside Windows, do
"Upgrade"
or
b. Boot using XP Pro Installation CD, do "Upgrade" through the blue setup
screens

You could do it either way, but starting from within the existing WinXP
Home installation (a.) would probably be simplest, and present the
fewest opportunities to make a wrong choice.


--

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

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. -Bertrand Russell

 

[John John]

sigh... Do you even bother to really research before you post this kind
nonsense?

Windows XP supported upgrade paths
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/292607

Eligibility for In-Place Upgrade
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/upgrading/matrix.mspx

Windows XP Professional Upgrade Center
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/upgrading/default.mspx

John

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Not sure where k.blake mvp gets his info from (defiently not from
microsoft) because you can search it thruout and you'll get the same
response "thier is no upgrade from xp home to xp pro"...The upgrade
is for older windows OS,to install pro from home,a clean install is a
must....

That's simply egregious nonsense.

Of course the information is from Microsoft. You have posted this nonsense
umpteen times here, and you get corrected every time, by me as well as by
others.

Of course you can upgrade from XP Home to XP Professional. A googlegroups
search will show you've been corrected on this umpteen times many of them
with links to Microsoft sites proving you're wrong. Without exception you
ignore the corrections, do not reply, and go on posting the same nonsense
again and again. Here, for example, is a segment of a recent post correcting
you by Shenan Stanley, complete with links proving you wrong:

"Andrew E. has been incorrect about this many times - but refuses (or
perhaps cannot comprehend) the fact that upgrading from Windows XP Home to
Windows Professional is supported and one of the easiest paths to follow.


Windows XP supported upgrade paths
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/292607


That article clearly shows a path from Windows XP Home Edition to Windows XP
Professional Edition..
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/292607#XSLTH3140121123120121120120


Even external (non-Microsoft sponsored) confirm this:


What are the supported upgrade paths to Windows XP?
http://www.jsifaq.com/subI/tip4300/rh4349.htm "