Upgrading XP Home to XP Pro

[DaddyMan]

I'm not a new user but I wasn't sure which category to post this question.

If I upgrade a computer from XP Home to XP Pro, will I need to re-install
all pre-existing applications?

Thanks.

Hank

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

I'm not a new user but I wasn't sure which category to post this question.

If I upgrade a computer from XP Home to XP Pro, will I need to re-install
all pre-existing applications?

No, you won't need to reinstall any of them.

Why do you want to upgrade to Professional? 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.

 

[Andrew E.]

While it is possible to "upgrade xp home to xp pro" you will not find this
recommendation anywhere on microsoft web sites,they simply say not to.
The only way to do it,is boot to xp pro cd,select install xp,new copy,delete
the partition (xp home),create one,then let pro format & install auto...The
reasons microsoft says this,the 2 OS are so identical in 95% of the software,
& that alone causes conflicts,the other 5% causes other problems..

 

[John John (MVP)]

Don't listen to Andrew E., he's a bumbling idiot! Andrew, please
substantiate your claims, provide links to those "recommendation
anywhere on Microsoft web sites" of yours where Microsoft says not to
upgrade XP Home to XP Pro or STFU!

John

 

[Rich/rerat]

DaddyMan,
The only conflict I can see, and John John (MVP) or Ken Blake (MVP) can
correct me then. If you have already upgraded to XP Home SP3, and you intend
to install XP Pro SP2:
1. You will need to first uninstall SP3.
2. Do the XP Pro Sp2 installation/upgrade. (Do not try using a XP Pro SP1 or
earlier CD for the upgrade).
3. Then reinstall SP3 again.
4. Go back to the MS Update site, and check for any updates that you may
need.

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Don't listen to Andrew E., he's a bumbling idiot! Andrew, please
substantiate your claims, provide links to those "recommendation
anywhere on Microsoft web sites" of yours where Microsoft says not to
upgrade XP Home to XP Pro or STFU!

John

 

[Rich/rerat]

DaddyMan,
I forgot to add, with the reinstallation of SP3, you may need to update
drivers for your hardware such as printers, scanners, cameras, etc...,
again. Test the hardware, if it fails to work properly, check at the
hardware manufacturer websites for these updates.

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DaddyMan,
The only conflict I can see, and John John (MVP) or Ken Blake (MVP) can
correct me then. If you have already upgraded to XP Home SP3, and you intend
to install XP Pro SP2:
1. You will need to first uninstall SP3.
2. Do the XP Pro Sp2 installation/upgrade. (Do not try using a XP Pro SP1 or
earlier CD for the upgrade).
3. Then reinstall SP3 again.
4. Go back to the MS Update site, and check for any updates that you may
need.



Don't listen to Andrew E., he's a bumbling idiot! Andrew, please
substantiate your claims, provide links to those "recommendation
anywhere on Microsoft web sites" of yours where Microsoft says not to
upgrade XP Home to XP Pro or STFU!

John

 

[David B.]

Still a clueless idiot I see Andrew.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

While it is possible to "upgrade xp home to xp pro" you will not find this
recommendation anywhere on microsoft web sites,they simply say not to.

That's an out-right lie.

The only way to do it,is boot to xp pro cd,select install xp,new copy,delete
the partition (xp home),create one,then let pro format & install auto...

Another deliberate lie.

The
reasons microsoft says this,the 2 OS are so identical in 95% of the software,
& that alone causes conflicts,the other 5% causes other problems..

On the contrary, the close similarity between the two operating systems
is why the upgrade from Home to Pro almost always proceeds flawlessly.


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:


http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/555375

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

The philosopher has never killed any priests, whereas the priest has
killed a great many philosophers.
~ Denis Diderot

 

[Bruce Chambers]

I'm not a new user but I wasn't sure which category to post this question.

If I upgrade a computer from XP Home to XP Pro, will I need to re-install
all pre-existing applications?

Thanks.

Hank

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.

Normally, 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:


http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/555375

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

The philosopher has never killed any priests, whereas the priest has
killed a great many philosophers.
~ Denis Diderot

 

[Bruce Chambers]

DaddyMan,
The only conflict I can see, and John John (MVP) or Ken Blake (MVP) can
correct me then. If you have already upgraded to XP Home SP3, and you intend
to install XP Pro SP2:
1. You will need to first uninstall SP3.
2. Do the XP Pro Sp2 installation/upgrade. (Do not try using a XP Pro SP1 or
earlier CD for the upgrade).
3. Then reinstall SP3 again.
4. Go back to the MS Update site, and check for any updates that you may
need.

True, one would need to have both operating systems at the same SP level.


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:


http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/555375

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

The philosopher has never killed any priests, whereas the priest has
killed a great many philosophers.
~ Denis Diderot

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

While it is possible to "upgrade xp home to xp pro" you will not find this
recommendation anywhere on microsoft web sites,they simply say not to.

Daddyman, please be aware that the above is nonsense. Andrew E., who
wrote the above, is our resident troll who deliberately misinforms
people on this and many other issues. He persists in giving people the
same egregious piece of misinformation that it's not possible or not
recommended to upgrade from Home to Professional, no matter how many
times I and others here have corrected him and pointed him to the
Microsoft site stating otherwise.

In fact, it's the easiest and most-likely successful of all possible
upgrades, since so little has to be changed. Easy as it may be, it's
still prudent to backup your data first, just in case something goes
wrong.

 

[DaddyMan]

Thanks to (almost) everyone for the information. This has been very helpful.

Hank